Take the time to celebrate your writing accomplishments no matter how big or small.

I made a purchase the other day. Not a big one, but it felt big to me. Because this was a purchase that I would keep forever to remind me of a major accomplishment that I hit.

I’ve shared in a previous post the mix up I had with a publication. They never got my information so my payment had been significantly delayed. The payment, while not huge, was that largest I’ve received for a piece of writing so it felt very significant to me.

When I received it, I knew exactly what I was going to do with a small portion of it. I would buy something special to celebrate.

Writing is Brutal

Writing is full of heartache, rejection, and discouragement. It can feel like every step forward you also take about five steps back. For every acceptance, you have about 30 rejections. You don’t just need a thick skin for this business, you need full suit of armor. It can eat you alive if you don’t manage to daily find perspective, and take a moment to appreciate what you have accomplished.

Celebrate Your Accomplishments

Take a moment to think about something you’ve accomplished in your writing. It can be a publication goal, but it doesn’t have to be. Did you finish a draft of a novel? Did you submit you first short story or article? Did you make it a goal to write every day for a year and hit that? Did you complete NaNoWriMo? Did you sign up for a writing class? Did you query ten agents?

Think of the steps you’ve taken or the goals you’ve hit. It might not seem impressive, but those small wins and accomplishments added up over time lead to bigger successes. Don’t diminish something you’ve achieved. Celebrate it!

Funs ways to Celebrate

Everyone is going to celebrate in different ways, and it doesn’t have to be big. It can be as small as a bowl of ice cream (a favorite of mine) a glass of champagne, or permission for a Netflix binge. Someone I follow on social media participated in NaNoWriMo and made herself a sticker chart to mark off the days she hit her word count.

Whatever you like to do, use that as a carrot to entice yourself to work toward that goal, and then when you hit it, celebrate! Have the ice cream or get a massage.

I decided that I wanted a piece of jewelry that I could keep forever that would always remind me of this moment. So I took 10% of my earnings and bought a small pair of pearl earrings. Every time I wear them, I’ll be reminded of this accomplishment. I got the idea from another author who would always buy a piece of jewelry when she sold a book, and I loved the idea. Obviously, it doesn’t have to be jewelry–it can be whatever you want. But the point is, celebrate the wins–big or small.

What’s your favorite way to celebrate an accomplishment? Tell me in the comments below!