Carrie Visintainer

Walk.

Rugged sandals.

The dedicated minimalist.

“I wish we hadn’t seen that,” my son said. I shrugged. Part of me couldn’t disagree. “But it’s real life.”

It’s that time of year for New Year’s Resolutions. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they come up in all kinds of conversations. Maybe one of your big goals is to publish a book. (Possibly, this has been a resolution of yours for several years, and you just keep transferring it forward.) So this year, why not commit? Make it a priority and knock out that first novel, memoir, or story collection. Here are six tips for making your book happen this year.

Get artsy.

But when I’m alone, I see the person sitting at the table next to me, or backpacker in my boat taxi. And I often end up talking to them and hearing their story, which tends to forge friendships. I know it enriches my own life.

As a person who’s pretty much consumed by wanderlust, always planning or embarking on an adventure, I have a whole collection of stories and photos from my trips.