In my last blog, I clarified the difference between resolutions, goals, and wishes. I prefer making goals, since they have verifiable/measurable outcomes that I have the ability to achieve. I set goals in all areas of my life — health and fitness, home improvement, family support, and of course writing. Since my blog is writing focused, I’ll address the six goals I have set for my writing in 2025.

• Publish Diary of a Girl in Trouble by the end of June. I have already signed a contract with Van Velzer Press to this end. Final edits are now being made, and (barring in unforeseen) the book should see print before the end of June.
• Participate in no fewer than five book festivals/book signings before the end of the year. The official “launch” of Diary of a Girl in Trouble will likely be the first of these events.
• Have no fewer than 100 people be followers of my Facebook Author Page. Right now, I have 44 followers, mostly people I already know. Once Diary of a Girl in Trouble is published, I’ll be in a better position to win new followers.
• Lay the foundation for a fourth YA novel and, at the same time, explore the possibility of writing it in collaboration with another YA author. The wording here is important. I can’t make someone join me as a co-author if they don’t want to. But I can take the initiative in offering that opportunity to someone.
• Arrange to have Diary of a Girl in Trouble reviewed on Amazon by new fewer than 10 respected reviewers by the end of the year.
• Revise my website and my Amazon author page with new information about my literary activities, published works, and my literary achievements.

As 2025 progresses, I may modify these goals or add new ones. And while I don’t usually prioritize my goals, there’s no use hiding the fact that the first two are the most important. Indeed, achieving the first two will make it easier to achieve the other four.

Whatever goals or resolutions you have set for yourself in the new year, I hope you are on your way to achieving them.