My goal is to write most days and then see where that leads that. Maybe a finished novel, maybe a collection of short stories, maybe something else I can't picture yet. But the main thing is to just write. My wish, however, is to publish a short story in a major literary magazine.
My goal is to finish my novel - aka get it to the point where I feel comfortable querying agents. (To break that down into smaller goals, I need to finish the draft I’m currently working on, send to beta readers, and revise again - which feels like a lot of work, but also manageable.)
My wish is to get an agent for my novel this year. My goals are: (1) To finish my novel (i.e. to get it into good enough shape to send to betas). (2) To finish my novel again (i.e. to revise it in response to betas' feedback). (3) To send queries to at least 30 agents.
Love this community. While my goal remains to get an agent and publisher for my fashion essay collection, I’m exploring an alternative route with a Copy Chief from a fashion magazine who has helped bring others’ books to life and fashion illustrator I would love to do cover design. In the interim, I will continue to build readers through my growing substack, podcast appearances and article publishing. I’m patient but can feel the momentum happening finally...
Ooh! I love that you are considering taking things into your hands and creating a support network around you who can help no matter which path you take. Good for you!
My goals for 2024 are to consistently post to my Substack every two weeks (still trying to figure out if weekly is too much for my subscribers?) and finish the first draft of my second book, an essay collection.
2024 is shaping up to be a year of transitions for me. My wish is to look back at the year and see that I met change with grace, confidence and an open heart.
I wish you the very best of luck and joy in all you do! In my experience, weekly posts prove a lot for the content creators-- not necessarily for their subscribers, but you'll figure it all out!
I’m not sure if this is a wish or a goal, but I want to recapture the fun and joy in writing ... somewhere along the way last year I lost my way with it, and became too focussed on word counts and the publishing goals. Ironically this meant that I was far more unproductive than I had been the previous year where I was much looser in my approach! My concrete goal is to finish the next (hopefully final) draft of my novel and send it out to agents. And my wish js that it finds a home!
Where to start? My wish for 2024 is to get back to querying my memoir. The one you helped me craft a kick ass query letter for. Thank you so much. To make a long story short, I got 21 queries out before my mom's health took a deep dive and my world collapsed. She passed in July. It's been a process getting back to myself. But early on two agents asked to read the full manuscript. They said no but one, who contacted me in November, I haven't heard from yet. Who knows about that, but the experience has given me some confidence about the process. I'm going through the book once more making light edits, but I feel I have the story I want to tell. The Big Five sounds like a great goal, however I plan to cast a wider net, including small presses. It's my first book. I'm rereading your book and studying the industry right now which includes reading your past newsletters I've missed this year. So happy to be back and I have such appreciation for you Courtney. Angela Bullock
Angela, I'm so sorry to learn this about your mother. My condolences to you and the rest of your relatives on this tremendous loss. I'm thrilled to hear you still have this great project to dig in on-- and perhaps some other ideas as well. Wishing you nothing but the best ahead!
My wish for 2024 is to get an agent for my first novel (I already got some great help from you Courtney, thanks!). My goal is to work on a series of non-fiction articles (which could possibly turn into a newsletter) about the challenges of getting older in the food and wine world and maintaining a healthy relationship with wine/liquor in an industry that glorifies excessive consumption.
I think those nonfiction articles are such a good plan-- especially in light of all the sobriety and sober-curious that is happening in the beverage industry!
My wish for 2024 is to get an agent and sell my first novel. My goal is to edit my second novel and maybe start drafting a third because the idea is there just bubbling away.
This is exciting because there are so many other people in the comments aiming to also sell the first book while working on a second book (and in your case, a potential third!) We have an army of well wishers here!
Drafting the book definitely helped distract my as I was in querying limbo. I'm still in the limbo so editing it might also prove a helpful distraction!
I had one agent tell me she absolutly couldn't put it down, finished it, but there was no place to sell it in today's market. I am pretty sure that agents only take what they immediately know they can sell -- basically something just like something else already on the bestsellers list. If it's in a castle with nobles, or during World War II, they are interested. If it's mid 19th century,
I wrote a historical fiction about the women who went whaling with their husbands, set during the Civil War, when whaleships became prey to Confederates. I had several agents say they loved it, but couldn't figure out how to make it relevant today. I decided to try to add a modern day whaling scientist who would be the descendant of one of my characters. I didn't know anything about whale scientists so was lucky to get an interview with a real one, who it turned out, actually was a descendant of a whaling wife. When I went to interview her she asked if I'd be willing to write a book with her (nonfiction, memoir), as it turned out, she was really quite famous. Like 600 million views on Youtube famous. I am published in both fiction and nonfiction. Where I couldn't get an agent for my historical novel, I got one in five days for this project. I am hoping the success of this book will help generate an interest in the whaling wives -- who I find so fascinating.
Jan, I agree with Courtney that your novel sounds fascinating! And well done on your creative way of grabbing an agent’s interest for a version of this project.
What a wild story! To my mind, the gatekeepers are wrong about this-- I think readers would GOBBLE up a novel about whaling wives! How to make it relevant? My gosh, that's nuts. Covid seems like a pretty recent comparison-- how so many wives and mothers had to take up mantles and responsibilities (like teaching!) that they thought they'd never have to do.
To finish the second draft of my memoir (I'm close-ish), to find three beta readers and get their feedback maybe by July? and then to make a smart decision about whatever is next for my book at the point when I feel I've finished it.
"Write some every day" is my only resolution. Here's the thing about that. If I just write some, I invariably write more; like squeezing in 20 minutes always seems to mean 40 or even an hour. And this leads to that crucial element of momentum. Once I've got writing momentum, I finish a project, and then that momentum leads to the next steps.
I like the "process" resolutions. When I go for a result, it's bit like jumping to other side of the river rather then just getting into the canoe and starting to paddle.
My goal is to finish writing and editing the book I've started writing before a big Agents and Editors conference in June. This is lofty, yes, but I believe doable. My wish is to secure an agent and snag a book deal.
My goal is to write most days and then see where that leads that. Maybe a finished novel, maybe a collection of short stories, maybe something else I can't picture yet. But the main thing is to just write. My wish, however, is to publish a short story in a major literary magazine.
These are fantastic goals and wishes-- I wish you the best of luck with them!
My goal is to finish my novel - aka get it to the point where I feel comfortable querying agents. (To break that down into smaller goals, I need to finish the draft I’m currently working on, send to beta readers, and revise again - which feels like a lot of work, but also manageable.)
My wish is to get an agent.
Good luck with the different phases of this revision- and good for you for recognizing how many components to a revision there are!
My wish is to get an agent for my novel this year. My goals are: (1) To finish my novel (i.e. to get it into good enough shape to send to betas). (2) To finish my novel again (i.e. to revise it in response to betas' feedback). (3) To send queries to at least 30 agents.
Good luck as you move through all the different components of revision and agent-finding! Rooting for you!
Thank you!
Love this community. While my goal remains to get an agent and publisher for my fashion essay collection, I’m exploring an alternative route with a Copy Chief from a fashion magazine who has helped bring others’ books to life and fashion illustrator I would love to do cover design. In the interim, I will continue to build readers through my growing substack, podcast appearances and article publishing. I’m patient but can feel the momentum happening finally...
Ooh! I love that you are considering taking things into your hands and creating a support network around you who can help no matter which path you take. Good for you!
My goals for 2024 are to consistently post to my Substack every two weeks (still trying to figure out if weekly is too much for my subscribers?) and finish the first draft of my second book, an essay collection.
2024 is shaping up to be a year of transitions for me. My wish is to look back at the year and see that I met change with grace, confidence and an open heart.
I wish you the very best of luck and joy in all you do! In my experience, weekly posts prove a lot for the content creators-- not necessarily for their subscribers, but you'll figure it all out!
Thank you Courtney! A happy start of the year to you too!
I’m not sure if this is a wish or a goal, but I want to recapture the fun and joy in writing ... somewhere along the way last year I lost my way with it, and became too focussed on word counts and the publishing goals. Ironically this meant that I was far more unproductive than I had been the previous year where I was much looser in my approach! My concrete goal is to finish the next (hopefully final) draft of my novel and send it out to agents. And my wish js that it finds a home!
Where to start? My wish for 2024 is to get back to querying my memoir. The one you helped me craft a kick ass query letter for. Thank you so much. To make a long story short, I got 21 queries out before my mom's health took a deep dive and my world collapsed. She passed in July. It's been a process getting back to myself. But early on two agents asked to read the full manuscript. They said no but one, who contacted me in November, I haven't heard from yet. Who knows about that, but the experience has given me some confidence about the process. I'm going through the book once more making light edits, but I feel I have the story I want to tell. The Big Five sounds like a great goal, however I plan to cast a wider net, including small presses. It's my first book. I'm rereading your book and studying the industry right now which includes reading your past newsletters I've missed this year. So happy to be back and I have such appreciation for you Courtney. Angela Bullock
Angela, I'm so sorry to learn this about your mother. My condolences to you and the rest of your relatives on this tremendous loss. I'm thrilled to hear you still have this great project to dig in on-- and perhaps some other ideas as well. Wishing you nothing but the best ahead!
My wish for 2024 is to get an agent for my first novel (I already got some great help from you Courtney, thanks!). My goal is to work on a series of non-fiction articles (which could possibly turn into a newsletter) about the challenges of getting older in the food and wine world and maintaining a healthy relationship with wine/liquor in an industry that glorifies excessive consumption.
I think those nonfiction articles are such a good plan-- especially in light of all the sobriety and sober-curious that is happening in the beverage industry!
My wish for 2024 is to get an agent and sell my first novel. My goal is to edit my second novel and maybe start drafting a third because the idea is there just bubbling away.
This is exciting because there are so many other people in the comments aiming to also sell the first book while working on a second book (and in your case, a potential third!) We have an army of well wishers here!
Drafting the book definitely helped distract my as I was in querying limbo. I'm still in the limbo so editing it might also prove a helpful distraction!
I had one agent tell me she absolutly couldn't put it down, finished it, but there was no place to sell it in today's market. I am pretty sure that agents only take what they immediately know they can sell -- basically something just like something else already on the bestsellers list. If it's in a castle with nobles, or during World War II, they are interested. If it's mid 19th century,
I wrote a historical fiction about the women who went whaling with their husbands, set during the Civil War, when whaleships became prey to Confederates. I had several agents say they loved it, but couldn't figure out how to make it relevant today. I decided to try to add a modern day whaling scientist who would be the descendant of one of my characters. I didn't know anything about whale scientists so was lucky to get an interview with a real one, who it turned out, actually was a descendant of a whaling wife. When I went to interview her she asked if I'd be willing to write a book with her (nonfiction, memoir), as it turned out, she was really quite famous. Like 600 million views on Youtube famous. I am published in both fiction and nonfiction. Where I couldn't get an agent for my historical novel, I got one in five days for this project. I am hoping the success of this book will help generate an interest in the whaling wives -- who I find so fascinating.
me too I love this idea!
thank you!!
Jan, I agree with Courtney that your novel sounds fascinating! And well done on your creative way of grabbing an agent’s interest for a version of this project.
Thank you so much
What a wild story! To my mind, the gatekeepers are wrong about this-- I think readers would GOBBLE up a novel about whaling wives! How to make it relevant? My gosh, that's nuts. Covid seems like a pretty recent comparison-- how so many wives and mothers had to take up mantles and responsibilities (like teaching!) that they thought they'd never have to do.
To finish the second draft of my memoir (I'm close-ish), to find three beta readers and get their feedback maybe by July? and then to make a smart decision about whatever is next for my book at the point when I feel I've finished it.
This is so judicious and well thought out-- best of luck! I'm excited for you.
My goal is to finish my memoir and find an agent. Good luck with your goals, Courtney!
Thank you! And best of luck to you as well!
My wish is to get an agent!
My goal is to finish my second novel by the end of February.
My resolution is to keep doing the work regardless, and to show up each day with gratitude for the gift of writing in my life.
"Write some every day" is my only resolution. Here's the thing about that. If I just write some, I invariably write more; like squeezing in 20 minutes always seems to mean 40 or even an hour. And this leads to that crucial element of momentum. Once I've got writing momentum, I finish a project, and then that momentum leads to the next steps.
I like the "process" resolutions. When I go for a result, it's bit like jumping to other side of the river rather then just getting into the canoe and starting to paddle.
I love that, Mark. It will allow you to follow your own energy patterns and your own joy, as well. I'm rooting for you!
My goal is to finish writing and editing the book I've started writing before a big Agents and Editors conference in June. This is lofty, yes, but I believe doable. My wish is to secure an agent and snag a book deal.
You can do it before June, I believe in you. Go get 'em!