It’s been a long fall, writers. Whether it was the neverending cycle of daycare colds I picked up from my toddler, or the tough work schedule I found myself navigating, I struggled to accomplish some of my writing goals. As I head into the holiday season and the last weeks of 2021, I’m mostly sitting back with a long sigh. Have you sighed that long sigh before?
But there’s a magic in new things, including new chapters. There’s always a way to turn a page in time because I say it’s time to turn the page: I’m the writer, after all. If you’re feeling that weariness, or a similar disappointment about the plans you held for your writing, then I’m here for you, on this cold night, with a quiet house, and a few hours to myself to contemplate what I want in my writing life in 2022. And I’m bursting with optimism for a new year full of new stories to tell. I’m optimistic for you, too.
This fall I had the opportunity to go on a mini writing retreat with a few women writers. We worked quietly on our books during the day, and reconvened at night to share stories, commiserate, celebrate triumphs and mourn losses or disappointments. It was a powerful, sustaining experience, and it reminded me that writers need to devote themselves to what matters; no one else will do it for them. It inspired me to make plans for 2022, including finishing a new novel draft, submitting a lot of short stories, and continuing to grow the Writerly Bites Podcast.
In the last few weeks of 2021, no matter how well or poorly your writing has gone this year, take the time to write down some plans for yourself, as well as plans for how to accomplish them. Will you rise an hour earlier and write before breakfast? Will you read a book on a quiet January evening instead of zoning out in front of the TV? Will you finish this story or that one? The more concrete and specific your goals are, and the more you plan to make it part of your routine, the more successful you’re likely to be.
In the meantime, check out some of the latest episodes of Writerly Bites. Lately I’ve talked about how art is about making choices, how to write the scene you've been avoiding, and making a holiday plan for writing. And it was my absolute pleasure to interview author Thea Lim about her favorite writing tip.
The podcast is taking a break until the new year, but I’ll be back in January, full of new ideas and new exciting plans and goals for writing. I’ll be interviewing new authors on the podcast, and talking about my favorite writing tips. Until then, take the time you need to rest, or to read, or to quietly observe the people around you, or the stories you’ve written this year. I’ll see you in 2022, writers.