There is a very strong reaction at the end of the year to focus on all the things you didn’t get done. With writing, that can go the next level. Projects that didn’t get off the ground, edits that didn’t get done, and so many words unwritten. But, that doesn’t give proper acknowledgement to all the things that DID get done.
The year started slow. Our household got struck with COVID and we spent our New Year’s Day on the couch, swaddled in blankets (probably not much different than any other year tbh). But that slow start didn’t mean that the rest of the year was slow.
- Plotted and Edited Saving the Music
- Published Saving the Music on Radish
- Read SO many books (77 so far!)
- Found more comp titles for Magick Forest (The House Witch, The Goblin Emperor, The Greenhollow Duology)
- Found new genres I love – cozy fantasy and contemporary romance
- Started plotting a fantasy series (Project Dragon)
- Started plotting a contemporary novel (Project Student Life)
- Tried out short stories – started many, finished one
- Submitted a short story to a competition (didn’t win but I can write better)
- Re-read and began edits on The Arrangement – Season 2 for Radish
- Received developmental edits for Magick Forest (Thanks again to Brit at TBR Editing!)
- Took a drawing fundamentals course
- Started a side hustle for line edits
There are also the little things I did, like moodboards on Pinterest and playlists on Spotify, that I wouldn’t necessarily qualify as writing but are certainly inspirational.
Looking back on the year, it really is no wonder why I’m struggling with burnout right now. It’s obnoxious and I’m sure it’s getting old reading about it. But something that is helping is realizing that I have already done SO much this year. It’s okay to take a break. My year started slowly and will end slowly and that’s okay.
Am I excited about all of the possibilities of 2024? Heck yeah! Will I go into it gently? I’m gonna try.
Remember as the year comes to an end to be kind to yourself. Sure, you may not have accomplished everything you hoped to. But that doesn’t mean you didn’t get a lot done, or even that you didn’t get yourself a small step closer to those goals. Great things USUALLY take time. Just because somebody else got something done quickly, doesn’t mean you’re falling behind.
Happy Writing!
Rachel
P.S. Does anybody else think there should be more lists celebrating people achieving things when they’re older? 30 under 30 and 40 under 40 lists make me so irrationally angry. You don’t have to stop dreaming big after a certain age. Let’s make starting new dreams later in life a thing! (This from a just over 30 year old…I know, I know. But I need the reminder I’m doing fine as well.)
Subtle Stories 
That’s awesome you compiled a list of the things you did get done this year! It’s so important to take stock of everything you got done over the last 12 months. Also, true, with most people living well into their 80’s I don’t think it makes much sense for people to stop dreaming past 30, 40, 50, etc. That tends to be more of a small town mindset. Move to a big city and you’ll meet dynamic people of all ages doing their thing. I spent my 30’s thinking I was still in my 20’s and that definitely served me well.
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