The Introverts Guide to Planning Your 2025 Writing Project
I’m a Virgo. I love lists. I love plans. I love writing down every single thing and arranging them in pretty Excel sheets or Notion templates. And the New Year? It’s hands down my favorite time for all of this. There’s an irresistible magic to it: a fresh start, a clean slate, a brand new canvas waiting to be filled. All the clichés that come with it? I love them too.
2024 Recap
Gorbag Meshanic-Smith, named after the famed Uruk-hai, Gorbag, Captain of Cirith Ungol, killed by Shagrat after a dispute over the poisoned Frodo Baggin’s mithril vest.I’m going to be completely honest with you here. I did nothing last year. Okay, not entirely true - I got married, bought a house, got a new car, got a dog - but in regards to my author life? Nope. Nada. There was just so much going on that it had to take a back seat to everything. And come on, look at this face - how could you even think of looking at a computer screen when those eyes are staring up at you???
What about you? What worked? What didn’t? Did you meet any goals? Achieve ones you didn’t even think about? This is the time to focus on what happened last year. And, as I mentioned my obsession with lists, a master list is available for you at the end to help organize your thoughts!
2025 Goals and Their Breakdowns
Okay, we revisited the good, the bad, and the ugly of the year before. Now it’s time to use them. For me, my goals are:
Keep up with my posting schedule.
Write out ideas as I get them, not just waiting for the time when I sit and write.
Read other blogs, even if they aren’t within my same category.
Set alarms and reminders on phone and computer (and don’t hit snooze).
Finish the first draft of Project Benny by December.
Daily/Weekly/Monthly word goals.
Just write - don’t get hung up on the details just yet.
Consume media that gets me into that headspace (Ethel Cain’s music, spooky ghost movies, anything and everything Mike Flanagan, etc).
Outline the entirety of Project Vampire by December.
Allow myself to jump around the plot.
Use different methods for plotting to find one that sticks.
Know that it’s okay that I don’t know the ending yet!
Okay now time for the extreme. These goals are meant to be insane - they are meant to be almost out of reach and thought to be impossible. It’s good to think about what is outside of your comfort zone. Realize the potential that you have as a writer. Also, it’s just fun to pretend sometimes, you know?
Write both first drafts of Project Benny and Project Vampire by December.
Write an entire short story collection.
Attend a conference or workshop and actively participate. (To me, actively is the ambitious part.)
Accountability
Real talk. What’s scarier to me than setting main goals, is telling people about them. You hear all the time “Don’t tell people your plans just do them.” Which, yeah, okay, I can get that. But that’s never been something for me. I get excited and tell everyone everything.
But a focus is needed - one, maybe two people.
Writing groups, social media, group focuses are extremely helpful. But what about those of us who have small circles? Who don’t feel comfortable posting on forums for the first time (aka me)?
I’m lucky to have two people in my life that I can hold me accountable. My husband and my best friend. All I have to do is say “Make sure I write today.” And in their own ways, they make sure I do.
That’s it, really. Having someone who checks in, you can share milestones with, and who is just excited about this as you are - that’s all you need.
Don’t have that person?
You do now - it’s me. Hi!
Honestly, email me and I will be your cheerleader.
No one should live their life without one.
The new year gives us a new chance. To reset and reevaluate. Even it’s just to take a breath and look at the time ahead of us. No matter what the new year holds, we have that chance to take a breath. We have that chance to realize that we have the ability to start again.
