Entering the Last Quarter of the Year

Hello! Today I wanted to set some goals for myself as we enter the last quarter of the year. I always love the beginning and end of the year. For some reason, I am always comforted by the wrapping up of the year that I’ve had. Similarly, I look forward to a new year where I can think freshly and have new goals.

This year in particular, I am really excited about wrapping up the year. I have achieved so much this year in terms of my writing. I wrote the first draft of my first novel, and took part in my first Camp NaNo April, and then I started the gruelling task of rewriting the first draft of my novel. My Camp NaNo April project was a different fantasy novel to my Rapunzel Retelling – so in 2021 so far, I have come up with two brand new fantasy novels. That is a vast improvement compared to other years.

Until NaNoWriMo last year, I had been in a 3 year writing slump. Studying Creative Writing at university meant that all of my creative energy went into those coursework pieces instead of into my own work. I had only been writing bits of poetry or the occasional short story. So to go from that, to writing a whole novel, is something I am very proud of myself for.

That brings me to my writing goals for the last quarter of the year.

I want to finish my rewrite of my Rapunzel Retelling. Check out my last Writing Update to learn a bit more about what has been happening with that! I also want to take part in NaNoWriMo for the second time this year. Whether that is on my Rapunzel Retelling or my mermaid project hasn’t been decided yet. I also want to write between 20-30 more poems before the end of the year. Sometimes I can do this within a week, sometimes it can take me months – I have a feeling that it is going to take me months, so I will keep it at this number for now!

As for my reading goals for the last quarter of the year – I have decided to lower my reading goal. Every year, I start the year out waning to read for 100 books. However, I monitor it and if it starts looking like I am not going to hit the goal, I lower it. I find it less overwhelming and fun again if I keep lowering it to my needs. With writing taking over my spare time a little bit, reading has definitely had to take a step back – which is okay. So, for now I have lowered my goal to 75. I have currently read 56 books, so 75 is probably a more realistic goal than 100 at this point.

There are a few books that I really want to read before the end of the year, so I am going to set a very tentative TBR:

• Malice by Heather Walter
• These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
• Sherwood by Meagan Spooner
• Midnight in Everwood by M.A. Kuzniar
• Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
• Cemetery Boys by Aidan Thomas
• Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

I’m going to leave it at that for now. Of course, I am a mood reader so this could all change, but for now I would really love to get to those books.

I am going to check in with this post at the end of the year and see if I have managed to complete any of my goals. Hopefully, me sharing this will help me push myself to getting these things done! Sometimes this community is the biggest boost in inspiration!

Have you set any goals for the last quarter?

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