Can you believe we’re back here, early January, making new resolutions again? I certainly can’t. Time really flies at a scary pace, okay.
I’m not one to make too many resolutions, partly because I don’t want to expect too much of myself (trust me, I already am every single goddamn day). Yet, it’s been a bit of a tradition here on the blog, to write this kind of post. To see what I did, where I went with my reading, blogging, writing hopes and set some small, fun, attainable and not too stressful goals for 2023. So… let’s get started, shall we?
My reading resolutions for 2022: how did I do?
- Read 50 books.
✅ I did this! I lowered my reading goal this year to 50 books, after failing to read 60 books in 2021 and… I did right. I’m just coming to terms with the fact that I can’t read as much as I used to, a couple years ago and… I guess that’s okay. I’ll just have to focus on reading books I’m really really excited about!
Here are a couple book highlights of the past year:
Find more of my 2022 favorite reads right here!
My new reading goals for 2023
Done is the time where I put a lot of pressure on myself to read a lot, in different genres, out of my comfort zone. I just want to enjoy myself and to read at my own pace. So I’m keeping things chill for this year with only one, hopefully manageable goal again:
- Read 50 books
I don’t think I can reasonably tell myself I’ll read more, this year. With life being completely different now, I just can’t manage to read over 60 (or 70!) books a year. Hopefully 50 will do!
My blogging resolutions for 2022: how did I do?
I feel like it’s been an overall nice blogging year. Despite the whole “blogging is dying” and my engagement completely crashing down, I’m kind of happy with the content I put out there, so… there’s that. I also managed to keep up with a couple of my resolutions and, most importantly, to not burn out from it all, so… I’d say that’s a win overall!
Let’s take a look at my blogging resolutions for 2022:
- Participate in the discussion challenge
✅ I did this! I might have not have written as many discussions as I did in the past years, but I still managed to ramble on a couple of times on the blog and I’m happy about it. These kind of posts always make me very happy to write and feel… liberating, sometimes, as well. Here are a couple of my favorites:
- How & Why Engagement Changed on my Book Blog (And What I Do About It)
- How I Find Good Book Recommendations (And What Really Influences Me)
- Why I Blog in English (+ Tips To Know If You Should, Too!)
- 8 Hard Truths About Book Blogging (And Easy Tips To Keep On Loving It)
- Keep on writing at my rhythm and what I love
✅ I did this. 2016 Marie would be so proud, honestly. I managed not to stress myself out about blogging too much, I skipped reviews and posting days and just, managed to write what I wanted to, in my own timeline. I’m really happy about that.
- Work on my newsletter
❌ This has been a complete fail.
- Find my rhythm with social media
❌ I’m having an even tougher time finding my place and rhythm on social media. I tried bookstagram a little more and, while I’m sometimes happy about it, I’m also sometimes just, confused and uninspired. I don’t tweet a lot, because I just am apparently a socially anxious mess on there, too. So.
My new blogging goals for 2023
Confession time: I found it really hard to make blogging resolutions, this year. I feel like, in the past years, my resolutions just naturally came to me, just like blogging did for so many years. Maybe it’s because I’m a dinosaur now with over 8 years of blogging under my belt. Maybe it’s because I, more and more, feel like my work doesn’t matter as much. Maybe I’m just growing and changing.
This is not me announcing I’m giving up on blogging. I’m just, going to take things easy and not set too many high, complicated goals, here. Just like in the past year, I want to focus on what makes me happy, without putting too much pressure on myself.
- Participate in the Discussion Challenge
YES, I still want to participate in that excellent challenge hosted by Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction and Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight.
It’s been a bit of a tradition here in the past years to do that and… even if I haven’t written a lot of discussions, lately, I still want to try and do it again. Some of my discussion posts have been the BEST to write, over the years and I’ve loved chatting with you all about them. So. Let’s hope for another great year here!
Learn more about the Discussion Challenge right here!
- Just have fun with blogging
I want to keep on blogging at my rhythm, with my own ideas and go along with my inspiration. I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself to post, post, post, to interact as much as possible and so on.
I do love blogging and, to keep that love alive, I’ve been learning that I just need to go with the flow.
My writing resolutions for 2022: how did I do?
I think this year has been good, writing-wise and I really hope that 2023 will be EVEN better. It’s one of the very first years where I wrote almost consistently all year long, focused on a particular story and, overall, felt hopeful and started dreaming about, well, MORE.
Let’s see how I did with my resolutions, shall we?
- Finish Draft 2 of my contemporary sisters WIP.
✅ I did this! I’m pretty proud of all the work I put into this book so far. Not only did I manage to finish draft 2, but I also managed to get some beta readers’ feedback and to revise the book. Draft 3, done as well!
- Write another full draft of a book
✅ ❌ I didn’t do this, because well… I didn’t have time to do so. Buuuut, since I wrote another full draft of my sisters WIP, I’m not counting it as a fail.
- Try to put myself out there with my writing a bit more
❌ I royally failed on that one. I wanted to put myself out there a little more, manage to get over the stupid anxiety and nerves and talk about my writing more. I just. Didn’t. I’m not going to lie: I’m disappointed in myself, but well.
- Seriously think about my writing
✅ ❌ It’s an half-win, I’d say? I’ve been brainstorming and thinking about the writing path I want to take, next, more than ever, so. I’d say that’s good.
My new writing goals for 2023
- Write the first draft of my revenge WIP
I’ve had this idea in my mind since May 2022. You all know by now, if you’re regular readers of this blog, how slow I am when it comes to writing. I also focused a lot on my contemporary WIP this past year, which didn’t leave me time to brainstorm and get started with this story.
I’m hoping to write a first draft of this WIP this year. There are so many things I’m excited about with this WIP, it’s a little messed-up, a lot of fun and has a lot of tropes and themes I’ve been meaning to write about for so long. Fingers crossed I can make it!
- TALK! about my writing MORE!
I always have a hard time sharing things, especially when it comes to my writing. It’s something I really want to correct this year, because I WANT to talk about my writing more, I WANT to feel part of the writing community someplace, I really do. For now, I’ve just been too anxious to do more than a few tweets. I’m hoping I can do a bit more, interact, find some writing friends and so on.
My personal resolutions for 2023
- Travel, as much as I can
Traveling is like breathing to me and, honestly, if I’m not thinking about where to, next, I just don’t know what the hell I’m doing. So, I’m going to do my best to get away, as much as I can!
- Take better care of my mental health
My mental health has been… absolutely terrible as a whole in the past year and I know I’m partly to blame. Maybe this year will be the year I’ll manage to do more self-care and just, take it easier. Let’s hope.
📌 Pin My reading, blogging & writing resolutions for 2023 on Pinterest!
Are you making any resolutions for this new year? I’d love to hear all about it so let me know in comments!
Twitter ☂️ Bookstagram ☂️Goodreads ☂️ Bloglovin’ ☂️ Support the blog
Subscribe to the newsletter for more book recommendations, exclusive intl giveaways, behind the scenes and more:
Hi Marie, even though you didn’t do everything you wanted to accomplish you still did a lot! I would love to hear more about your writing! I am trying to share more myself and want to be more involved in the writing community. We can cheer each other other on!! Sending you all the best for the new year <3
Oh thank you, this means so much! 🥺 We need to talk about writing and yeees cheer each other on, here for that!! 🥺 Wishing you all the best of luck with your writing and a wonderful year overall!! <3
Having fun blogging is the best advice ♥️
Oh thank you! I think we all need to remember that we’re doing this because it’s fun! 🙂
Happy 2023, Marie! ✨
It’s so nice to see someone set realistic goals, it’s very easy for my brain to get caught up in the “all the giant lifechanging goals all at once” kind of mentality that some parts of social media seem to push every January.
I relate a lot to your resolutions, actually, especially when it comes to writing! I’m also a slow writer and my 2022 was very disappointing in terms of my personal creative work. One of my goals for 2023 is to find a writing rhythm that works for me! I’m not gonna call it a routine, I just want to make space to write semi-regularly so I can actually make some progress on literally any of my WIPs lol.
I also want to talk about my writing more! I feel like I am this lowkey silent observer in the writing community who never has anything of her own to share and I want to change that.
Here’s to hoping 2023 is a good one 💜
(also expect this socially awkward bean in your dms bc I am desperate to hear more about your revenge WIP haha)
Happy happy new year, love! <3
I'm so glad I'm not the only slow writer here! I hope you can find a great rhythm that works for you, one that allows you to make a bit of progress, at your own rhythm. One word after another, you can do this! 🥺
And yeees same here! I'm always silent, wishing I could be more involved, but a bit too anxious to actually GET involved. Hoping we both can change that soon! <3
(and yes please feel free to DM me anytime, I'd LOVE to chat anytime!! 🥰)
I’m so proud of you, Marie! What a year you had! I really hope 2023 can be the year you’re able to take care of yourself more, mentally (I’m right there with you). And, selfishly, I am *very* glad you’re not leaving blogging, as one of my top favorite blogs of all time to read (but, of course, if you ever do decide to, I’ll obviously support you).
I can’t wait to hear all about the revenge WIP! You got this!
Thank you Nicole, for all of your support over the years, this means the world!! 🥰 I hope that 2023 will be FANTASTIC to you!! <3
I hope so, too! And for you as well! Rooting for you always! 🥰
Woo! Congrats on a year well done, I’m proud of you for everything you accomplished! 😊💜
Good luck with all your goals this year! I feel you about Twitter. I want to tweet more, but anxious! (that’s on my goals for this year), let’s hope this will be our year! Traveling more is on my list too!
Thank you so much 🥺 I hope we’ll both be able to tweet and put ourselves out there a little bit more. Fingers crossed!!
Thank you so much! 💜 Fingers crossed!
There are some amazing goals and resolutions you have! Best of luck with all of them, I know you’ll do wonderful 😊
I still haven’t gotten the time to think about what’s I wanna do but one thing is for sure, I am going self hosted this year coz I have not been having the best experience with the .com versions of WordPress, though I still need to figure out how to go self hosted
Oh thank you so much, you’re too kind! 🥺
Aaah this is so exciting! If you ever have any questions about self-hosting, the process, my own experience and so on, please don’t hesitate to ask here or on social media, anytime. I’d be happy to help! <3
Thank you so much 🤍 I will definitely taking you up on that offer when I start my own journey 😊
Looking forward to it! <3
I would love to see your discussion posts again. I have made my small list, already posted on Instagram and will share it on blog next week.
Oh thank you so much! Here’s to hoping I can do more discussion posts! Can’t wait to read your list! 😀
Happy new year, Marie! I’m sorry to hear that it was a tough time for your mental health, but I can relate in many ways. I think what’s most important to work on is taking yourself out of triggering situations and talking instead of bottling things up. Sometimes twitter is useful for that, or just talking to a friend or family member. I have been fortunate to find a good rhythm on twitter simply by just learning to not give a crap on if what I’m tweeting is “aesthetic” or “cool” or not. I just tweet what I’m passionate about.
Thank you so, so much, Emily! Bottling things up is my specialty ahah, but you’re so right. <3 and I'm so glad you found the right rhythm for you on twitter, yay! I'm hoping I'll eventually find one sometime, as well.
I hope you'll have a fantastic year! <3
Loved this post, Marie! I always enjoy seeing how people handled their resolutions, although I must say that I am incredibly proud of you regardless of whether there is a green checkmark beside a task or not. I hope you’ll achieve all the things you want to achieve in 2023 and I also hope you know that you can always talk to me about your writing. My lips are sealed if you don’t want to share it with the world as a whole yet. I’m just excited to see you excited about your own writing!
Thank you for all of your support over the years, Kat, it means the world to me <3 <3 I really hope I'll make it with these little resolutions and yes, I'll come talk to you about my writing soooon <3
Here for you always and forever <3 <3 <3
Aww, same here, always ❤️❤️
Awesome job! I had three of your highlight books on my favorites list. Coombs, RLS, and Henry never fail to make me happy. Considering it’s not your full-time job, all you did with your writing is an amazing accomplishment. I couldn’t write a book. *applause, applause* Discussions are hard to write. I pared it down to one a month, and I find it more manageable and fun for me
Thank you so much! 🥺🥺 I think one discussion a month is great! I agree that they’re hard to come up with, at times, especially when you’ve been blogging for a while. But it’s always so much fun to chat in the comments afterwards 🙂
Happy New Year, and congratulations on doing so well with last year’s goals.
Best of luck with all your new goals and resolutions! I’ve also lowered my reading goal this year after previously raising it every year. It just got to the point where my reading felt too pressured and less fun, so I’m happy to have a more realistic goal this year!
Thank you so much, Laura, Happy new year to you too!! <3 I think it feels great to lower our goal every now and then. Less stress, just enjoying what we read, at our own rhythm! :)
Even if you didn’t complete all the goals you set out to, I feel like you accomplished a lot this year! 💙 I’m really impressed how well you’ve managed to juggle reading, blogging, and writing – I absolutely failed at staying on top of that next to beginning to work full time this year 😥 Your WIP sounds more interesting each time you talk about it, and I would love to learn more in your writing updates!
Anyway, best of luck accomplishing your 2023 goals! Traveling and taking care of my mental health are high on my own list as well, so I absolutely love that you’re choosing to prioritize them! ❤
Thank you so much, you’re too kind 🥺 It’s so hard to find the right rhythm, especially when you start working full time, I get that! It takes time, but you will find your own rhythm, as well! <3
Oh thanks! 🥺 I'm always a bit nervous to talk about my writing, but I'll try doing it more this year, for sure.
I hope you'll have a fantastic year, sending you all the love!! <3 <3
ahhh if you could see the sun was SO CUTE, glad you enjoyed it! Good luck with all your goals, and hope you have a great new year!
Thank you so, so much, I hope you’ll have a fantastic year as well!! 🥺
i’m so glad that you had a wonderful writing year, marie!! can’t wait to see all the updates you share in 2023 <3 and i'm so happy to see that you enjoyed your travels so much. i hope that more fun getaways and other self-care things will help improve your mental health. you deserve only the best health & happiness!!
Thank you so, so much🥺🥺 I hope that 2023 will be fantastic for you, too!!
It sounds like you had a VERY successful year on the writing front. Are you to the querying stage with the book that has three drafts written? Sounds like you’ve made huge progress!!
Thank you so, so much Nicole! I’m in an in-between stage for now with this manuscript, trying to figure out what I’ll do, next. Thank you so much for all of your support! 🥺🥺