If there is anything 2023 showed me, it's how frustrating it can be when your carefully laid intentions are crumpled up and cast aside by forces beyond your control.
The important thing is being able to persist in the face of the challenge and keep moving forward even when the wind is in your face and not at your back.
As Dolly Parton once said, "We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails."
And that's precisely what I plan to do in 2024!
Now that we've rung in the new year and the champagne (or sparkling wine) has gone flat, I'm joining a number of others in the blogging sphere and sharing some of my goals and to-do list for the next twelve months.
In years past, this has often been lengthy and included high expectations for myself. This time around, I'm aspiring to keep things a little more low-key.
A Tided Love
Last November, I participated in National Novel Writing Month, more commonly known as NaNoWriMo and began working on A Tided Love, a Regency Era second-chance romance set at a seaside resort town.
While I didn't have the perfect NaNoWriMo experience (as you can read more about here), I did make much more progress on this new WIP than I expected and plan to continue working on it throughout 2024.
I'm aiming to have the first draft completed by the end of the summer, at which point, I'll likely hold off on edits for a bit and let the project rest for a while.
Bound To The Heart
One thing that always makes an appearance in these annual goal-setting posts is my other "main" writing project, Bound to the Heart. Set in London, this romance follows a bookseller-turned-sibling-chaperone and a hopeless romantic (with an overbearing mother), and it's one I've been working on and off on for a few years now; most of that time has been spent in the throes of editing.
While Bound to the Heart remains on my list of things to tend to, it's not going to be my priority this year. At least, not for the first half of 2024.
My plan is to return to editing this story, but not until the first draft of A Tided Love is finished.
While I would love to close the year by sending Bound to the Heart out to another group of beta readers, as I initially hoped I would do in 2023, chances are that's not going to happen. I think I'll be happy if I can get the first 5-10 chapters feeling more solid by December.
The Blog
For the most part, my goals for the blog remain the same. My main objective is to stay a little bit ahead of schedule when it comes to preparing uploads.
Pretty much since I launched the site, I've been in the mode of writing posts in advance. Life is nothing if not unpredictable, so I like to make sure things are ready to go just in case something happens.
I have a lot of fun things planned and a few interesting topics I've been wanting to touch on for a while.
Climbing Out Of The Reading Slump
One thing I'm aiming to do more of in 2024 is reading.
I've been in a deep reading slump as of late, so I'm hoping 2024 is the year I finally climb out of it and get back into a steady habit.
My goal is to read at least fifteen books this year.
I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but with time being what it is and everything I have going on, that seems manageable. And if I end up reading more than that, awesome.
Also, I'm gradually getting back into audiobooks so please feel free to leave any recommendations below!
Super Exciting Secret Project
Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the "super exciting secret project" I've been alluding to on social media.
No, it's not a book deal. I wish. 😄❤️
This endeavor has been brewing in the back of my mind for a little while now and is finally in the works. I'm keeping things under wraps for a tiny bit longer but I am so eager to share more about it soon.
I've been learning a few new skills in preparation for this and am so far pleased with the way things are coming along.
If you want to stay up to date on things, hop over to my Instagram profile and follow me there because that's probably where the news will land first. Probably in March if everything goes according to plan...
I'm entering 2024 with perhaps smaller goals than the ones I carried into 2023, but they feel more concrete and attainable. But I think working towards smaller goals like these may be why I'm entering this new year with a sense of confidence that I've lacked in the past. I'm not feeling too overwhelmed by everything I've laid out for myself and am actually even excited!
Here's to this next chapter and everything the future has in store! May the next year be full of love, joy, and success.
What are your 2024 goals? Share them down below in the comments!
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