If, like me, you found that life got in the way of your writing career in 2009, and are trying to get your plans back on track, then here are some words of wisdom from some great sources of writing advice.

Andy Hayes lists the top ways to improve your writing in this guest post on Get Paid to Write, including Get Feedback, Read a Book and Get Organized.  Hm, well the last item is certainly one that I need to work on as my schedule ramps up.

If general planning and following through on your goals is something that you need help with, then I highly recommend signing up to regular updates from Aliventures, the blog of staff blogger Ali Hale.  Ali is constantly coming up with inspiring ways to get me writing and some good hard advice on meshing my creative side with a more practical way of working.  Her post on her plans for 2010 is a great starting point if you are wondering how high to aim this year, or where to start with creating goals. 

Much as I would love to reap the rewards of the extra time, I don't plan on copying her goal of rising at 6.30am.  While a noble goal, it is not realistic for someone who needs two cups of coffee before I even think about working!  However, recognizing your own unique strengths and weaknesses is fundamental to building achievable goals.

While we are talking about accepting failure as a part of success, sneak over to Seth Godin's blog for this post to get a good insight into the truth about this concept!

That said, it is NOT acceptable to write off a project due to lack of commitment or work ethic.  It is important to recognize which failures are your own and which were out of your hands and learn from them appropriately.  Men with Pens have a great article on their blog this week about facing up to whether or not you can realistically complete a project.  While at their sites, browse their Better Writing section for some general tips on how to improve your skills this year.

If balance was your issue, and you are trying to juggle your writing alongside a full time career, then grab a cup of coffee, rest a moment and read these tips from Freelance Writing Gigs about carving time to flex your writing muscle into an already hectic schedule.

And finally, if you just need a bit of a jumpstart to your writing career, then read Allena Tapia's tips to help you find a fresh start in 2010.  Some of the advice might seem startlingly simple until you put it into practice.

What are your best tips for getting ahead in your writing career in 2010?  Are you using any new strategies or techniques to reach your goals?