In addition to the question in the title, did you meet your writing goals this year? How do you feel about your writing right now?

My main goal this year was to submit to an average of three magazines per month, and I don't think I'll quite make that goal, but I should come close. My other goal was to participate in National Novel Writing Month, and I was able to do that as well. I was a rebel and wrote 50,000 words of short stories.

I also had two other big things happen with my writing. I became a columnist for TRC magazine, and I began writing technical articles for businesses. My writing this year didn't end up looking like I expected it to, but it turned out pretty well overall.

Congratulations, Jonathan! That's really cool.

I wrote like a madwoman back in May. I don't like to set deadlines, but it was practically a NaNo pace. I wrote a few thousand... I don't remember how many... It was in the tens of thousands somewhere... in the course of a week. I've done a bit of editing since then, but I've mainly been trying to get prepped for, and keep up with my teaching, so I haven't put much time into it since then.

Now though, I've officially taken a writing hiatus so that the stress of feeling as though I'm behind won't interfere with getting way more time to pray. I've been pleased with my writing thus far, but it really hasn't been something that points to God the way that it should. I've had some mildly religious tones in my short stories, and even some overtly Christian tones in my novels, but the ethics aren't enough to make godly.

So, I've placed it on the altar with some of my other most prominent idols, and I'm giving it up. I don't think it's forever, but God and I have to approach my writing together rather than me attempting to contort it into righteousness. We'll see where that goes, I'm sure.

I did accomplish my writing goals. I got lots of writing done, and I published two novels and three novellas. I'm happy with how much I have accomplished with my writing and look forward to the next year.

Funny you should post this when you did; the notification email came in yesterday when I was in the middle of writing my year-end goal-review and goal-setting blog post for my Shine Cycle. To summarize: I didn't meet most of the specific goals I had set, but I'm still moderately satisfied with how the year went, especially since about half of it I didn't have hardly any mental energy to put to non-classwork writing.


How'd you get into that? I've been taking technical writing classes (and am one graphic design elective away from the certificate in the subject), but finding an employer or client is a less obvious process than the writing itself.

Congratulations, Jonathan! You've been doing well.

This is interesting. I struggled with a similar thing last year, and it took a long time to understand what I believed. I started a new novel, and I think that helped the most. The new ideals I had been forming were part of it naturally.

Congratulations, Faith! I think I have read all the books you published this year, actually. I enjoyed them.

I did not meet my goal of finishing the second draft of my novel, but I did create a very sustainable writing schedule, so I have been accomplishing a lot and will be able to continue doing so indefinitely. I'm glad, anyway. I am much closer to publishing than I was at the beginning of the year.

Thank you, Juliet! Wow. That's so nice to hear.

A sustainable writing schedule. I like the sound of that. Good job!

I actually made some good (for me) progress this year. At the beginning of the year, I had nothing but a couple of halfway-decent short stories and a mountain of aimless garbage. Then I figured out my plot, and now I've got the first draft for my novel nearly done. I've also figured out titles and some general ideas for two sequels.

I'm pretty sure that my writing is still terrible, but I'm excited about what's to come.

Thanks.


Most likely, God will help you sort it out in time, and then your writing will be the best it's ever been. And I look forward to reading it.

That's great, Faith.

I'm glad that it was a moderately satisfying year, at least.


I'll send you a PM about that soon.

Thanks, Juliet.


I hope steady progress continues for you.

You're doing well.

Thanks, Jonathan. I hope so.