By Jennifer Estep

Hello! So we have said goodbye to 2017 and are starting 2018.

Many folks make resolutions for the New Year, like eating healthier and exercising more, but it’s also a good time to take stock of your writing and gear up for the year ahead. These aren’t really resolutions so much as they are some things that you might want to think about as we begin 2018:

1) What do you want to accomplish in 2018? Do you want to write a book? Two books? More? Do you want to submit to agents/editors? Do you want to self-publish? Take a few minutes, and think about what your writing goals—and deadlines—are for the year. Then write those goals down, and think about how you can best meet them. It doesn’t have to be anything long, complicated, or fancy. I have a dry-erase board in my office that helps me with this and that I update as the year goes along and as I (hopefully) meet my goals.

2) What are your strengths as a writer? What kind of scenes do you like to write? Romantic scenes? Dialogue? Knowing what your strengths (and weaknesses) are as a writer can help you craft stronger books. For example, I like writing action scenes and dialogue, along with talking about food, so whenever I am considering a new book idea, then I think about how those things might fit into that book.

3) What’s your book budget for 2018? Do you want to go to some book conferences? Spend money on promotional items? Self-publish? Buy a new computer/printer? Again, take a few minutes, and think about what you are going to spend money on this year. Then start figuring out how you can save for those goals, even if it’s only a few dollars a week. Conferences, promotional items, and office equipment can be expensive, and writing is stressful enough without having to worry about how you’re going to pay for things too.

4) Besides writing, what else makes you happy? Do you like to knit? Take photographs? Go hiking or biking? Be sure to spend some time away from the computer doing the things that you love so that you don’t get burned out. I love yoga, and I try to take a class at least twice a week. It helps to get me away from the computer and out of the house. Plus, it’s great exercise, and it also helps me to de-stress.

Happy writing and Happy New Year!

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea. For more information on Jennifer and her books, visit www.jenniferestep.com

There is plenty of advice on the many ways to find success as a writer. For example, a writer should make achievable, measurable goals, write consistently, even daily, know who your target audience is, and write multiple books. But the number one way to find success is to know what success means on a personal level. The meaning will be different for everyone and it can change over time also.

I once met a writer who admitted that when he first started writing he thought he wanted to write novels. Because that’s what writers do, isn’t it? He quickly discovered that novel writing wasn’t his thing. He far preferred the discipline and speed of writing short stories. It took him a while to get over what he had initially envisioned as success. He is now a hugely successful, very content, short story writer.

My own definition of success has changed a few times. The changes most often came with the changes in the publishing industry, my own changed circumstances in life, and as I grow older I simply want different things. It’s worth reassessing the meaning of success on a regular basis.

If you don’t know what you want, then you can’t reach for it.