Happy New Year!
It’s true what they say about the years going by faster the older you get; this one whizzed by so fast I still can’t believe it’s January again.
Before I think about my goals for the coming twelve months, I want to take a look back at the things I wanted to achieve in 2015.
- To set up my office space at home [didn’t happen]
- To travel more, including trips to: Santorini, Amsterdam, London, Glasgow and Liverpool [the only place on this list we made it to was Liverpool and I cheated – only including it because we’d already booked the trip! But we did also make it to Dublin, Venice, Wales, Cape Verde and the Yorkshire Dales, so I think I achieved the wider picture of this goal, if not the specific destinations]
- To finish my book, with the following mini goals (if you like):
- To get feedback from three or four readers [yep]
- To send my manuscript for appraisal with an editor [yep, twice]
- To enter another three or four competitions [yes, and I won one!]
- To produce another draft using any feedback received [yep, yep and yep, I did three new drafts]
- To work on a list of agents who might be interested in my manuscript [not quite ready for this yet, there’s another draft to finish first]
- To start writing book number three [does making some notes count? I skipped NaNoWriMo this year as I figured a trip to Cape Verde and starting a new job would probably be enough to contend with in November!]
- To read more, including: [in general, I hit my target of reading 70 books, but it was close]
- Read at least another 35 books from my TBR pile [I managed seven, plus another six from this years’ TBR lists – pretty feeble]
- To read at least five classics, and five modern classics [not sure on the technicalities, but I’m going to say yes to this one]
- To read five or more books in translation [done]
- To listen to my first audiobook [nope]
- To start using my local library again [yes, yes, yes!]
So what about this year?
For 2016, I guess it will be more of the same.
Create my workspace
I didn’t manage this last year because I procrastinated over finding the right desk, and spent my money on other things.
It isn’t an essential goal, but it would be nice to have my own desk space. It would also be great to get a few of the other household jobs done that we’ve been putting off since we moved in. we started well, but tailed off completely last year.
Finish my novel
For real this time. There’s maybe another draft or two in there and then I’ll have to be brave and start sending it out to agents.
Who knows what will happen then?
Start writing my next novel
I need to flesh out the idea into a proper outline and then I can start drafting, but I want to get the current manuscript done first.
Visit three new countries
I managed that this year and it feels like a realistic goal for 2016. I have a few places in particular on my list to visit next – Prague, Copenhagen, Lisbon – but we’ll see what happens.
Unexpected trips turned out to be the best part of the last year, so it will be exciting to see where the next few months take us.
Enjoy my new job
I want to settle into my new role and get good at it. I want to fall completely in love with it and feel happy with how things have worked out. That might mean pulling back from the blog a little as I need to direct my energy elsewhere, but I’m cool with that.
Explore Goodreads
I’ve had a Goodreads account for years but I rarely login. There are a few things that have put me off, but perhaps this is the year to give the network a proper go.
I’d love to update my online world a little bit, so making use of a different website seems like a good place to start.
Refresh Ten Penny Dreams
It’s time for a few changes around here, although I’m still figuring out what they’ll be.
First up, it’s time for me to retire my weekly Random Stuff posts. I’ll still be sharing some of the great articles I’ve discovered on Twitter and Facebook, but publishing a new link round-up each week has become stale and I feel that I’m always sharing stuff from the same (admittedly great) websites.
I also want to make the effort to take some new photos and get better organised so I’m not always flapping around trying to come up with blog post ideas at the last minute.
And finally…I’m not going to set a reading goal this year. I’d love to say I’ll read 100 books this year, but cranking up the target just cranks up the pressure and reduces my desire to read challenging work that might be a bit more time-consuming.
So next year I’m going to read as much as possible, and continue working through my TBR pile but without putting pressure on myself.
What about you? Have you set yourself any goals for 2016?
Laura says
Best of luck with your 2016 goals!
Amy Lord says
Thanks Laura, hope the new year is treating you well so far!
Sophie Cliff says
These sound like great goals – hope 2016 is a very happy one for you 🙂
Sophie Cliff
Amy Lord says
Thanks Sophie, you too!
Kristin | My Life as a Teacup says
It sounds like you’ve got a busy and exciting year ahead! I’ve been a fan of Goodreads myself, but I hope you find a way to make it useful for you. Have a great 2016!
Amy Lord says
Thanks Kristin, you too!