Welp. I finally did it. If you’re reading this blogpost it means I completed one of my big goals for 2020: publishing my new website. Did it take an entire year of trying, crying, failing, avoiding, and then trying again, only to not accomplish the task until the calendar year turned?
Yes. Yes it did.
But it got done! And that’s the energy I’m bringing forth into this New Year.
That’s right! I’m doth decreeing 2021 as the Year of Finishing.
What, you might be wondering, am I hoping to finish this year? (And how much of it, like the website, was I supposed to complete last year? Okay, I’m not going to answer this one. Just know that I acknowledge your side-eye.)
- The Meridian Maps (Book 1)
- I zero drafted the entire series so now I need to put what I learned from Books 2 – 5 into Book 1. Then, complete at least one more round of beta readers (maybe two!), then sensitivity readers, then it will be off to the editor with hopes of publication late this year!
- Honestly, I’d like Book 2 (title decided but ~not yet announced~) and Book 3 (currently no title because I’m bad at titles) to be seen by beta readers this year as well. Fingers crossed.
- I zero drafted the entire series so now I need to put what I learned from Books 2 – 5 into Book 1. Then, complete at least one more round of beta readers (maybe two!), then sensitivity readers, then it will be off to the editor with hopes of publication late this year!
- Project Death
- My next book baby to be queried! Do I still need to remove the prince character entirely and finish my rewrite before this happens? YES. But I’m hopeful this will be accomplished this year.
- 52 Recipes
- I’ve decided to take on the very exciting task of learning to cook. It’s been a goal of mine since I reached adulthood but I’ve mostly subsisted on baked sweets (I love baking…), grilled cheese, and fruit. NO MORE. The goal is one new recipe a week and, ideally, at the end of 2021, I’ll feel much more confident in my cooking chops.
- Currently I’m working through the food from the song Be Our Guest! (I just made beef ragu yesterday and it. was. divine.)
- A lifelong goal of mine is to be able to comfortably make a six-course meal. “Comfortably,” meaning that I don’t even have to look at a recipe! One day. One. Day.
- I’ve decided to take on the very exciting task of learning to cook. It’s been a goal of mine since I reached adulthood but I’ve mostly subsisted on baked sweets (I love baking…), grilled cheese, and fruit. NO MORE. The goal is one new recipe a week and, ideally, at the end of 2021, I’ll feel much more confident in my cooking chops.
- Achieve a pull-up. Lift my entire body off the ground unassisted.
- What a long journey this has been. 2020 did see a wonderful year of fitness for me, but the pull-up is ever elusive. The work I put in last year will undoubtedly help but I still have a ways to go…
The route on these 4 goals has taken longer than expected, but it is happening. It’s the Year of Finishing and I’m ready.
(Plus, like, if I finish all these projects, I just get to add new ones! That’s the best gift I can give myself!)
Loved this blog post, Kate, and I’m so excited to see all you’re bound to accomplish in the coming year!
Thank you so much Arynn Sage!! 🙂
we have the same mindset about this year. seeing your goals written down is not only exciting (because the meridian maps is already on my tbr) but also very motivating. I’ll be working on my own goals “alongside” you and being able to watch you progress will be very inspiring too. good luck for this year and accomplishing your goals!!
YES! Very excited to hear all about your progress as well. There’s definitely something amazing about feeling like you’re working alongside others as you both accomplish your goals. 🙂 AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. I can’t wait for others to get to read The Meridian Maps too! 🙂
Wow! You’re doing very great. Glad this year was off to a great start! I cannot wait to read all of your books and smile endlessly over how wonderful they are!
Awww! 🙂 🙂 Thank you so much Anna-Marie! I hope so! 🙂
This is the year of finishing for me too! I’ll be finishing the first draft of my debut (hopefully) novel! Here’s to 2021 not sucking so bad as 2020!
HECK YES! Fingers crossed for both of us (and, like, the world too). 🙂
Congrats on getting the website done! Excited to keep following 😊
THANK YOU! So glad to have it off my list. 🙂
Website looks awesome!! I’m 17 and writing my first book, I’ve been watching your videos from across the world for a while now and it gets me so excited&motivated to see that we are getting close to reading your work!!
Thank you so much, deniz!! I’m so excited too. 🙂 And congratulations on starting and working on your first book, that’s so awesome. GOOD LUCK!
I really love your approach to this year. Though I don’t have anything to finish this year, I’m gonna this as motivation to start writing more and start doing things I’ve been putting off.
on another note, I’m really bad at making goals as I just kinda go with the flow, but seeing you complete your goal of getting your website up after seeing you work on it all last year is really inspiring. The website its self is really nice!
Yes! I feel like “starting doing things I’ve been putting off” definitely falls under this umbrella for me too! (And I have so many things bahaha.)
And thank you so much! 🙂
I am loving this, Kate!! It’s so pretty <3
Thank you so much!!! 🙂
Loved this! I would love to see a blog post on setting writer goals or just writing tips for finishing your novel 🙂
Thanks so much, Amani!! I’ll see if I can write a list of “hacks” that work for me on finishing the first draft. (I’m still a work in progress myself on finishing the later revision rounds!)
Thank you so much, Kate!!