Writerly Resolutions by Poppy Gee

A new year is upon us! How do you plan for your writing calendar? 

Drafting a few new year writing resolutions is a great way to bound into the new year with positivity and hopefulness... Here are some of mine:

Writing resolutions 2026:

• Finish unfinished manuscripts - ski lodge mystery, Cloudland suburban noir, Elm's Mansion thriller. They're all complete, they just need a final polish. Watch this space!
• Start a new manuscript (my favourite thing to do).
• Ensure finished manuscripts go out on submission (evidence suggests this is my least favourite thing to do!) 

Reflection: Last year was a bad year for me as far as writing went. I couldn't focus on anything. I wonder what I have to offer, as far as a published book goes. I'm not sharing this to garner sympathy. Truthfully, I think the world is burning, for a range of reasons depending on geography and history, and I ask myself, what will more stories written by middleclass white people like me do to help anyone, or anything, at this point? This doesn't mean I don't want to write. I really do. When I'm writing is when I feel my happiest. It's how I try to make sense of things, or, at least, write through my emotions. My feeling as I write this, is that perhaps I will write something this year that won't be for publication. I have an idea, and it's probably not commercially viable. That's okay. I'll keep it short, maybe 50,000 words. This particular idea gives me a strong sense of urgency, that feeling when you can't wait to sit at the desk and tap away. Writing something from the deepest, darkest, tenderest part of your heart is always worth doing, no matter the result.

Time management resolutions 2026:

Mindfulness and being intentional. I want to schedule time for joy. Sometimes I feel like I'm trying to cram so much into my day - work, writing, family commitments - that I don't take time to slow down and enjoy the simple things. So this year, I want to block time out for things such as meeting friends for a coffee or a walk, going to a museum or art gallery, even driving to the Gold Coast to have brunch at Kirra with my writing friend Allie. I resolve to see a movie once a month, spend regular time pottering in my garden, read for one hour a day, and consistently set aside time to make healthy, delicious meals for my family. Organisation is key. I thrive when I'm organised, so I'm going to set a timetable and stick to it. I might even monitor and reward my progress!

Bad habits to kick in 2026:

Social media. How to cut back? It's like giving up smoking. You know it's not good for you, you know you shouldn't do it. But there's a voice in your head that says, one quick scroll won't matter too much. Such a time-drain! I'm interested to hear anyone's rules/regulations/habits regarding managing their social media consumption. Please share!

Also, leaving my blog to the last minute. Every time I log in to upload my post, Dietrich's next piece is sitting there, contentedly waiting in the queue. I envy him his organisational prowess. Being well organised with a blog contribution is a worthy, and hopefully realistic, writerly goal for me.