Looking Forward With 2021 Goals

The blog is seven years old this January and every year at this time, I look ahead to the coming year and set myself some writing goals. I've enjoyed looking back to those early sets of targets when I was starting out on this writing journey. Back in 2014, they revolved around writing short stories and submitting them to competitions or online platforms. They then progressed to completing the first draft and editing a novel through to submitting it to publishers. 2020 was the year I became a published author for the first time so the main goal of the last seven years was achieved but what a year it was! 

Because we are still in the middle of the pandemic and as I write this, things are set to get even worse before the vaccine is rolled out, what the new year will bring to me as a writer is uncertain. However, I do have some targets to share with you. In 2021, I hope to:

• get my third novel in the best condition I can before submitting it to my editor at Ruby Fiction. It's coming out in July and I'm looking forward to introducing Annie, Odile and Clara to my lovely readers. Many have been asking when the next novel is being published and I hope I can fulfil their expectations!
• work on some ideas for future novels that have been bubbling away in my head. Whereas the first three books have explored mother and daughter relationships, I'd like to look at links between siblings next. As with all my novels, I hope that they will be partly set in a contrasting country so that when we can travel freely again, I can 'walk the walk' of my new characters, notebook in hand. I can't wait!
• attend the RNA Conference in person. I did miss it so much this year like everyone else, I'm sure.

The other goals are on-going ones:

• to read more
• to continue with the fortnightly blog. It was a good decision to move from weekly to writing a post every other week. In 2020, there were 26 blog posts, whereas I hadn't ever reached my target of a post a week before.
• to continue to enjoy my writing and learn more about the craft. I shall be continuing with Imagine Writing Workshops with Jenny Kane. These sessions via Zoom have not only been enjoyable but invaluable for keeping my writing mojo going during a difficult year. Thanks, Jenny!

Wish me luck!

Thank you for reading and your loyal support. I hope that you achieve your writing goals in 2021. Are they different from other years' in view of COVID? How do you prioritise? I'd love it if you shared your thoughts and ideas. Thanks.

You may also follow me on Twitter @JanBaynham and on my Jan Baynham Writer Facebook page.