I’m putting the final polish on my next newsletter (goal setting! workshops! giveaways!), but in the meantime, I’d love to hear what ambitions you have for the new year, be they writing, reading, marketing, or just plain ‘ol life related. What glorious mistakes do you plan to make this year? What are you scared or excited to try? Please share in the discussion thread below! I’ll put mine in the comments too.
I usually try to tackle my work in smaller chunks of time than a year, because that feels more doable. But for the entire year, here are some things I hope to accomplish:
- Read more books, especially by marginalized authors and non-fiction
- Get Ghost Roads revised and back out on sub
- Start (and stretch-goal: draft!) a new long-form project or fix up a broken one
- Try my hand at short fiction again (stretch goal: complete a story and submit it places!)
- Meet more writers and readers!
- Grow my newsletter and general networking
- Cook for fun
- Actually plant a vegetable garden and make sure my fledgling peach tree stays alive
- Spend more time going on adventures with my family
- Be present for friends
- Oh, and finally (finally!) clean my office for real, absolutely clean
Perfect timing - I was just writing my "to do for the year" list. Sharing it will make it more real. And like you, I need to break this down into smaller, even microscopic, chunks.
* submit my book proposal to more indie presses where I don't need an agent
* query more agents
* develop a social media strategy
* write short posts for others' sites
* look for presentation opportunities
* continue to connect with Boston's writing community
* clean up my digital life (photos, old emails, passwords)
* tend the garden in Maine (it will be newly replanted in raised beds)
An inspiring list! I always love when writers are also gardeners (or are attempting to garden, like me) because I feel like the care and tending that plants require is not so different from the care and tending a creative life requires. You've got this!
What a cool thread idea (and love the Substack ability to link to this thread from the email).
Since I'm in Boston Book Blog mode right now, my goal for 2020 is to interview more writers, which was always the intention of the Book Blog. Doing that, though, involves prep work - and a heck of a lot more reading - so I'm making plans to keep on top of myself in keeping my head up regarding Boston author new releases, hunting up advanced copies, and blocking out more time to read!
I love this goal! And publishers love book bloggers. I wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to publicists and let them know who you are and what your reach is, especially in anticipation of authors touring locally, to get those ARCs!
And, when possible, you can always delegate some of those interviews! You don’t have to always be a one-woman show for this part; writers interviewing other writers can help everyone! Can’t wait to see what you come up with!
I usually try to tackle my work in smaller chunks of time than a year, because that feels more doable. But for the entire year, here are some things I hope to accomplish:
- Read more books, especially by marginalized authors and non-fiction
- Get Ghost Roads revised and back out on sub
- Start (and stretch-goal: draft!) a new long-form project or fix up a broken one
- Try my hand at short fiction again (stretch goal: complete a story and submit it places!)
- Meet more writers and readers!
- Grow my newsletter and general networking
- Cook for fun
- Actually plant a vegetable garden and make sure my fledgling peach tree stays alive
- Spend more time going on adventures with my family
- Be present for friends
- Oh, and finally (finally!) clean my office for real, absolutely clean
Help my husband get his middle grade novel published!
What a wonderful goal (and supportive partner!)
Perfect timing - I was just writing my "to do for the year" list. Sharing it will make it more real. And like you, I need to break this down into smaller, even microscopic, chunks.
* submit my book proposal to more indie presses where I don't need an agent
* query more agents
* develop a social media strategy
* write short posts for others' sites
* look for presentation opportunities
* continue to connect with Boston's writing community
* clean up my digital life (photos, old emails, passwords)
* tend the garden in Maine (it will be newly replanted in raised beds)
An inspiring list! I always love when writers are also gardeners (or are attempting to garden, like me) because I feel like the care and tending that plants require is not so different from the care and tending a creative life requires. You've got this!
What a cool thread idea (and love the Substack ability to link to this thread from the email).
Since I'm in Boston Book Blog mode right now, my goal for 2020 is to interview more writers, which was always the intention of the Book Blog. Doing that, though, involves prep work - and a heck of a lot more reading - so I'm making plans to keep on top of myself in keeping my head up regarding Boston author new releases, hunting up advanced copies, and blocking out more time to read!
I love this goal! And publishers love book bloggers. I wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to publicists and let them know who you are and what your reach is, especially in anticipation of authors touring locally, to get those ARCs!
And, when possible, you can always delegate some of those interviews! You don’t have to always be a one-woman show for this part; writers interviewing other writers can help everyone! Can’t wait to see what you come up with!
I love Boston Book Blog! Thank you for creating it.