Happy New Year!
I know it’s been awhile since I’ve blogged, and I can’t say I’m adding a blogging schedule to my goal list yet. Eventually I hope so, but right now I’m focusing on getting 2 stories edited and with the rush of life, I’m having a hard time adding anything else at the moment. Shoulda, woulda, coulda.
However, I did want to take a few moments to talk about goal setting. It’s a huge topic this time of year. And something I usually try to do throughout the year. I’m pretty ambitious and enjoy setting goals, but this 2019 goal setting has been very difficult for me. I don’t even know why, although some of it might be because I’ve been focused so much on writing that I feel like I’ve lost a lot of my other creative endeavors I used to enjoy. Thinking on that has really forced me to re-evaluate writing goals when so many other things get pushed to the back burner.
I also blame it on Lara Casey’s Power Sheets. It’s my first time to ever use them, and it was worth every investment. As far as goal setting, she’s the one to read (as this post isn’t about how to set goals, but she has a lot of great posts for that.) It makes me think on what’s important, and what’s not so important, and has really drawn some things out of me.
That being said, once my 2 stories are finished with editing, I might take a break from writing to pursue other goals. All the guilt that writers feel about “must write every day” and “don’t break the chain” can really screw up a writer’s mindset. “Don’t give up” blah blah blah. I don’t look at it as giving up, but I do look at taking a break as nourishing myself. Instead of feeling guilty for not writing, or not doing this or that, I am going to nourish my creativity without worrying about getting noticed or marketing or writing something new. Because, as Lara Casey says, little by little it all adds up. So I am taking it little by little!
Another guilt authors face is how we should be writing and publishing x many stories x many months or you won’t ever get noticed. (Seriously, this is a real thing and a real fear.) For some, I’m sure that works great, but it doesn’t for me.
Burn out is real, and can happen with anything. And it’s time I take a break. I have to focus on the stories I do have, the edits I am doing, to make them the best they are before I even think about writing something new. So that’s my plan, even if it takes awhile. And even if I don’t publish as often as others say I should.
Do you have any goals for 2019? I’d love to hear your thoughts!