My 2021 Writing Goals

Hi friends, and welcome to the hellscape, formerly known as 2020, currently known as 2021. Yes, it is hard to focus on things like writing goals when democracy is crashing all around us, but I for one need some kind of peaceful escape, and just as it was during 2020, writing has been that escape for me so far in these first hellish weeks of 2021. I wanted to share some of my writerly goals with you as I am going to be spending a bit more time on writing posts this year. I’d like to start incorporating tricks and tips, but I feel like I don’t have many to help people at this point. I guess we’ll see how the year goes! These goals are subject to change as circumstances change and these days circumstances change every day, so we’ll say these goals are penciled in.

Sign a book deal: I mean, this is the first on the list for a number of reasons. One, I want it the most (duh). It also feels like the biggest goal, and possibly the most unattainable goal. Not because I don’t think I have what it takes to be published, but because this goal is almost entirely out of my hands. All I can do is write the best book I can write, and the rest is up to the wholly subjective, timing is everything, cannot be explained publishing process. Let’s just say I’m keeping my fingers crossed, wishing on stars, etc etc etc.

Revise my fantasy romance: One of the books I drafted last year at the beginning of the pandemic was a fantasy romance retelling of Macbeth. It is the kind of book I absolutely love, but probably won’t ever be traditionally published because the fantasy romance market is so tiny (boo). But I still want to revise this one in case there eventually are openings for more fantasy romance. I’m also considering self-publishing it in the future if the timing ever felt right. Either way, it’s a story I love and I want to see it finished.

Draft a new rom com: This one is already well under way, assuming I stick with the project I’m currently working on. If I’m being totally honest, I really want to draft two new rom coms this year, but I also understand that my brain might not be able to handle it given everything else happening in the world. One would be good, two would be great.

Start a newsletter and find some people to read it: Ugh. I am so bad at this. I’ve started a million newsletters but they never make it very far. It’s hard to get people to sign up and I never know what to write. But it’s on my list and I know I need to get it done, so hold me accountable please.

Build up my social media: Mostly this is about Instagram since I feel pretty good with where I am on Twitter, and I don’t really feel the need to build up Facebook at this point. I’m spending some time now transitioning from eighty million Instagram accounts to one. Everything is going to happen over at @falonballard, and hopefully being more consistent will help boost my engagement and let me connect with some new audiences.

Become a mentor: Ideally, I would love to be a Pitch Wars mentor, but I’m also open to other mentorship opportunities if they come up. I still don’t know that I actually have the skills to help any other writers, but I would like to try. I’ve benefitted so much from my relationship with my mentors and I would love to be able to do that for someone else.

As I’m looking back over this list it feels equal parts daunting and doable, which I think means the list is solid. Here’s to us all accomplishing our goals in 2021!