Whether you prefer the Kelly Clarkson or Amy Grant version, I encourage you to take a moment as you read this, a pause for reflection and childlike dreaming. What are you wishing for in the coming year? I’ll go first.
No more deadlines unmet, all the offers I can get. And time would somehow freeze, and editing would be a breeze. My books would always sell and those nasty critics can go to hel . . . lo there, this is my grown up Christmas list.
Your turn. Write it down, with or without the rhyming. I’ll wait.
Now look back at your version. How many of these items are you actively pursuing? What are the obstacles? Wishing is a fun exercise for the imagination, but like I told my eleven-year-old who learned the truth about Santa this year, as we age, magic needs a little help to stay real. So make another list below your hopes and dreams. What kind of supports do you need to make the magic work? Maybe its more assistance with household chores, or stronger boundaries with friends and family to protect your writing time. An adjustment in your day job schedule, if possible. A change in sleep hygiene. A trip to spark the imagination. Therapy. Whatever it might be, I hope you get all that and more in 2025. Now more than ever, the world needs your voice, your story, your art.
Here is a more altruistic draft of my wishes for all writers this year.
No more trolling online, just literary events with wine. We write the most incredible hooks and ban fascism instead of books. Community triumphs over competition and problematic craft “rules” give way to innovation. This is my grown up Christmas list.
In this festive and often overwhelming season, may we be the light we hope to find. Happy Holidays to all!
Hear, hear! Love this!
This year I’d like to listen not just hear, keep my loved one near but writing space dear.
This year I’d like to listen not just hear, keep my loved one near but writing space dear.