It’s New Year’s Eve, as of this writing. A chilly, rain-showery day where the sun peeks out for just a wink before retreating behind clouds again. Yesterday was a busy one, spent working an event with the spouse’s business. Today I’m sore from lifting and moving furniture and decor. A perfect excuse to sit and do some of the blogging/writing admin I’d been procrastinating.
Last Month
- Write 20k words on the novel
- Read a ton
- Get back into workout routine
How'd I Do?
- Write 20k words on the novel
- No. Not even close.
- Read a ton
- No? I read three books, which was nowhere near the number I had in mind when I set this goal. That said… I’m really happy I read three books!
- Get back into workout routine
- Hahahahaha
- Hahahahaha
Monthly Word Count: 1,639
I learned a lot this December. I learned that November Brittany is riding the high of creation and shouldn’t be trusted to make writing goals. I (re)learned that November/December are the most draining months of the school year, and that any and all output beyond the day job should be regarded as miracles. I also (re)learned that winter break is not a time for creation, but for contemplation and consumption. Read, play video games, catch up on film and TV, but for the love of Kratos do not try and WRITE! It won’t work.
I just left the following note on December in my 2023 planner: “Remember!! Ease up on the writing goals – you’re more tired than you think.”
Here’s hoping I take heed.
Honorable Mentions
Y’all. There was so much GOOD STUFF that happened this month. I read three books, the new Top Shelf Librarians episode released, TWO short stories sold, I posted my Taco Bell Quarterly reject, and had another story release in LOLcraft: A Compendium of Eldritch Humor.
I also got an invitation to be a guest on the Writers Not Writing podcast! We recorded in December and the episode releases THIS TUESDAY! This hybrid podcast/vlog show is a super fun look at what working writers do when they aren’t writing. I had a blast recording with Ben Gorman (show host and co-publisher at Not a Pipe Publishing) and I can’t wait to see the episode along with all of you!
On a personal note, December was a lovely month filled with celebrations with the folks I love most. From my birthday, watching the Game Awards with my favorite nerds, to a fancy dinner party with the Library Pros™, Candlenights, and the Christmas weekend with family. It was all peace and joy. I’m incredibly thankful for that.
Hours Check
(A/N: I was not very diligent about tracking some of my time earlier in the month, so I’ve done some guesstimating.)
- Reading: 14 hours
- Willamette Writers Meetings: 5 hours
- Working Out: 3.5 hours
- Website Management: 16 hours
- Podcast: 4.5 hours
Total Hours: 43 hours
Honestly? That number surprises me. I felt SO unproductive the majority of this month, but these numbers aren’t bad at all! This is why I do all this reflecting, Gang. Otherwise I’d live my whole life convinced I get nothing done, despite all the evidence. If I can’t quantify it with a bullet point, did it even happen?
Speaking of bullet points…
January Goals
- Write 2x/week
- Social Media Routine
- Return of Outings! post series
- Get submissions/queries back on track
This is a pretty straightforward list for the first month of a new year. I really like how steady I feel this New Year. It feels like a continuation, not the start of something new.
I think that’s a first, and I think it’s a really good sign for the year ahead. Thank you for reading along this year and helping me celebrate all these exciting achievements. If you want to keep up with all these things AND get free microfiction to your inbox each month, please sign up for my newsletter. The December “issue” goes out later today, so now is a great time to sign up.
I’ll be back tomorrow with the usual goals post. Until then, Blogland!
BZ
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