✍️ New year's intentions for writers

We’re just over a week into 2024 and I don’t have a clear set of resolutions or business goals for my freelance writing business. Vision boards, words of the year, measurable metrics…I’m just not feeling it this month.

But that doesn’t mean I’m going into the New Year without any focus or clarity. I have three intentions floating in my head, but they’re not things I plan to track or place judgment on in terms of accomplishment. Here’s what’s on my mind.

💪 Take action without overthinking

It’s easy to overthink pitches, client responses, or any other business decision. This year, I want to focus on taking action when the moment arises rather than waiting and potentially missing out on a time-sensitive opportunity. If I see a call for writers that looks interesting, I’m going to respond quickly. If an editor emails and asks for availability, I’m going to shoot back my answer asap. There are so many freelancers in the marketplace today, I really think fast responses go a long way in standing out in a crowd.

🪷 Focus on feeling

This may sound a little out there, but hear me out. This year I’m working on how I feel each day. Business goals are great, but if they’re not rooted in gratitude, do they really mean much? So I’m trying to focus on feeling accomplished and confident and excited for the work I do each day; or feeling like I have solid workload without feeling stressed out by deadlines. Obviously, there are actionable items that I can execute to reach these goals, but my goal is to do so in a way that is mindful and purposeful.

☕ Get out and about

Whenever I get stuck in an Instagram scroll, some of the images that jump out most to me are people working in a coffee shop. I used to frequently write in cafes pre-Covid and simply haven’t gotten back into the routine. (My husband jokes that all I need is a coffee shop and wifi to be happy!)

So another intention is to explore coffee shops in my city and get inspired by writing in different locations once a week or so. I have a few coffee shops in my neighborhood so I have easy places to get started without feeling put off by driving long distances on a dreary winter day.

I’m also considering conferences to attend in 2024. ICYMI, I pulled together a list of freelance writer conferences happening this year - feel free to browse and see if any seem like a good fit!

Do you have any intentions or resolutions for 2024? I’d love to know how you plan and set goals!

Happy freelancing,

Lauren

When you’re ready, here are 2 ways I can help you with your freelance business:

1. Organize your business with my income tracker or pitch tracker.

2. Read The Fully Booked Freelance Writer to follow my exact process for keeping a full schedule (whatever that looks like for you).