We need your help to pick a winner!

We told you that we would publish a selection of the best entries in January 2013.

Help us choose the winner. Please read through the resolutions below and send us your favourite.

The Seven Finalists

Richard Greensmith

(Assuming the Mayan calendar is wrong and we’re all still here for 2013) I hereby resolve that:

1. I shall write everyday without fail – even if it’s only a limerick written in the condensation on my shaving mirror. (See below)*
2. I will never edit/proof read after drinking a glass of wine.
3. I will be meticulous about keeping my card file of character details up to date.
4. I will eaves drop more and without shame on other people’s conversations.
5. I will never again skip a word whose meaning I do not know but will both look them up and try to use them – even YOLO, WTF or L8.
6. I will no longer avoid writing about actions, thoughts or emotions I find uncomfortable to explore.
7. I will read more, even books I don’t like and when my eyes are tired I’ll blink then read some more.
8. I will remind myself when another rejection slip drops through the letter box that the agent who has dismissed my masterpiece is only there because he/she couldn’t get a proper job.
9. I will prepare the schematic of my plot but as the manuscript develops I will give my characters freedom to express themselves in their own words.
10. Did I mention writing every day and reading both the good, the bad and the ridiculous?

*The fellow’s a writer who’ll  write
And, when working, intruders he’ll bite
He checks all his grammar
Despite his bad stammer
And edits his work till it’s right.

Roland Langley

1. Overcoming writer’s block
2. Develop and acquiring more inspiration from real life situations
3. Adapt too writing notes in any environment
4. Finding time and balance between reading, writing, research and reviewing.
5. Attending more writers workshops-continues learning
6. Do more physical exercises and drink less coffee
7. Continue questioning all human situations in society
8. Write down dreams immediately after awaking.
9. Be more descriptive in writing and less business orientated
10. Try to portray emotions in all my works

Roy Hudson

1. I’ll start keeping my idea notebook by my bed so that I can write ideas down before I fall asleep.
2. I’ll actually write the ideas down in the notebook so as to not forget them upon waking.
3. I’ll work on my NaNoWriMo novel… from 2011.
4. I’ll do my best to finish the second book in a trilogy; the first of which I’ve already “sold” to a small press.
5. I’ll submit short work to magazines and/or contests outside of my usual publisher.
6. I’ll spend more time editing and revising.
7. I’ll spend less time on Facebook so that I can!
8. I’ll finally post on my website
9. an offer for editing services.
10. I’ll try to figure out how much money to ask for in return for editing services.
11. Finally, I may or may not start a site for the collaborative fiction idea I spouted on my Facebook author page a couple weeks ago.

Madenique van Wyk 

1. Resist the urge to strangle your English teacher because she only gave you 80% for your essay.
2. Stop wanting to write only the ‘cool parts’ of your story. Connect the endless amount of paragraphs that’s clogging your computer to form a storyline that actually makes sense.
3. Stop convincing yourself that chocolate gives you inspiration – you’ve already put on 5 kilos.
4. Stop dreaming about seeing your book in the window of a bookstore and start WRITING it. Dreaming is good, but part of success is actually working for it.
5. Try balancing your life with your writing needs. Get out once in a while. Sitting in front of a computer screen all day is unhealthy and makes you a little pale – just ask Artemis Fowl.
6. Be proud! You’re one of the few people in your class who has realistic dreams … you’re a writer and someday you’ll be a publishing writer. A healthy dose of self-confidence can get you through any situation a lot easier.

Norlita J. Brown 

1. Make my name relevant in the literary industry.
2. Write articles to submit to various blogs, online and print magazines.
3. Make writing a habit not a hobby!
4. Cease the excuses in order to press forward on progress.
5. Not compare my work, progress or level of success to anyone else.
6. Realize that it’s not healthy to compete with other writers.

Susan Shuman

1. To write more, better and much.
2. To write for pleasure, not just freelance gigs (not that I’m ungrateful for the work!)
3. Teach my modifiers to stop dangling
4. Address my addiction to the semicolon
5. Spearhead a movement to bring back the interrobang
6. Branch out into technical writing
7. Write some good white papers
8. Get paid what I am worth
9. Ban the split infinitive
10. Eradicate the comma splice

Angelique Cridland

1. Write 500 words a day as a minimum output.
2. Read three chapters a day.
3. Look up the meanings of words I don’t recognize or understand – learn them; remember them; use them.
4. Read two poems a day.
5. Analyse one poem every fortnight.
6. Acquire the history of two unknown authors a month.
7. Read your classics!
8. Enter all writing competitions and challenges at any lengths or measures!
9. When received, appreciate and share all writing tips with fellow writers.
10. Keep a detailed, daily journal.

Source for Image

Please email your winning author’s name to news@writerswrite.co.za with competition winner in the subject line.