Writing Goals for 2022

Hello! Today I wanted to talk about my writing resolutions for 2022. I had originally had a huge, long post that spoke about all of my writing, reading and blogging goals for 2022. However, that post ended up being a ridiculously long post, so I asked on Twitter whether I should separate the post into each individual sections, separate it into two posts or just keep it as it is. Separating into each individual sections won out! So, in the next three days, I will be talking about all of my goals and resolutions for 2022 regarding reading, blogging and writing! I will also try to get up my post that reflects on my 2021 goals, and how I did, next week too, so you have that to look forward to as well. For now, let’s get into my writing resolutions for 2022.

Journal at least once a week

Preferably more than once a week! I want to set this goal to be ‘journal everyday’ but I don’t think that is an attainable goal for me. Currently when I am writing this post it is the 6^th January 2022, and I have managed to write in my journal every single day. However, I do not think it is realistic to assume that this is something I am going to be able to keep up with. Once a week, however, is. I want to actively find space and room in my schedule to be able to write a little bit and document what has been going on. I find it a great tool to write in my journal right before going to bed. I find that is empties my brain from everything that has happened during the day and everything I am holding on to like my anxieties or horrible memories from the past that have snuck up on me throughout the day. When I write in this before bed, I find that I have less nightmares and I sleep a little better. I have never been one that sleeps well and I have very frequent nightmares. This does not cure those, but it certainly helps. I also find that it helps me creatively to be constantly writing and keeping up to date. Not to mention, I love looking back at old entries, and seeing how much has happened. I found one from this time last year where I was just starting to get an itch for writing a retelling story, and now, a year later, I am currently in the process of rewriting my Rapunzel retelling. For me that is pretty special.

Write at least one poem a week

Keeping on the weekly theme, I want to write at least one poem a week. This could be something as simple as writing a few lines into the notes in my phone or writing a full versed poem in my notebook. I am not too fussy. Similarly with journaling, I use my poetry to document my life and what is happening in it and how I am feeling. I love looking back on the older years. I have poems dating back since 2012, so it is really exciting to continue documenting my life with these little poems. However, I haven’t been very good at doing this recently and I want to improve. I also find myself being the most inspired when I am writing poetry. It helps me in all aspects of my life, and in my other pieces of writing too! One of my first blog posts, it might have actually have been the first, was one of my poems, which you can check out if you want: Home is a Confusing Place.

Write one piece of flash fiction every month

Every month I want the opportunity to sit down and write a piece of flash fiction. This can be something related to my main WIP or it could be something completely random or even using a random prompt off of the internet. I am out of practice with short stories and shorter pieces of fiction. It used to be a strong point of mine at university, but I have kind of lost this skill since leaving nearly three (ouch) years ago, so I want to work on that again. 

Track my writing in a spreadsheet

I currently use the NaNoWriMo website to track (even on the months that aren’t NaNo) and I would really like to transfer into using a spreadsheet and keeping that up to date. I have a spreadsheet that I started using in November for reading and I have found that to be so helpful, and I think it would be quite beneficial to use one for my writing too. I think it would also be good to track my poetry, short stories and both of my main projects on there too and get a more accurate idea of how often I am writing, and how much too.

Write at least 200,000 words

I don’t actually have a number for how many words I wrote in 2021. I think it likely came close to 200k, when you add up that I wrote 80.7k for the initial draft of the Rapunzel Retelling, then I am currently sitting at 34.3k with the rewrite. Then there was the 23.8k of the Mermaid project in April, and 11.7k for NaNoWriMo. Not to mention the contemporary projects that I started and abandoned too which adds to 10k. That adds to around 160k words written. With the addition of tracking my poetry and short stories, I think in 2022, I can hit 200k. I want to keep up writing. I want to hit these goals.

Finish the Rapunzel Retelling Rewrite

And that brings me to finishing my big projects. The Rapunzel Retelling has always been my priority, and I would like this to continue in 2022. I have had a dip in my productivity with my writing, but I need to get that back up. I need to finish this rewrite if I want this project to go anywhere. It is my dream to become a published author and I bigger dream to become a full-time author. So, for that to happen, this book needs to be finished and I need to work on it.

That is it for now. I am sure that as the year moves forward, my goals will shift and I will focus on some new element in my writing. This time last year, when I wrote my Writing Resolutions for 2021 – I had no idea what the year held for me and I wrote a whole book and worked on several other projects. Truly anything can happen!

My writer friends, let me know what your writing goals are for 2022!

Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Bookshop Affiliate Link ~ Goodreads