Posted on by Sonia Dogra

Word of the Year – Believe (IWSG Jan)

Hello Readers and my IWSG friends

It’s a new year for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group and my fourth with them. I have since grown as a writer and learnt much, specially after reading the writing journeys of others in the group and the advice on aspects of writing every month. It is also a wonderful resource for writing-related articles. They also have a Book Club which I definitely plan to join a little later, and loads of information on querying (that I hope to use in the near future!).So, gratitude IWSG for all of this and more. If you wish to join the group and receive new articles, visit here please.

I will jump to the first question of the year, right away!

January 4 question – Do you have a word of the year? Is there one word that sums up what you need to work on or change in the coming year? For instance, in 2021 my word of the year was Finish. I was determined to finished my first draft by the end of the year. In 2022, my word of the year is Ease. I want to get my process, systems, finances, and routines where life flows with ease and less chaos. What is your word for 2023? Why?

Before I move to my word for 2023, I’d like to talk about the word(s) that described the last year for me. Of course, it pertains to writing and nothing else. Well, I could use disappear because I’d literally disappeared into a shell, making occasional appearances, trying to figure out where I’d like to take my writing. Whatever little I wrote, I could say it just wrote itself, whether on the blog or submissions or wherever else. As I think while I type this, maybe I should change from disappear to rediscover because I was trying to redeem my writing and pull it out of a bottomless pit that was all fluff. But truly, any word that fits my journey from last year will do.

This year I’m looking at a quiet, peaceful resurgence. As I have discovered, what I want from writing at my (st)age (yes, despite telling myself that I’m never going to use this three-letter word here I am), is very different from what someone else at another stage of their life might be looking at. I think our choices/preferences change with time and that’s how it should be. Who likes to be in stasis? But despite all of it if I’m looking at renewal, I’d like to carry the word Believe with me into 2023. As all writers, I can do with lots of self belief in my own words. I’d like to, actually. Last December I had pitched a picture book to a publishing house. They wrote back a rejection email, but something about that mail and its kind comments made me think I should have more faith in my work. And so, the word of the year is Believe.

What is your word of the year? Do share with me in the comments section.

The awesome co-hosts for the January 4 posting of the IWSG are Jemima Pett, Debs Carey, Kim Lajevardi, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and T. Powell Coltrin! I hope you will visit them and show some love.

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34 Replies to “Word of the Year – Believe (IWSG Jan)”

  3. Hi Sonia! My comment is missing, so here I go again. I love BELIEVE as a word. Yes, believe in yourself and your craft. May you be amazed at what you accomplish in 2023!

    Happy New Year! I hope we see a lot of you over at WEP. You were no 4 on the winner’s list last time so let’s see you up there in the top 3!!

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  4. Believing is an excellent word! I’m an old hand at believing so please allow me to give you some pointers that just might make it easier. I hope so. Believe (in yourself) even when you think you can’t. Do it until it becomes second nature. Believe even when it’s painful; when every part of your being says “no.” One day (soon) the effort to believe will become the norm, and you will do it without thinking. I promise. Believe. Like breathing, without thought.

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  8. Thanks for sharing this, Sonia. I like your WOTY. I read your post and thought of my WOTY for last year. It definitely was ‘Wait’. I kept waiting and waiting for publishers to respond until I began to doubt my own writing. I’ll have to think about the word for this year. ISWG sounds like an interesting group full of learning. Thank you for sharing it. Carry on sharing your beautiful writing. I’m certain it’ll take you places. Hugs.

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  9. Your journey that lead you to choosing “believe” is very familiar. I applaud you for following through and coming to such a hopeful word choice. I’m looking forward to our contacts in 2023.

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  13. Hi,
    Happy New Year!
    I sincerely hope you continue to write. You have what it takes to become what you would like to be. Believing in yourself is the basic root as you have said with your choice of a word for this year, but go deeper. Examine why you are as you are and let that seep into your writing. It will take time because that is a process that you can’t rush through, but if you do it, you will find something deep within yourself that is life and it will rise up in the words you write.
    All the best.
    Shalom aleichem

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  18. Love your WOTY. I am wrapping my head around mine. Have a few very lucrative options to choose from, but will journal and zero down on the best soon this week. Amen!

    Wishing you a stellar new 2023 of joy and in believing, dear Sonia. Love

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