Writing Flops and Writing Goals: Reflecting and Preparing for a New Year
It's that time of year again, full of fresh starts and new resolutions, but is the new year really going to be different?
When New Year’s rolls around, I always inevitably find myself looking back on the past year, and forward to the new one. Sometimes that reflection only lasts a few seconds if I didn’t reach my goals, but most of the time it takes a bit longer as I scrutinize my past self and interpret my own actions in retrospect.
But now that we are a couple of weeks into 2023, I’m ready to start working toward my writing goals.
Every year, I make an unofficial list of goals. I don’t hold myself too strictly to the goals because what I want out of 2023 and where I am personally will undoubtedly change in the coming year. But I always have some overarching resolutions for the new year, even if they might shift over time.
This year, my main writing goal is to edit my book.
You may remember I previously mentioned a book I was working on for Harlequin’s Love Inspired line. While the first version of that book didn’t receive a publishing contract, it did receive edits and an encouraging note to revise and resubmit.
So, of course, I’m going to do it!
But that means lots of editing, and I’m not the biggest fan of editing. It will take some time and some definite stick-to-itiveness, but it’s my biggest goal for this year, and hopefully, one that I can accomplish in the next couple of months.
I have some other writing goals, including writing here in this newsletter more, and returning to Medium as it’s been more than six months since I last published an article there, but I’m working out some of the kinks with those goals since they are secondary to editing my book.
Thinking about goals and where I want to take my writing career this year, I’m left wondering one thing:
What are your writing goals for the new year?
Let’s cheer each other on as we take steps to further our writing skills this year. While it’s hard work, for me it’s a true passion, and something that I won’t be stopping any time soon—even if my goals change and shift as I dive into a new year full of possibilities.
Here are the places my words have ended up since I last wrote:
4 Things No One Prepares You For When Rescuing a Cat republished on my blog
How to Write a Logline for Your Novel republished on my blog
Self Saboteur republished on my blog
Are Writing Conferences Worth It? republished on my blog
The Art of the Flashback republished on my blog
The Most Frustrating Thing to Experience as a Cat Parent republished on my blog
Why Not Writing is the Best Way to Ultimately Write republished on my blog
Condescension republished on my blog
I Had My First Viral Story Ever republished on my blog
I’ve joined a book club! That might not be a big deal to some, but to me, it’s a way to nurture the reader in me (and the first time my attempts at joining a book club haven’t fizzled out.) For December, we read The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams. I thoroughly enjoyed this book—it was all about the power of books to bring us together (something I wholeheartedly believe in.) If you’re looking for a fairly easy read—though it does deal with some difficult topics at times—then this might be the book for you.
I’m also watching the final season (season 4) of Atypical on Netflix. I loved the first three seasons and somehow entirely missed that the final season was out! I love the storyline of this show and the way it spotlights a cast of unique, quirky, and fun characters. If you haven’t watched it, I’d definitely recommend giving it a chance.