I think it’s safe to say that there has not been a calm year since the start of the pandemic. Maybe this is a sign of this particular phase of adulthood I’m navigating my way through, but every month of the past year has had almost too much going on. Or maybe I’m just lucky that way (or unlucky). When I think back at all of the chaos of 2022 in particular, I’m surprised I don’t have more grey hairs than I currently do.
My main goal for the year was to rejoin the workforce. At the start of 2022, I had yet to fully recover from early pandemic job loss and I was beyond burned out from the contract work I was taking on to get by. I knew that if I wanted to keep paying both household and self-publishing bills, I would need a predictable job with a stable income. This particular goal was a success, although there were some bumps in the road.
After only a few months of employment, my place of work was destroyed in a massive storm which meant I was temporarily and unexpectedly out of work once again. Between getting established, and re-established, at this new job and dealing with all of the unexpected hiccups that came along with it, my writing got pushed to the backburner. Although I did not hit any of my writing and editing goals for the year, I achieved an overall career goal. And that means I’m at a good starting point for 2023.
With a job securely in place, and a consistent schedule that meets my needs, I am now able to schedule in writing, editing, and publishing time each week. And the increased financial stability is a bonus. Despite my long hiatus from self-publishing, I am more determined than ever to get my work out into the world, and I have set myself up to accomplish my goals in 2023. January has barely started and already I am on track with my editing goals and I have started shopping for book covers. Soon, I’ll be ready to start shopping for editors!
With a shift in focus for this new year, and more time and energy to devote to my publishing goals, I’ve decided to scale back on the blog. With this exception of this week and other special occasions, there will now only be one blog post per week instead of two. Readers can expect tarot check-ins, book reviews, short stories from deep in the vault, and regular writing updates! But if you want the exclusive details and early sneak peeks, you can only get those by subscribing to my newsletter.
Here’s to a happy and successful 2023! Wish me luck!