Category: Blog

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Happy New Year

2025 flips to 2026 and another year in which you are going to work on your writing.

That’s fine. Reconcentrate after the craziness of December. For me, I lost all of November to my mom being in the hospital then in rebhab after breaking her hip in a fall. December, she was healthy enough for visits (though we are still going to a physical therapist three times a week), so we had rolling visitors all month for which we were preparing, having, then cleaning up to redo the whole thing over again the next week with another group. And I had edits. Writing has not been possible, but I did manage to finish my BIPoC reading goal of the year.

Now it’s time to return to the keyboard. Butt in Chair, Hands on Keyboard – BICHOK.

Today’s writing exercise is figuring out what do you want to accomplish this year.

WRITING EXERCISE: Reading, Writing, Submission, Social Media, Socialization, and Convention goals. Write yours down and record those you want to share in the comments. Keep the rest somewhere nearby.

My Attempt

One) Reading Goals  (A) BIPoC reads. I want to do 24 books again this year. It is a reasonable goal and I have been able to make it for three years running. It is about 20% of my reads. These are verifiable BIPoC reads; often with immigrant or latino reads, verifying isn’t easy or possible. (B) Book Clubs – I am part of two book clubs. One specializes in recent (5 years or less) genre fiction and often introduces me to books I wouldn’t have found on my own, but I am, generally, interested in. The National Public Radio book club in Waco is called Likely Stories and reads random books reviewed on the radio station by listeners. It is random and REALLY introduces me to books I would never have read. – Both goals for (A) and (B) make me read outside my comfort zone and explore new authors constantly.

What are you doing to look beyond your normal reading interests?

Hmm. The big change from normal is previous years I made a habit of reading writing books, but this past year I only read one. I think I should make a challenge over on Storygraph of reading twelve books for bookcrafting. Goal (C). The Storygraph challenges will be the BIPoC and the Writing Books.

A bonus goal is actually creating some of those book reviews for my NPR book club. Six will be a reasonable challenge I think. (D) Six Likely Reads Book Reviews.

Two) Writing – Editing took over the writing last year, as did yardwork and readjusting to living at home. This year goals  are (A) writing at least one blog per day; (B) writing at least one short story a month; and (C) writing at least 500 real words per day, not just words on emails and the like. Will I do it all? Unlikely. I keep making this goal and failing, but maybe, like the reading, I can figure out a way to make the goals happen. I’ve done good for months at a time so it isn’t impossible, just unlikely.

Three) Submission – I cannot control if a book or short story will be published, BUT if I don’t finish and submit, it won’t happen. (A) I need to submit the followup short story for my superhero story which appeared in “A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To P-Con” for the 2026 anthology. (B) I would like to submit to two of the Ranconteur anthologies. (C) I would like to publish another 20k (at least) book; “Honestly” is getting lonely out there.  (D)Bonus points, get a novella or short novel published by Falstaff’s Crush line. 

Four) Social Media – I have fun (A) making daily TikTok bookquotes (or embroidery drops; (B) transferring them to YouTube; (C) making memes (at least 50 this year) on bookquotes; (D) maintaining this blog; (E) (the likely books review mentioned under reading) (F) Bonus point: start a substack.

Five) Socialization – I have two book clubs (as mentioned under the reading goals) but I don’t have a club or regular writing group outside of that. I was thinking I would need to create one since Waco didn’t have one, but the Hewitt Library System is starting one in January and it will meet twice a month. I hope it will keep me honest. So (A) book clubs and (B) writer group. I also have (C) an embroidery group. These are my social lifelines. Do not skimp on having a support system outside of your family.

Six) Conventions – My goal every year is to go to at least three writer conventions. I need to sit down and make plans for this.

Seven) Publication – This is something I don’t have control over (mostly), but (A) Bonus: Publish a novel either by myself or with someone else.

I have marked a revisit to these goals for April’s 5th Thursday blog.

Other questions include do I want to participate in the A-to-Z in April or do Novel November?