Writing Resolutions: New Year, Same Year

This blog post was originally titled New Year, New Priorities, but as I sat down to write it, I realized I’d written a similar post last year with New Year, New Writing Habits.

Going over the same topics differently would not help me with my 2024 goals, or anyone else reading it with theirs.

So, instead of blogging about the same topic or trying, and failing, a lot of new resolutions in the pursuit of my writing goals, for 2024, I’m going to stick with what has worked for me in the past and add a sprinkling of something new.

Writing Resolutions: New Year, Same YearNew Year

For me, 2024 doesn’t just mark the start of a new year, it also marks the start of a year where I’m not working on my Blackbirch series.

For the first time in 22 years, I’m ready to work on a new story world and set of characters… I just don’t know what that will be yet.

That’s one of the “new” parts of the New Year for me, with the others being…

Clearing Space And Moving On

While a new year is the perfect time to move on from old projects, bad habits, and anything that’s been holding you back, I found it was especially relatable going into 2024.

Achieving the goal of editing and releasing the last book in my series sparked that ready-for-new-things fire.

After working on the same project for so long, filing away 22 years’ worth of files and notes to make room for something creatively new became the ultimate way to clear my headspace, too.

While this mammoth task is currently ongoing, it’s well worth doing if you’re at the same point, or if you’d like to use the new start of a new year to clean up your physical, digital, and mental files.

For the digital, go through your computer and back everything up to a digital space or external hard drive. Then, delete any files from your computer that you won’t be opening again/using regularly.

As I’m still promoting my book series, I need to keep the ebook and print book files on hand, and the notes and graphics to make marketing items. Everything else (multiple drafts, notes, old promo files/images, teaser videos) and anything else sentimental hoarder-me has kept, can be moved on.

For the physical, if your writer-type is to use notebooks, scraps of paper to note down random ideas, or stash a pile of printed manuscripts around your desk, it’s time to move on from that too. File it away in a special box, or throw it away if you’re that brave.

For the mental, doing the above will clear your headspace, helping you to complete your “moving on” resolution.

Taking Regular Breaks

For me, this new resolution is also inspired by last year’s events. For the first time in a while, I took two big breaks in 2023.

One was a long-planned and needed holiday with my evil twin. The other was a longer-than-usual break at Christmas time, and I learned two things when taking these breaks.

The first was that I needed it. Being able to sleep in, not having to make/schedule/monitor posts on social media, and having the day open to do as little or as much as I liked was very needed after months (and years) of the writing/editing/blogging/reading/reviewing/posting/engaging cycle.

The second thing I learned after I’d rested and recharged was that I needed those things back.

As tiresome as the cycle had become, it’s also what fills my day, and I like the comfort and the purpose of the writing/editing/blogging/reading/reviewing/posting/engaging cycle. I concluded on my breaks that you don’t have to live the cycle 7 days a week, which is what I’d been doing.

This year, I will take regular breaks and I encourage you to do the same if you can. Don’t check your writing accounts on weekends and consider taking a week off every quarter. I may or may not do these things all the time, but I’m giving myself permission to do them if I want. It’s something I think is the perfect addition to any resolution list, so if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the authoring life, please add it to yours too.

Same Year

Now that we’ve made some New New Year resolutions, my Same New Year resolutions will very much be an if it’s not broken, don’t fix it deal.

Using Writing Routines

I might not have a manuscript to write or edit, but the writing routines that saw me pen four books are good habits that I want to stick to. Also, knowing what I’m doing keeps me sane, and organization and to-do lists are my jam.

I know that doesn’t work for everyone, and routines can be overwhelming, boring, and hard to stick to for some. If you want to give a routine a go, however, keep in mind that the best routine is one that suits you and your lifestyle, so make your routine as basic or elaborate as you like.

After years of trying different writing routines, this works for me:

Waking Up EarlyCalendarsTo-Do ListsSchedulingTime Blocking

Waking Up Early: I may not have an MS to pen when I get up early to join my fellow #6amAusWriters on Threads, but the consistency of keeping that habit will help when I do. Plus, getting up early is the only time I have the home office to myself. I like to use that space and quiet to work out what I’m doing for the day/week, and to write blog posts and book reviews, which are my writing fix right now.

Calendars: I currently use both digital and physical calendars to stay on track. For the physical, I have a whiteboard that displays an entire month at once, a planner that lists the days of the week, and a write-and-wipe to-do list. As for the digital calendar, I use a year-at-a-glance Word doc. This is for planning things out over the year, such as which weeks are my writing/blog publishing weeks, which are my authoring weeks, and when I’m taking time off. These items allow me to plan and execute my writing/authoring/reading work.

To-Do Lists: I like to use a write-and-wipe board to note down my to-do list for the day. A piece of paper, notebook, or diary also works just fine for penning the day’s tasks down and then crossing them off when complete.

Scheduling: The scheduling part of my routine involves using the Meta Business Suite app to schedule my social media posts. This works for Insta and Facebook, and I manually add the same posts to Threads. If I have the content ready, I’ll schedule posts a week in advance. If not, I’ll schedule them every other day. Scheduling allows me to plan for the week, and to post content at a time zone where (I hope) most people who want to see my posts get to. It also allows me to post consistently, which seems to be the only thing you can control on social media these days.

Time Blocking: This was something I started doing last year, and it was a game-changer for making small, daily progress, and for helping me reach my reading goals for the year. If you’re interested in doing the same, this post has the full breakdown: Time Blocking Your Writing Routine.

Making The Most Of Consistency

The final resolution I’m carrying over from other years is making the most of consistency.

I’ve learned that if you consistently stick to something—and that’s consistency, not perfectly—you eventually make progress. Just like consistently eating healthy foods will eventually improve your health, consistency in writing will eventually produce a book.

To establish such a habit, you could try what I did. This was to mark on my yearly calendar every day that I wrote. When I had a consistent string of days, say Monday to Friday, it motivated me to keep writing, which eventually established the habit.

Another way consistency has helped with my writing is by setting a word count of 500 words for every writing session. When I’m working on a first draft, sticking to that achievable goal allows me to get enough writing done to be satisfied I’m making consistent progress. It also motivates me to write more if I’m in the zone, or return excitedly to the next session, knowing I only have to churn out 500 words.

Aiming for consistency is a small yet powerful tool, as is pairing it with a writing routine you’ll stick to, clearing your physical, digital, and mental writing spaces, and following through on regular breaks.

These are great writing resolutions to establish that should deliver a New Year, Same Year balance that achieves your 2024 goals—whatever they may be.

— K.M. Allan

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