Looking back on the goals I had for 2013, well, let’s just say 2013 didn’t like me too much. I think I might have sorta accomplished 2 of my goals. Goals are great, but pressuring yourself and then feeling disappointed, it ain’t cool. I put way too much pressure on myself after having a stellar writing year 2012. Replicating that was going to be next to impossible, but I figured that I had found my groove. 2013 wanted to make sure I knew that every year is different. Every story will expose itself differently. One way works today and not tomorrow.

I finally gave up worrying this last month. If the writing wanted to come, I had to let it come on its own instead of forcing it. So maybe the moral of the story is that not accomplishing your goals is really a learning lesson in and of itself. Not accomplishing my goals taught me that goals are good, but you need to be flexible. Things don’t happen on your special timeline. Writing takes time. You have to make sure an MS is ready before it’s launched out into the world. Don’t stress over goals if they don’t happen or happen way later than anticipated.

I know that 2014 will be better than 2013 since anything is better than failure. Then again, even if I fail, at least I’ll learn something from the pursuit.