Dear readers,

A very happy new year to you all! I hope you have a healthy and successful year ahead. 2015 has been bittersweet but thinking back, there have been some truly happy, warm and wonderful moments. Here’s to hoping that this year brings even more moments like that for us all.

Now, no one really sets goals this time of year, but I thought I’d do something different. So here goes…

(That was sarcasm, just to clarify. Let’s jump on the bandwagon of tradition and set some resolutions!)

Writing Resolutions

• Write a little bit every day.

I’ve tried (and failed) to do this before, but this year I’ve got a plan: I’ll write anything, anything, be it six-word stories, first lines, last lines, bad jokes, or shopping lists. I’ll be happy if I spend even five minutes a day writing something I don’t have to for the next 365 days.

• Make a list of and participate in writing competitions.
• Send work off to be published:
  • Write, edit and finalise short stories/poetry
  • Get subscriptions to magazines/journals
  • Send, send, send (maybe once a month?)

I want to take decisive steps towards being a published author this year. The first step (apart from actually writing) seems to be sending my writing to different journals and magazines, whether they’re in print or digital. Let me know if you know any good magazines to publish short fiction!

• Read the writing-related books, articles and guides I’ve got saved.

‘Nuff said.

Not only are my bookmarks filled with links I’ve saved, but my dad has also sent me loads of helpful articles. I’m planning to read a few every weekend, or maybe one a day at least. Baby steps…

• Have at least one short story finished per month.

I won’t set my goals too high. I’ll be honest: I’ve never kept my resolutions (that I know of). I plan to change this (as always), but I figured I’ll start small.

Reading Resolutions

• A Year in Books

This year’s ‘A Year in Books’ didn’t go so well. There were too many gaps as I didn’t review a book each month. This project basically means I have to read more!

Read ALL the books!

• Read more books outside my course.

Even though my classes all involve reading, I don’t want this to mean I don’t read books for leisure. I’ll make a TBR list, hopefully including both new and old reads I want to finish.

• BBC’s The Big Read

Yes, I said “baby steps”, but I want to try and finish all 100 books on BBC’s The Big Read list. Notice the word try…

• Keep my Goodreads account more up-to-date.

To be fair, I’m still reading Mansfield Park…

Blog Resolutions

• Try to establish a routine for posting (again, notice the word try…).
• Post more about my writing progress.

This blog is supposed to be about my writing journey, after all. Once I (hopefully) start sending pieces off, I want to write about that experience. Who knows, maybe that will act as an encouragement of sorts! I’m also planning to post updates about the above resolutions, and more about my writing in general.

And that should be enough to keep me busy for the next year. Let me know what some of your resolutions are this year!

And finally… Thank you.

Before I finish this post, I would also like to say thank you. In these past few months, more of you have started reading my blog and I couldn’t be more grateful for all the kindness I’ve received from you. So thank you, and I hope to keep seeing you around!

Happy New Year once again, and all the best for the coming year.

Until next time!