I would like to continue my list of New Year's resolutions, which I made on 14 December last year, in 2025. The following are promises, goals, or at least wishes I made to myself to become a better writer. You can read my article from last year at the link below. It is lucid and worth skimming. Since I will not repeat most of what I said there, those who are interested can read it.
For as long as I can remember, I have been writing future goals in the back of my blank notebooks, most of which were absurd and often made me laugh when I looked back on them in years to come. I couldn't imagine what I was thinking when I wrote them down. They were probably lists that I filled in on the spur of the moment. I didn't realise then that the more goals you have, the more likely you are to be disappointed. At least that's what happened to me.
I'll say now what I'll say later, using the opposite of my previous sentence: Setting too many goals does not necessarily lead to negativity. The important thing is to have a lot of determination, not a lot of resolutions.
When we were little, our goals were dreams, and some of them seemed impossible. There is nothing wrong with that. But the real problem is that we get stuck in the thought of failure and perhaps shy away from some of our most important decisions.
As we grow up, the logical approach, which occupies many corners of our lives and is a candidate to overthrow our imagination, needs to be reflected in our goals. I am not talking about adopting it completely, of course, but about creating consistency in our goals.
The momentary upsurges of our emotional states can interfere with this and force us into fantastic dreams. But day by day we realise how far away we are from them, and we become completely detached from making resolutions.
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Fortunately, we are growing up and becoming more aware of the possibility of simultaneous rational thought and imagination. For us writers and readers, at least, the reality of this is more visible. And again, fortunately, we encounter periodic opportunities such as the New Year. At such moments we have the opportunity to put ourselves in order and to question our resolve.
For this very reason, these are my favourite days of the year; they are the most precious and enjoyable days to refresh, shake up and renew our hope. I hope you feel the same.
Let's not pass without mentioning the need to keep our brakes on. Everyone prefers to be in a “better” state than they were in the past. But when we realise that these dreams do not correspond to reality, we lock ourselves in nostalgic prisons where we are “better”. It is important to prevent this, because nostalgia can be a slow poison that does not hesitate to become a chaotic and uncontrollable weapon. We don't want that.
Back to the topic. In 2023, when I was certainly ambitious and enthusiastic about writing, my goals and resolutions were equally high. However, it feels great to have achieved many of my goals and kept my promises in 2024.
To improve my writing journey, I divided my resolutions into four groups: “reading”, “writing”, “studying and researching” and “sharing, discussing and getting feedback”. Accordingly, I set daily, weekly and monthly goals to achieve over the course of the year. As expected, the dominant point was again continuity.
Write X number of words in so many days, read Y number of books in this genre, think about the style of some writers and share my thoughts until my friends can't stand me anymore...
Looking back, I realise that I was able to do most of those things (including the ones I thought I couldn't do). The interesting thing is that because I hadn't set such semi-formal goals before, I was able to embrace them in the way I was able to. When I focused on seeing what I had achieved, I actually enjoyed it more and wasn't disappointed. I was able to see the positive side. I am not usually very good at that.
Let's act together without further ado.
Since we know best when we have time for our reading and writing process, we need to be honest. Of course we always wish for more, but it is very possible not to realise this in a busy life. So I will give you some examples to put into practice. Let's start with my insights and experiences.
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Read
Read a set number of books per month or year
Each month may seem like a big chunk of time, but your various commitments will get in the way. So generalising your thinking can make your goal more achievable. Reading 5 or 10 books a year may seem relatively reasonable. It will not make you any less knowledgeable. Achieving small goals is better than not achieving big goals.
Include genres other than those you usually read
This may not be the first thing that comes to mind. “Reading a book is already difficult and time-consuming, so why include genres I won't like” may be the dominant thought. But a writer's perspective should be broad. Information can come from anywhere. At worst, it will tell you why you are unfamiliar with the genre. Perhaps another unexpected genre will become the centre of your life.
Write
Write a certain word/number of articles per week, month or year
I think we have agreed on the timeframe, so stories can be written, fiction or non-fiction. A diary (not necessarily every day) can be kept. An order can be brought to your writings that you share on writing platforms. Set the number and never act with a sense of deadline. If you can write once a month, so be it. Although our choices may seem to bring us a higher limit, the real purpose is to keep this passion alive. You may not always make a profit, but it is better to keep what you have than to lose it.
Get into the habit of taking notes
If writing is walking, then note-taking is crawling. This is a practice I use a lot. If you are not a person who has adopted this, it is not very important where you take your notes at first. But if you do it in a certain order, it will be more efficient later on. Always write down what you read, what you think or your ideas. It doesn't matter how crazy or stupid it is. The aim is to pick up a pen (or if you are comfortable in a digital environment) and put down on paper the words that reflect your feelings at that moment. I think it's a form of therapy that doesn't reveal itself. Don't forget to date it.
Study and Research
Get into the habit of researching the works you read
Before you read the book (be careful not to spoil the plot) and after you finish it, do some research to help you understand it better. Important factors such as the author's life or world events at the time also influence the book you read. This can also act as a mirror. Because each of us brings a part of ourselves into what we write, sometimes subtly and without realising it. I think this attitude increases the pleasure of reading and the enjoyment of the book. It can be a habit that leads you to read more and achieve your reading goals.
Find your own writing style or experiment with different styles
This can also help with your writing goals. Each of us, perhaps without realising it, adopts a certain writing style, which may not have happened yet, but will certainly find us. These are closely related to the authors, genres and literary forms we read. Some write poetry, others prose. Some tell their troubles in short stories, others in epic poems. These forms can even influence our language. In order to understand this, it might be good to look at our previous writing. A friend with whom you have discussed these things can help you.
Once you know what your style is, it can be useful to diversify it. Of course, this requires reading and practising relevant works, which can help us achieve the goals mentioned in the first two categories.
Share, Discuss and Get Feedback
Join/form a group and related activities
When I discussed this topic last year, I was not in an online group and there was no plan to do so. On top of that, I'm never one to step up to the plate when it comes to these sort of things. I am completely timid and a bit lethargic. But because I took that step, I spent a whole year in a completely different way, which I am quite happy with.
In my journey as a writer, I have been influenced in one way or another, and it is said that I have influenced in many ways. The most important thing that did that was getting out of my personal place and into the crowd. Because being part of a group proved that we are not alone in our journey, that there are others with the same problems, that we can find solutions together, that we can observe different ways of thinking. Undoubtedly, there is a difference between knowing this and experiencing it.
Moreover, participating in the activities of the book club, which had always been my dream, has really broadened my horizons. It helped me develop the habit I mentioned in the previous category. It also organised my goal of reading books. The trust and motivation of people with the same ideals was reflected in my writing process. It allowed me to get different ideas, get feedback on my writing style and see what others could do. Many of the goals I have mentioned so far can be achieved individually, but there's no denying that being (as active as we can) in such a group makes it easier.
The groups you form with us or with your own friends will have a positive effect in this direction. If you need to, do it with a group of 3-4 friends and set up an order. You will not regret it. I am sure it will be useful for you to see where you are in your writing adventure.
Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash
Finally, please remember to fit your resolutions around the busyness of your life. Don't feel bad if you never start them or can't give them the time you want. Don't tie your psychological investment (in writing or not) entirely to these resolutions. Sometimes you may find that you can no longer approach the idea with the same logic. I don't know how accurate a complete restructuring would be, but I don't think it's right to add new ones when you have goals you want to pursue among them.
Since I don't know the secrets of being a writer, don't pay serious attention to the categories I've discussed. Fill them in according to your own understanding. Read and listen to others. Set goals that best suit your life. There may be many examples that I have not discussed here, if you wish, share them and give ideas to others. Be sure to filter your ideas as you receive them.
Do not feel obliged to put a number on your decisions. Even if a year passes quickly when you look back, you know it is a huge process at that moment. Don't punish yourself with certain and heavy judgements like "If I can't do this, I won't be a writer".
Writing is a journey, and as with any journey, the time spent on it is more valuable than the destination. Make your decisions with flexibility, passion and honesty to yourself. Remember that every writer's journey is unique and writing is ultimately a solitary business.
Writing and reading is one of the best ways to change both the past and the future. Shaping your own 2025 is literally in your hands.
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