Reimagining Your Writing Resolutions for 2025
It’s the start of a new year, and if you’re like most writers, you’re probably staring down a list of goals. Maybe you’re dreaming about finishing that first draft, launching your book, or finally building your author platform. And while goals are great, they can also feel… heavy.
What if, instead of rigid checklists, we approached 2025 with a mindset that sparks creativity and nurtures sustainability? Here are some unconventional ways to rethink your writing resolutions this year:
1. Choose a Writing Word for the Year
Instead of a list of tasks, pick one word to guide your writing journey in 2025. It could be focus, explore, finish, or dare. Let it remind you of what matters most in your creative process and help you make decisions that align with your vision.
2. Set a Process Goal, Not Just an Outcome Goal
Goals like “write 80,000 words” or “finish my novel” are great, but they focus solely on the result. What if you set a goal like “write three days a week” or “spend 15 minutes brainstorming every morning”? Process goals keep you moving forward and take the pressure off perfection.
3. Plan for Seasons, Not Months
Creativity ebbs and flows. Divide your year into creative seasons. Maybe winter is for brainstorming and experimenting, spring for drafting, summer for revising, and fall for querying or publishing. This approach lets you work with your energy instead of against it. (Check out The Storyteller’s Weekly Journal for the perfect seasonal approach to writing!)
4. Create a “Done” List
Resolutions are forward-facing, but don’t forget to celebrate what you’ve already accomplished. Keep a “done” list to track wins throughout the year—finished scenes, new connections, or simply the days you showed up and wrote. This can keep you motivated when progress feels slow.
5. Dream Big, Then Break It Down
Have a huge dream for your writing? That’s fantastic! Break it into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Instead of “Get published,” try “Research five agents,” “Polish my query letter,” or “Submit to one contest.” Small steps lead to big changes.
6. Build in Rest and Inspiration
Your creativity needs fuel. Schedule regular breaks and time for activities that inspire you—reading books, visiting museums, or just taking walks. Rest is part of the process, not a detour from it.
7. Embrace Flexibility
Life happens. Stories change. Allow yourself to adjust your goals without feeling like you’ve failed. Your resolutions should serve you, not the other way around.
This year, let your resolutions reflect the writer you are and the writer you’re becoming. Be kind to yourself. Dream big but stay grounded in what’s possible. And most of all, enjoy the journey—because your stories matter and so do you.
Here’s to a creative, sustainable, and inspiring 2025!
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