25 Authors and Their New Year Resolutions
25 Authors and Their New Year Resolutions
Resolutions can mean many things to many people. Some people want to learn something new. Others want to change a habit. Or shift their focus or mindset. Some people resolve to do more (living in the moment) or less (time on social media) of something. Some people start their resolutions on the first of the year, others start them earlier (I tend to start mine in December) or later (Chinese New Year, perhaps.)
My resolution is to learn more about photography. I take a lot of photos of books for this blog, but I would love to be better at taking photos of fleeting moments. I have a friend, the photographer behind The Dandy Lens, who seems to take photographs with her heart. Her technical skill is undeniable, but there are lots of photographers who are technically good. My friend Hilary, though, puts so much heart into her photos. When I watch her work, she looks zen. She makes take photographs look meditative. I would love to get there, someday. My first step is take photography classes from Hobbs Photography. I signed up for all three classes. Oh, and my other resolution? To get an agent…
These 25 authors are sharing their New Year Resolutions with us, whatever that may mean to them.
Maggie Smith
I've been focused on bringing my debut novel into the world but I realize now that I've been neglecting my personal life, including doing things with my husband, family, and friends. So in 2022, I hope to achieve better work/life balance, including our family's committment to fostering dogs through the local humane society and re-instituting "date nights" with my spouse where we try new restaurants in town.
R.S. Mellette
1) Breathe. 2) Really see the person in front of me, whoever that might be. 3) Figure out when to use "who" and "whom".
Lisa Johnston
To help the world avoid the dystopian societies I like to write about. On a smaller scale, I hope to chisel out more quality time to write without succumbing to life's little distractions.
Jessie Asya Kanzer
My New Year's Resolution is to handle my March 1st book release (Don't Just Sit There, DO NOTHING: Healing, Chilling, and Living with the Tao Te Ching) with as much grace as the ancient Tao teaches us to have, whether we're on our way up or down the ladder. I resolve to cultivate my inner peace no matter what is going on around me and to gift that peace to everyone I come in contact with. I'm a mom, a wife, a writer, etc., etc., but before that and beyond that, I'm a spiritual being having a human experience. My 2022 resolution is to embody this truth more than ever!
RaeAnne Thayne
To make more time for self-care. My husband and I share primary caregiving for our adult son with severe disabilities, which means neither of us pays nearly enough attention to our own physical or emotional health. It's good advice for everyone. You can't help others when you're constantly in crisis mode!
Steven Schwartz
Patience. Patience at stop lights with slow drivers; patience in grocery stores with long lines and shoppers who have fifty coupons; patience at the airport (so I don’t explode) over fliers who won’t wear their masks over their noses; patience with writing that needs patience and not judgment.
Jeannee Sacken
To launch DOUBLE EXPOSURE (the second book in the Annie Hawkins suspenseful women's fiction series) in October 2022), continue to market BEHIND THE LENS (the first book in the series), and market the audio version of BEHIND THE LENS, releasing in March 2022. And not go crazy!
Jacquelyn Mitchard
I'm going to be a better and more patient listener. I'm already a pretty good listener but I want to be one of those who never rushes in to get to the point -- because, I've learned, sometimes the point isn't really the point at all.
Victoria Davis
As someone who works in the health and wellness industry, creating a “New Year’s Resolution” is something I’m overly familiar with. I’ve had the opportunity to help countless individuals create one for their year; resolutions filled with excitement over new beginnings, resolutions centered around major career, life, or relationship goals, and especially the ones that are focused on making lifestyle changes with a dream to achieve better overall wellbeing.
But every year, whenever it came time to making a resolution for myself, I found myself consistently hitting mental roadblocks.
It wasn’t until I gave myself permission to view a resolution as something that I would attempt to do daily with the expectation of failure. That way, whenever I did fail, I didn’t give up. I began to see my resolutions as opportunities to fail forward and in turn, develop resilience.
So, what’s my resolution this year?
This year, my resolution is to lead with transparency and give myself permission to be myself without allowing guilt to guide me. That means, letting God lead with complete and total trust that His plans for me are always good, and to let the chips fall as they may.
By allowing myself to let go of the lie that I need to be perfect with my health goals (because of the pressure to set an example in my industry), I believe by doing this for myself, it will have a ripple effect and will invite others into new levels of freedom!
In health,
Victoria P. Davis
Laura Anne Bird
I don't believe in setting a New Year's resolution, per se. Instead, I like to come up with a relevant and inspiring "guiding light" that I can embrace as tightly or as loosely as needed. For 2021, my guiding light was KEEP IT COOL, which has been an excellent reminder for me to take many deep breaths on a daily (hourly) basis while not worrying unnecessarily about circumstances that are out of my control. With my debut middle grade novel launching soon, KEEP IT COOL has helped me maintain my sanity and perspective, day after day.
In 2022, my guiding light will be MAKE DON'T BREAK, a phrase I've borrowed from badass cross stitcher and activist Shannon Downey. MAKE DON'T BREAK is about honoring our creative impulses and imagination, intentionally turning to them when all else feels bleak and hopeless. To that end, I'll be focusing my attention on writing another middle grade novel, rather than dwelling on the pandemic or obsessing about how Crossing the Pressure Line is faring in bookstores.
Julie Ryan McGue
I am my own worse enemy. In 2022, I will be working on setting realistic expectations. I have a tendency to get ahead of myself and take on too much, a trait that frustrates me at the end of the day and puts stress on my relationships. In making my future daily to-do lists, I am going to consciously remove 1 or 2 items. This will set me up for receiving more positive feedback from my cranky inner critic at the end of the day. If by chance I get to the those scratched-off items in the course of the day, I will celebrate a double win. Just knowing that 2022 will usher in a gentler and more compassionate inner critic is taking some of the stress off my shoulders this holiday season.
Debra H. Goldstein
During the past two years of world uncertainty, my resolutions have steadfastly been for the health and welfare of family, friends, and those I don't know. Those resolutions continue, but as I start a new and very different WIP, my resolution is to not let fear of the challenge keep me from pursuing it.
Ruthie Stevens
My 2022 New Year’s resolution is to make my personal relationships more of a priority. Writing is often a pretty solitary experience, and I spend a lot of time in my own head. I’ve always struggled with work/life balance. I focus intensely on my legal career and my writing, and I need to do a better job of prioritizing my real relationships, not just writing about fictional ones. As much as I love the characters I write about, the relationship tends to be a bit one-sided.
Heather Chavez
I’m participating in a challenge to visit 22 independent bookstores in 2022. I also plan to read more of the many books I already own. I’ve set a goal of 22 on that as well. (Sensing a theme?)
Andrea Thome
My resolution is to write at least 1500 words a day, M-F, no matter what.
Robert Gwaltney
I resolve to put my backside in my writing chair every morning at 4:30 a.m. to crank out my next novel.
Jenn Bouchard
I have a new manuscript to polish that I hopefully will start sending out in March! My resolution is to not only get my edits done, but also to write the dreaded synopsis in January and February (does anyone like writing the synopsis?!). In addition, I resolve to start researching the location for my next book and to start developing the characters so that I can start drafting by late spring/early summer. I'm excited to meet them and to dive into a new project. Happy New Year!
Kristina Parro
As a former speech-language pathologist, I know all about goal-setting. When I evaluated each patient I saw for therapy, I had to create case-specific short-term and long-term goals related to communication, cognition, and swallowing-disorders. Goal-setting in that context has provided me with an interesting perspective on New Years Resolutions. According to the research, in order to be effective, goals (or resolutions) must be SMART, which means they need to have these characteristics: Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Time-bound.
The new year is a perfect time for goal-setting, because of the time-bound aspect. A year is a great period of time to truly make progress towards a long-term goal. But, breaking apart a long-term goal into smaller, more manageable chunks is important so that you have milestones to check-in. Short-term goals also help minimize procrastination and increase motivation.
That being said…
My Long-Term Goal (LTG) for 2022– Improve the strength of my author brand and expand my audience by 50%, as measured by metrics related to Instagram followers and newsletter subscribers.
In order to reach my Long-Term Goal, I will be targeting the following Short-Term Goals (STG) in the first quarter of the new year:
STG #1– Establish a quarterly newsletter, with the first installment going out in Q1 2022.
STG #2– Interview 10 authors during Q1 2022 on Instagram Live (feel free to follow me on Instagram @kristinaparrowrites and DM me if you’re interested in being interviewed!)
STG #3– Write bi-weekly blog posts for a total of 5 blogs posted during Q1 2022.
Clifford Garstang
In 2022 I will finish the novel I've been working on for 6 years and seek an agent and/or publisher for it!
Dan Jason
What’s Next Door in 2022?
When I was reflecting on this past year and contemplating my own new year’s resolutions, I thought about not only what is “next door” in my life - the things on the verge of occurring, but mostly how I can leave my mark. The word saint is intimidating for the majority of people because they automatically think of stained-glass windows and perfection. However, it’s more about being perfectly imperfect and deciding to be an agent of love and goodness. For me, it hasn’t been the stuff I’ve acquired, the things I’ve done, or the number of friends I’ve made that leave me truly satisfied when I uncover the blanket of my heart. What has stuck out the most these past 365 days has been the moments I decided to allow God’s love and grace into my life by saying “yes” to things that truly matter. By trying to be his hands and feet for people we encounter we become the smile of God for others. That’s why my goal and resolution for 2022 is to become the saint next door.
Each of us carries a bag on this journey. The ultimate question is whether that bag is closed and zipped tight or if it remains open. For many years of my life, I had the bag zipped, trying to safeguard my accomplishments, keep possessions, and hold my talents to myself. Instead, this year I am choosing to open up that bag so I can share each thing I have received and be a blessing toward others. When your bag is open you can freely give and you can freely receive. This approach will change your neighborhood and your workplace. Little by little, it will cause a ripple effect throughout society.
When we choose to be the saint next door, a person who seeks out the best in others, we will encourage people, celebrate their accomplishments, and most of all love them just because they are. As I grow older, I recognize that we can choose to be the everyday miracle that generates exponential compound interest in the lives of others. My new year’s resolutions this time around have less to do with what I desire to achieve and are all to do with how great of an impact I can have on those around me. The legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson once said, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” So my question to you is, what will you do to impact the lives of people you encounter in 2022? The answers will vary and only time will tell. It starts with waking up each day and being grateful for what we do have. When we share our bag with the person behind that door, we can truly change the world!
To check out my newly released nonfiction book entitled The Saint Next Door, please visit my website: https://www.ef3life.com/ or find it on Amazon.
Jessica Stilling
When it comes to writing I wear many hats and my resolution this year has to do with those hats. I write poetry, newspaper articles, narrative nonfiction pieces for magazines, short stories, literary novels and young adult fantasy novels. This year I even dipped my toes very tentatively into middle grade novel writing. I love it all and what I’ve found most interesting is that my headspace feels different depending on what type of writing I’m doing. Kind of like the difference between what a 20-year-old Scotch will do to your head as opposed to a glass of nice wine. Same general effect…but still very, very different. I get into an intellectual headspace when I write articles and some aspects of literary fiction. I’m more playful and in storytelling mode when I write YA fantasy novels. There are times when I touch the ephemeral, one might call it the sublime, when I’m writing literary fiction…and poetry…poetry is like floating in the ether. I love all of these headspaces but for my writing resolution this year, I want to try to make sure that I make more time for the sublime in writing. I want to focus less on hammering home ideas or arguing with “the other side, ” or getting all bogged down in an intricate plot. I want the words to carry me to another realm entirely. This ephemeral writing not only makes me feel more at peace with myself, but it’s a wonderful headspace to be in. And yes, intellectual articles and hard and fast storytelling pay better and get published with more frequency, but what I really want to do this year is get back to why I became a writer. I want to travel the myriad roads of literary fiction. I want to get lost more often in the land of poetry. I want writing to feel and be less of a job and more of an experience this year.
Carol M. Cram
Approach every task, every project, every activity, and every relationship with joy in my heart, knowing that true success comes from doing what makes me feel happy and contributes in some way to the happiness of others. Specifically, I will spend time every day on my Work In Progress, increase the time I spend on marketing the novels already published, and continue devoting a chunk of every day to growing my author network through my two arts-inspired websites, Art In Fiction (www.artinfiction.com) and Artsy Traveler (www.artsytraveler.com). My goal is to continue bringing authors and readers together to celebrate writing and the arts. Creativity will save the planet! The more people engaged in the creative process, the more positive energy is generated.
Gillian Harvey
I'm determined to start jogging regularly again in 2022. I used to jog all the time, but it fell by the wayside when I became a mum. I've tried to take up the habit again a few times, but haven't managed to be consistent! Jogging really helps with my mental health as well as my creativity - I used to get my best ideas when on a run. I feel as if the movement turns cogs in my brain and helps me to focus. Plus, of course, it would be nice to get a little fitter!
Jessica Vitalis
Starting around 2007, my New Year’s Resolution was always the same: sell a novel to a publishing company. In hindsight, this was an absolutely terrible goal––not because it wasn’t near and dear to my heart, but because it was something I couldn’t control. I could keep writing manuscripts, and I could keep putting myself out there, but all of the hard work in the world wouldn’t necessarily ever translate into a publishing deal. Year after year, I made the same resolution. Year after year, my manuscripts didn’t sell. Until May of 2020. As the rest of the world melted down, my dreams came true: I signed a two-book deal with Greenwillow/HarperCollins. When New Year’s Eve rolled around, I didn’t bother setting a resolution (we were all just trying to get through, amirite?). Now I find myself ready to recalibrate, and I’ve decided to set a goal that focuses on me: to make fitness a part of my everyday routine, no matter how stressed or busy I am. Will I stick with it? It’s too early to tell, but the good news is that years of failure taught me the importance of never giving up.
Patricia Davids
I have major projects around the house that I've been putting off because they are time consuming. This year, I'm going to make a list and tackle them one by one instead of just walking through the room and thinking I need to strip this old paper and repaint someday, or the bathroom door sure needs to be sanded, stained and varnished, I'll get to that someday. 2022 is going to be my SOMEDAY. Plus, I need to write a few more books. And take a trip to Maine.
Bonus: Because I can’t say no to more great resolutions…
Tori Eldridge
Since I’m of mixed Chinese ancestry like my protagonist Lily Wong, I tend to focus more on Chinese New Year for my resolutions than the beginning of the Gregorian calendar year. That said, I have already begun my main goal of working deeper with more concentration and less distraction. In the morning (best creativity time for me), I set a timer for 55 minutes at a pop, and reset it three or four times. During these sessions, I close down my email and social media tabs, mute my phone, burn incense, have a thermos of tea and breakfast snack beside me, and frequently block out my household sounds with earplugs. If I have important communications coming, I’ll check in with the world when the timer goes off. Otherwise, I wait until mid-day. Once I’ve stopped working in the afternoon and have completed my exercise and yoga, I’ll check in one more time then shut everything off for the night. I’m not always this disciplined, but it works very well for me when I am. I’m hoping to finish my 4th Lily Wong novel in 2022 while I launch my Hawaiian Homeland short story in MWA’s Crime Hits Home anthology (4/19) and my exciting new Brazilian horror novel, Dance Among the Flames (5/24)!
Wishing you a joyful holiday and New Year. :D
Barbara Clark
For 2022 I'm going to "resolve" to conduct my writing life in the words of E. E. Cummings: The first step to expanding your reality is to discard the tendency to exclude things from possibility. 2022 is my year to be open to all possibilities.
