Happy 2020! (It feels so weird typing that.) I have returned! And am so very happy to be back. ‘Tis a new year which means we’ve got a fresh canvas to splatter with all sorts of new hopes and aspirations! And some goals to help actually, ya know, get to those things.

You may have noticed things look a smidgeon different ‘round here. During my break I spruced up ol’ bloggy a bit. Even though, yes, it hasn’t even been a full year yet since I last did a total overhaul of it. BUT I think it was necessary. My previous colors of pink and mint green, though my favorite colors of EVER, dooon’t really match my brand of writing. The other blog header almost looked like I write fluffy romance or something which…I don’t. XD So I’m trying to change up my brand colors to match my books and less frill up this place a bit. (Even though pink and frills are my favorite, they just don’t exactly match my writing style. But hey, I can wear pink and murder characters at the same time! Bwahaha. Ahem.)

A screenshot of the old design. I loved it but, yeah, it may have been a little too frilly.

ANYWAY. I changed up my blog header, some colors and fonts, my post banner designs, and got some new clipart for my posts. I’d love to know what you guys think! I may still tweak things, so any constructive criticism would be delightful (‘cause I’m a perfectionist and never 100% with anything I make *rolls eyes*).

I’ve also updated my Book Reviews page to add all the latest book reviews I’ve done. I haven’t updated that page since, erm, March, so yeah. Lots of reviews to add. I added all the reviews I’ve done over on Fairy Tale Central while I was at it, since I review books over there even more than here.

Lastly, I changed what I’m using for the comments section, ‘cause the default comments wouldn’t put spaces between paragraphs and it was making me lose my mind. Last time I tried to change it, it sent everyone’s comments to spam. I think I fixed the problem this go ‘round, but if it claims you as a bot or something, could you let me know via an email or DM or something? I definitely want to make commenting as easy as possible for you guys. So if something isn’t working for you, do please tell me!

SO YES. I’ve basically just been doing a lot of “housecleaning” around here while on break.

But I am back and am so looking forward to settling into my regular blogging schedule and (hopefully) bringing you guys some fun content!

For the past couple of years, I’ve shared a list of my new year’s goals and, honestly, it helps keep me focused and motived SO MUCH. I’m not sure I would have done half of last year’s goals if I hadn’t, ya know, announced them to the whole world. Gotta love peer pressure! ;D But it’s LOVING peer pressure from you guys. Win-win.

So to keep tradition alive (and my motivation), today I’m bringing yet another list (huzzah for lists!) of all the things I hope to accomplish on this epic year of 2020. (Seriously, is that not the coolest number? Even though it doesn’t feel real. We’re literally living in the future…) 

GOALS OF 2020

QUERY AT LEAST 6 LITERARY AGENTS

*cue me shrieking*

Ahem. So. I have two specific big things I want to accomplish this year. But my first and foremost one: QUERYING BURNING THORNS.

Last year I queried for the first time ever and it was terrifying but…not quite as big of a deal as my brain has been making it since…forever??? It’s essentially just writing a couple of paragraphs about your book, one quick one about yourself, and thanking the agent for their time. Then…waiting. Looots of waiting. But it’s just ONE email. IT IS DOABLE. I PROMISE. So this year I AM READY TO GET SERIOUS.

They say to query 3 to 5 agents at a time, so that’s my plan. I’m going to pick 3, send my query to them, and then, once I hear back from them (and if it’s all rejections, which is the likeliest outcome ‘cause that’s how these things work), choose 3 more to send it to. Thus why I’ve chosen 6. It’s not as random a number as it might look. XD Hey, I might even do 9 if I hear back from that second set of 3 in a reasonable amount of time. WE’LL SEE. But lest I overwhelm myself, I’m making an official goal of 6 for now.

And, honestly? I’m feeling much braver about it than I ever have. Having at last taken the time to write a query letter and send it off to one person helped me see it won’t kill me. I can do this. (If you’re wondering, I got a rejection from the one I queried. I may write a post about it sometime, if you guys would like? It was actually an encouraging rejection and helped me not fear the next batch of rejections I’m most likely going to get this year, so it’s not really a sad story. Just part of the writing life!)

Aaaanyways. That’s a lot of babble just to say: I’m querying Burning Thorns this year. And getting’ serious about it. It’s my #1 goal for the year.

REWRITE THE NETHER ISLE

And here we come to my second big project for the year.

Since querying involves a lot of waiting, I figured I should be actually, ya know, doing something during this waiting periods. I knew I wanted to either revise an old draft or write something new this year. But since I always write a new book during NaNo, the more logical thing was to revise an already written draft and get another book ready for querying one day. Once I decided on that, it wasn’t hard to figure out which book to revise.

You guys remember The Nether Isle, my NaNoWriMo ‘17 novel? Yes. IT’S GETTIN’ REWRITTEN.

Guys. This novel. I adore it so much. It involves a creepy island, all sorts of magical artifacts, ruins of a mysterious city, a camera that takes pictures of the past, and the most cinnamon-y cinnamon roll characters to ever cinnamon roll. To this day it’s one of my most favorite concepts and sets of characters I’ve ever written. It is high time I blow the dust off of it and make it readable! And I am SOOOO excited.

It feels kind of weird though. I’ve been consistently working on Burning Thorns edits for 4? 5? years now? I’ve written other books during NaNo, but I haven’t revised another book since that span of time. BT has been my main focus for years. But it’s way past time I get another book into shape. And I am pumped about it! If not a little overwhelmed… This is a NaNo story, guys. It is a MESS. Though I adore the concept and characters, I think the plot needs heeeelp. So it’s going to be quite the undertaking, but a labor of love for sure. ButpleaseprayformeIneedhelp.

I’m hoping to get started on revisions come February! I’d love to have them done by sometime in September. We’ll see how it goes!

So yes, those are my two big focuses for this year: Querying Burning Thorns and rewriting The Nether Isle!

But of course I have other things I want to work on too.

SUBMIT FLASH FICTION AND ARTICLES TO MAGAZINES

I had this on last year’s list of goals, too, and all I did last year was submit two flash fiction pieces to Havok. But, I mean, they both got published and one was even chosen for their anthology, so at least I did something. Still though, I want to do more. Gotta build up that writer’s “resume”, ya know? So yes, I need to make more of an effort with this. Or like…any effort. Eheheheh.

REACH 1K FOLLOWERS ON INSTAGRAM

This is quite the lofty goal that I have no idea if will be possible. But hey, why not try? I’d at least like to up my follower count a good bit this year, even if I can’t reach 1k.

Right now I have 540. So yeah, no clue if I can basically double that in a year. We’ll see though! I love the “bookstagram” community, and right now it seems to be the best platform for authors, so I definitely want to put as much focus on it as a can.

And hey, if you’re not following me, my handle is @TheBookishChristine. #Shameless

STRETCH AND EXERCISE REGULARLY

I’m so out of shape, guys. It’s just shameful. Last year I did pretty good doing some stretches and exercises most evenings…until the last three months when I got out of the habit completely. It’s high time to get back to it! And this year, my sister is doing it with me, which is already helping a ton because we’re keeping each other accountable and motivated. So maybe with her help I can stick to it! One can hope.

READ, READ, READ!

Being as how reading is my favorite activity in the world, you wouldn’t think I’d have to make it a goal to actually do it. But, alas, I so often put other things before reading. I guess since I like to do it, I feel like I have to earn my reading time? BUT. As a writer, it’s soooo important to constantly be reading. It’s how we writers grow. And not just that, but refill our creative tanks. I always feel so dry creatively when I’ve gone a while without reading.

Last year I did much better about making reading time and not feeling guilty about it, and I want to keep that habit up this year. I want to read a chapter of a book instead of scrolling mindlessly on Pinterest. Or to close the laptop at bedtime and just read for a while.

I just want to consume ALL the books and make better habits about reading. I’m learning I can fit in a lot of reading if I’m intentional about it, and I want to keep this up, and maybe even find more reading time.

PARTICIPATE IN NANOWRIMO

I mean, this is a given. I’ve done it 10 years in a row, I don’t plan on stopping now! I love NaNo so much. I’m literally already thinking about what I’ll be writing this year. I have a problem.

I might even participate in one of the Camp NaNos this year, something I never do. But since I’ll be knee-deep in Nether Isle rewrites at the time, it could be good motivation. We’ll see when the time comes!

BE AT PEACE

Every year I choose a word to focus on. Last year was BRAVE. The year before was INTENTIONAL. And both of those words really propelled me into better habits and to do hard things. Stuff I used to find overwhelming are now just part of my routine. These past couple of years have really been focused on getting things done and finding healthy habits.

But this year feels different. Yes, I have made strides in my habits and productivity, but there’s a problem with that. The lack of peace in them.

Let’s just say I get…obsessive when it comes to being productive. If I don’t get all my posts written, all emails answered, all comments replied to on social media, all the things on my unending to-do list done I can’t rest mentally. I’m constantly beating myself up, constantly wondering why I can’t just do more, constantly tired.

All these things we do are good. In order to be published I NEED to write and revise books and keep up a constant internet presence to build my platform. That just comes with the title. But, at the same time, God didn’t put my on this earth to spend all of my years stressing over writing blog posts. If I’m wasting every precious moment of my life worried and stressed and overwhelmed, what’s the POINT? What’s the point in any of this?

Even those moments I do take time to relax, I feel guilty about it, thinking there are emails to reply to, posts to write, books to edit. I shouldn’t be allowed to REST.

*cue uber major eyeroll*

Even GOD HIMSELF took time to rest. But it’s not just about resting. It’s about being AT PEACE. My body may be resting, but most of the time my mind isn’t. THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE.

So this year, that’s what I want to practice.

PEACE.

I want to spend time with my family and not be worrying about that unanswered email. I want to read books and know that is good for my creativity. If I don’t get a blog post written the day I planned to, well, I’ll just write it the next day. Having all these to-do lists and routines are good, fantastic even. They make my life easier. But if they’re constantly enslaving me, then something’s wrong.

I want to just LIVE. To enjoy the precious moments I am given and stop wasting this one and only life I’ve been blessed with stressing over the little stuff.

Again, God didn’t create me just to be a blog post, social media post, book writing machine. There’s nothing wrong with doing any of those things. In fact, I think I should be doing them. But not to the point that I can never enjoy life again.

So this year I want to stress less. I have a lot of unknowns in the horizon. Things may be changing for me some this year, and I could let it scare me, but I don’t want to. I just want to take each day as it comes and be at peace about it. Because, my goodness, the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE literally has it all in His hands. He’s got a plan, and though I don’t know what it is, I know it’s a good one. Because it’s GOD’S plan. Of course it’s a good one!

And that’s why 2020’s word is PEACE. Whatever comes, I just want to rest, enjoy each moment, and let God’s unceasing peace flow over me.

And there we have it, my aspirations for 2020!

I don’t know if this will be the full list. I’ve been taking January a little bit more slowly this year to really reflect on last year and think about how I want to tackle this year, and it’s been wonderful. I’m still letting thoughts percolate, but I do think these are my main goals.

At this moment, 2020 is a big blank expanse of UNKNOWN, more so than the last few years for me. It’s a little scary. But, honestly? I’m more EXCITED. Like I said, God’s got it in His hands. The best I can do is trust Him and look forward to whatever comes.

I think 2020 is going to be a good year, guys. I really do. So let’s do this thing!

LET’S TALK!

Hiii! I’ve seriously missed you guys, so let’s discuss ALL THE THINGS! Can you believe it’s 2020??? How has your year been so far? What’s one big thing you hope to accomplish this year? And what’s something you’re looking forward to? (Also, what do you think of the new blog design? I’d love to hear any and all thoughts!)