10 Creative Commandments to Motivate You in 2025
Happy 2025! What a year it’s been.
This past year threw us some serious curveballs. New jobs that pulled us in unexpected directions, life changes that made us question everything — you know how it goes.
Us, heavily caffeinated and just a bit punchy, bidding farewell to 2024. At least we're still laughing.
In the meantime, as we welcome 2025, we wanted to shift a bit from our usual predictions post about publishing trends.
Yes, AI will continue to evolve, but authentic voices will matter more than ever.
No, we don’t have any idea what’s going to happen to TikTok, but we do think you're smart to migrate to YouTube, regardless.
Instead, we want to focus on addressing what we are hearing from many creatives lately:
I don’t know where to focus my energy
I don’t know what book I really want to write
I feel lost, stuck, overwhelmed
We feel these things, too. You'll notice we haven't published a book or new course for a while. It's not for lack of ideas—we always have plenty of those, thanks to all of you.
But there's something different in the air now. The familiar creative landscape is shifting: Amazon isn't what it used to be, and paid advertising becomes more challenging to navigate with each passing month.
Many of us are feeling a distinct lack of purpose as we face an uncertain future in publishing. The platforms and strategies that once felt solid now seem to shift like sand beneath our feet.
If you want to prioritize your creative work in 2025, whether that's for your career or just for your mental health, we have a few "commandments" we're practicing ourselves that we'd like to share with you.
10 Creative Commandments to Practice in 2025
1) Make time.
No matter what your schedule looks like, if creative work gives you joy, you absolutely must make time for it. Five minutes a day is five minutes a day. Ten minutes on the weekend is ten minutes. This isn't about massive blocks of time—it's about consistency. Carve out the time, and let it be sacred.
2) Ignore word counts.
We will never understand why authors make this work harder than it needs to be. If 5000 words per day lights you up, go for it. But if it causes you stress, why bother? Creativity comes in waves. Sometimes one sentence, one portion of an outline, one social media post is enough. Let your natural rhythm guide you.
3) Pivot.
If you've been with us for a while, you know we're all about following the data. The start of a new year is a great time to look at what's working for you, and what isn't. Don't be afraid of trying a new platform or even a new genre of writing, if that's calling to you. Your creative journey deserves to evolve.
4) Delegate.
Want to know how many authors we know, including ourselves, who can do it all? Writing, editing, designing, marketing, social media, etc? ZERO. You cannot do it all on your own. Hire someone better than you if you don't have the time to become an expert in all things. Focus your energy where it matters most.
5) Learn from others.
Take the time to reflect on the careers of the authors you look up to. Not necessarily in your genre. Take note of how they write, how they market, how they connect with their readers. You don't have to copy them—not everything they do will work for you. But maybe something they do might be intriguing for you to try to emulate, in your own way.
6) Maintain healthy skepticism.
The publishing world continues to change fast and sadly, this means that first-time authors can be prime targets for scams. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Trust your instincts and do your research.
7) Read.
The number of wannabe authors we talk to who don't read books on a regular basis is astounding. If you do nothing else this year, make a commitment to read a wide variety of books for learning, for pleasure, and for inspiration. Every book you read is teaching you something about writing.
8) Share.
You don't have to start a blog or a newsletter, but if you're hoping to build an audience, you don't have to wait until you have a perfectly polished novel to share your creative work and ideas. Post someplace, email your friends, become part of a writing group. Give yourself a chance to share your thoughts, even if they are imperfect. Your voice matters now.
9) Laugh.
We mean it! Sometimes you're going to start writing something, or begin drafting an outline, and it's going to sound really good for a while. And then the plot will fall apart, or your coffee will kick in, or any number of life's surprises will make you realize your idea was.... Well, not what you thought it would be. This isn't an indication that you're not a great writer or that you have nothing to say. It's all part of the process. Laugh it off and move on.
10) Enjoy.
Creative work shouldn't feel like a chore. Put on your favorite music, head to your favorite cafe. Re-read your work slowly and intentionally. Enjoy the process, whatever that looks like for you. Make this time something you look forward to.
We're not going to lie: 2024 will go down in history for us as a tough year.
But we're still here, and we're still creating. Your story matters now, more than ever.
We're with you on this creative journey, so let's make space and time for it together!
