Making a Resolution

“New Year, New Feels, New Chances, Same Dreams, Fresh Starts.” - Atticus Poetry

I'm keeping my New Year's Resolution simple this year. For 2025, my goal is to be more organised. That's it. It's that basic. Usually, I'm a romance writer who lives in chaos, but I know my way through it. I built a path through my mess. Let's see what happens when I change my ways and apply order to all aspects of my life. 

What I Hope...

Home, work, writing, and health. They're all areas of life where I fly by the seat of my pants. If I take it methodically, one area at a time, let's hope that streamlines things for me and makes my goals attainable.

What I'm hoping for is a domino effect: that as I get one part in order, it will impact another aspect until, bit by bit, I become an organised person. And if I put it into practice, it will become a habit. I already love a to-do list, right up until I have to do the stuff. 

Motivation

This is going to take a little research. Organisation doesn't come naturally to me. I'm a messy person and I always have been. In childhood, I was constantly grounded for having a messy room. I have paperwork everywhere. Notebooks written in and then scribbled out and written in again - most of them half-full or less. I pile up clothes in giant heaps and I rarely plan. At least not successfully. 

It sounds like it will be simple to change, but if that was the case I would have done it years ago. I'm planning to plan. That's what I figure will give me the best shot.

Back to School

Remember back at school when you had timetables for every lesson, you covered your books in brown paper that you would then graffiti. With school, there was scheduling and homework books. There was a set break time and lunchtime. There was a system. I miss that structure of my day-to-day life. 

Now I work in a job with shift patterns so I can work any hour of the day. I have a child so I eat when I have a minute to spare, sometimes not at all. I decide what I'm making when it's time to make it. Remember school dinners. We had chocolate custard, hard pizza and a dinner lady who walked around making sure we ate either potatoes or salad. (You know the chaos is bad when you hanker back to the days of school dinners.) 

I hated school. I was bullied, I was kinda lazy and I hated homework, but now I want to learn. It's the routine and order of it that I really miss. That and the lack of responsibility. I just had to get myself to lessons, and that was that. 

Where to Start?

I have no idea! As I already said, this is going to take research. And I have to fit it all around the day job and the romance writing. Hopefully, in the end, it will make things faster and more efficient for me. Fingers crossed. 

I think my first step is to identify the area where my life needs order the most and start there. I'm gonna be making some lists. Time to get out my half-scribbled notebooks. 

Let's Get Started

I could wait until January 1st to start, but I'm going to cheat and give myself a few extra days. I can at least start the planning process of this New Year's Resolution. I can pick which area needs the most change and figure out how to put it into effect. 

So, let's get going. Mission organisation: Inititaed.

If you enjoyed reading this then you can follow my journey by visiting the Resolutions page of my website. 

Dreams of Distant Places

 And not so distant places. 

I'm a romance writer so a sense of romance is built in me, and I'm not even as romantic as I could be. I don't like weddings, I don't need a path of rose petals, and a room full of candles just makes me wonder how they got them all lit and how long it takes to blow them out.

But I do love the idea of soulmates, of tangled limbs and twisted sheets, of mixed breaths. Even when I'm not romantic, I'm still a dreamer. 

What Do You Daydream About?

I see wet pavements in foreign cities where I sit under cover at a table, drinking wine and eating food I can't get at home. I see myself in a two-piece on the beach, tropical sunshine warming my skin while crystal water laps at my feet. I see airport journeys and ferry trips. Driving on the wrong side of the road. Friendly strangers. New languages. 

Those are daydreams though. Reality is a little different. Reality is day jobs, budgeting money, and cooking dinner. It's responsibility, bills and parenting. And if I want to travel I have to save up to do it. Save up for a long time. 

Even staycations are few and far between. I don't get many trips to the seaside and I haven't even journeyed to London for years and that's my favourite city in Britain.

Writing is a Dream

I find time to write because I'm a romance writer and it's important to me, but imagine being able to do it in the daytime because I earn enough to not need a day job. That's the dream! To let the words flow. To spend as long as I want on a piece of writing without having to stop because my shift starts early in the morning. 

The dream is to have people reading my books and wanting more. For people to care about my characters as much as I do. To not be an echo in a void.

Maybe I'm getting a bit contemplative but it is eleven twenty at night. Almost midnight. The time of dreams.

Reality is Okay Too.

I'm pretty damn happy with things as they are. As unromantic as I am, and as much as I daydream about the future, I feel content with all I have. Sure, I'd like a newer car, a bigger home for my babies and me, and financial security, but saving up for things I want isn't a bad thing. 

I'll take the holidays I want eventually. I'll earn more money. I'll get by. I'm getting pretty good at budgeting, and when it comes to love? Well, I'm a romance writer. I'll write it. 

If you enjoyed this blog then I have plenty of others on this site to read, or for book news, you can visit my website. 

Sticking to Resolutions

 We're leaving December 2022...

January 1st is the start of a new adventure, or at least that's what they say. As an introverted romance author who is happiest at home, my adventures will probably happen on the page and in the paranormal romance stories I write. 

I do like to set some New Year Resolutions. 

The flaw with resolutions is that they're tough to stick to long-term. In fact, only 40% manage to maintain their resolutions beyond 6 months.

My New Year's Resolutions tend to be focussed on being less lazy, writing more, and working harder, but I like a refresh, and day one of a new year is a good time to start. The question is, what's the best way to maintain your willpower?

Choose the Best Goals

The place a lot of people go wrong is setting a lot of different goals. Taking on too much can be overwhelming, which means the easiest way is to form new habits. Be specific with what you want and plan the steps to achieve it. 

This leads to the next step...

Plan Plan Plan

Write down your goal and brainstorm how to achieve it. Make lists, prepare for obstacles that might block your path, plan ahead. Know what you want. 

Start Small

Don't jump in at the deep end. That's what your steps are for. You build to the end achievement. You might feel like it's going slowly, but that's what progress is. You're not planning on being an overnight success. You'll have to put the work in. 

Deadlines 

Deadlines can help, but they come with their own downfalls. If you're going to be disheartened when you miss one then they might not be worth it. Give yourself a contingency plan and figure out how you'll proceed even when you feel it's not going as quickly as you want. 

Keep it Fresh

Don't keep trying to achieve the same goal. You're already starting for a low point if it's something you've failed at. Make enough changes to the New Year Resolution that it truly is a fresh start. 

Be Patient

This a process and that means it won't be an instant success. There will be setbacks and missteps. It might not happen as quickly as you want, but keep your spirit, keep planning, prepare for anything, and try your best. 

On Your Way...

Now you have the basic tools to get going. All you need is to figure out what your New Year's Resolution is going to be. I'm making it easy on myself. My first one is to publish my book, which is almost ready to go. 

Keep an eye out for book extras and updates, and if you like what you read here, take a look around and read some of my other articles.  

 

 

One Broke Girl

 I'm not alone in struggling financially at the moment. I think we're all feeling the strain.

My piggy bank is empty and it will be for a while. 

I'm a struggling romance writer with a minimum-wage day job, which means, money is often on my mind. 

I've read some ridiculous tips on cutting costs and budgeting. Things like cutting down on coffee shops and instead having coffee at home, and cancelling unnecessary subscriptions. As if those aren't the first things to go. 

I was advised to find out what financial help I'm entitled to, which is zero because I have a job. Another tip was to resist splurging and save the money instead as if I can afford to splurge on anything when food and power bills just keep rising. 

I'm no money expert. If you need deep advice there are better sites to go to for that. I'm just a writer with no money., and the truth is, there really is no way to budget and save when the money isn't there, but I have found some ways to be a little thrifty. 

Yellow Stickers

That's right. I'm a yellow sticker enthusiast. There's no reason not to be. When you consider the same product was £3 at ten to five, and then at ten past five has reduced to as much as 70%. I'm buying that bad boy. And most supermarkets have reduced sections, and I've actually found toys for 40 pence that have made an activity pack. 

Saver Brands

Supermarket own brands are cheaper and a lot of them match up to more expensive brands. There are some brand names that I can't bring myself to give up - I'm looking at you Tetley and Nescafe - but there aren't many food products that I'm willing to pay so much more for. 

Another thing to think about is wonky vegetables. They're not as pretty but what does that matter once they're chopped and cooked?

Less Waste

According to the Office for National Statistics, households make up 70% of all food waste and a third of that waste is still edible. Of course you don't want to make yourself ill by eating inedible food, but think of it like this; best before is a suggestion, while use by is a rule. 

By wasting less you can save yourself a small fortune in money, and there are ways to utilize what is in your fridge. Things like chopping your veg and freezing them or putting bread in the oven to crisp it up. Make the most of what you've got. 

Track Your Spending

It's boring, and it can be frustrating, but by budgeting and tracking the money you spend, it makes you aware of where your money goes, and if there is a way to save somewhere, this is where you'll see it. I use a spreadsheet to budget but I know someone who writes it in a notebook, and there are plenty of apps. 

Pay Off Debts

They say to pay bills and debts before you save and I think it's a good idea. When you have debts you pay interest so it makes sense to get rid of the debt costing you money first. It makes more sense to prioritise that. 

Just a Writer

Like I said, I'm no money expert. I'm just a romance writer with a day job that doesn't pay a lot, so I'm learning to make the most of the money I have, and I'm sure that if you're looking for tips, you've already tried what I suggested, but maybe there's just one thing there you haven't thought of and I hope it helps. 

If you have any tips to share then feel free, and if you're here looking for writing news, then stay with me. Alternatively, you can head over to my website for homepage news and updates. You'll even find some book extras there. 

New Year... Page One

 

Make goals or wing it?

Another new year begins and I've already decided not to make resolutions, but I haven't decided whether or not to set goals for myself. 

I'm not the best at sticking to them - I have a tendency to get distracted - but I really want to publish my first Accalia book and to finish Martha's story. Then I have all the shorter stories that I want to do. Should I do it by setting missions or should I just take it one story at a time? One page at a time?

Compromise

I guess I'll do both. I'll plot, I'll write. I'll aim to achieve. This is where my weakness in organisation is going to cause me problems. I have a head for chaos and it doesn't bode well for goal planning. I've got a brand-spanking new diary, so I can plan, but the one thing you can't take into accord is the number of words you can write. 

My word count is always random, so I'll plan what I can.

End of Year

 New Year... Same old me...

We're advancing toward the end of another year, and I always like the start of the next. 

I have no plans to make any illogical resolutions to change myself, because I don't think I've ever kept one, but, maybe I'll resolve to read more books. That seems attainable. 

As far as life changes go, though, I feel like I'm on a pretty good track. I could eat healthier, I could exercise more, but that's true of every month of the year. 

What I do like about the New Year though, is that it's like a reset. A refresh. 

All the things that I've been working on, that I might be wobbling on, that might not be going as well as I want them to... It's not a resolution to continue trying, but it's a new start in a way. Rejuvenation. 

I like the refresh of January first. I like the new year. 

Speaking into the Mist

 

Some days I update social media even though I'm certain nobody reads it. I update my blog, my website. I work on my book. 

It's like I'm an echo, fading into the mist. My voice has no substance. 

That's the thing with being a writer. You can't guarantee that someone is going to read what you write, but personally, I do it anyway, because my brain throws out stories all the time. Characters, plots, scenes. So, I write them down, and hope that they make their way to someone who will like them. 

But I have to say, I do wish that every now and then, I didn't feel like it was such a redundant task. I guess these words can be just for me, and for the few who find them. 

I'm all about the words after all. I'm a writer. 

Writing Through a Cold

 Pass me the whisky! I've got a cold! (And only a cold.)

I want soup, I want many cups of tea, I want hot toddies, I want thick duvets and I want to binge watch box sets. And then I'll be up to doing some writing.

I'm staying in my pjs until this passes. I feel awful - I look worse - but luckily writing is a solitary thing so nobody is here to see my greasy hair, pale face and red nose.

To be honest, the challenge with writing hasn't come from not feeling up to it. The challenge is coming from lack of peace and quiet in the house. Who knew that feeling ill would be the least of my problems this weekend.

All teamed together; the chaos, the crappiness of being poorly, and the people in the house not giving me a moment to myself has put me in a foul mood, which isn't the best temperament for writing romance.

That's the thing with being a writer though. Grumpiness and illness don't stop you from getting words down on the screen. You might not feel like it, but as with any job, you don't get to say, 'I just don't want to.' Not if you want to finish the WIP!

Still, with the help of my trusty earphones, my cups of tea and my comfy pjs, I'll power through and continue on this shifter romance that I'm currently writing.

 

Reality or the Dream?

 

When you have to pick one option, do you choose reality or the dream?

My day job has been more and more demanding, and it’s bringing to the forefront the skill of prioritising tasks and questioning my will to be a writer more and more.

Do I put my time into the job that actually brings in the money and pays my bills or do I risk it all and prioritise the dream? I’m not the first person to come up against these choices and I won’t be the last.

There have been times...

There have been times I’ve doubted that I have the skill. For example, earlier this year when the rejections were pouring in, for just a moment, I thought, ‘maybe I don’t have what it takes,’ but in the end, I’m a writer so even if I’m the only one who ever reads it, I’ll keep writing.

There have been times I’ve doubted that I have the will. Do I have the strength to persevere in the face of rejection and the lack of affirmations? Do I want to sit at my computer when I could be watching TV or hanging out with other people? Real people. Not just ones in my imagination.

There have been times I’ve doubted I have the energy. I don’t always want to be at work all day and then come home and write. Sometimes I want to get under my duvet and take a big nap.

There have been times I’ve doubted that I have the motivation. For instance, when I’m working to complete a writing project but others are calling out to me. Ideas nudging me to start something new.

The question is which do I prioritise? The day job or the dream?

How do you choose between reality or the dream? How do you choose which path to take? You go with your heart. At least that's what I'm doing, because there are some things in life that demand to be a part of you and there are parts of yourself you can't sacrifice no matter how hard it is to continue some days.

I choose...

I choose the dream. I’m throwing caution to the wind, and when a choice has to be made, I’m opting for writing. I can’t have these stories rampaging through my head with no way out. When the choice has to be made, when a career has to be chosen, when a dream is waiting to be chased then to hell with it.

I’m a writer first and I have stories to tell.

Writer with a Day Job

As the earnings from writing can be temperamental – sometimes I can go months without making any money – and call me crazy, I like to be able to afford food, it meant the first task in my forage outside of my writing cave was to find a day job.

Constant, reliable earnings work well as a buffer, and it’s taken the pressure off the desperation that comes with writing for money. Don’t get me wrong, writer is still my chosen career, but I found that when money was my focus, my imagination was blocked, and writing became impossible. The same with having limited time. It gives me a schedule to work to, rather than endless minutes of staring at a blank, white screen, wondering what to put on down followed by hours of procrastination and extra walks for the dog.

Now, I work in the mornings and then I go home in the afternoons and I view it like going to a second job. When I get home, I have some lunch and then I pull out my schedule of deadlines and promotion, and I’m free to work for the rest of the day. And here’s the beauty of being a single woman…It doesn’t matter if I write the night through because there’s no one to object.

Thus, it brings us to another benefit of having a day job while building a creative career. Getting out the house and interacting with people! I’m an introvert by nature and so hiding away in my house comes easily to me. What I find difficult is socialising. I could happily spend months watching Netflix in my pjs, with my laptop open in front of me, but that circles around to missing out on life, and I’m trying to change that.

Being creative means ambition looks different on us. We may no throw on a power suit, mix with professionals and climb our way up a corporate ladder. A lot of the time it means spending hours alone, creating, existing in our own imaginations, and then when we do step into the real world it can be jarring, but we are aiming for something. Just because we procrastinate doesn’t mean we’re not motivated. I’m ambitious. I want to be a writer, and I want to be a successful one. It is my career priority.

Which is why I look for the silver lining of not being able to spend my workday doing nothing but writing. It’s not a realistic possibility for me right now. I’m a single woman trying to get back on my feet after redundancy which means the reliable income personally gives me peace of mind. My natural state is solitude, and it’s a constant battle to stop myself from giving in and hiding away. It doesn’t mean I’m not motivated. I’m ambitious. I want to be a writer, and I want to be a successful one. It is my career priority, but until I hit the payload with writing, my day job is integral to my writing.

Blue Skies, Black Mood

Without going into details, let's just say some problems have occurred at work. I'm in a situation where I need to fight for my basic entitlements of the workplace. The problem is I'm no warrior.

I'm always a person who shies away from confrontation, but unfortunately, in this instance it's not an option for me and it feels like I'm waging war.

Because it goes against the sense of peace, I need to be content in life, and because my workplace is becoming an intolerable environment to be in every day, it has stirred up a lot of issues with anxiety and depression.

This last week has been one of the hardest of my life. I've cried every time I've been alone and had free reign for my thoughts to wander, because my mind has only one destination, and it's the issue at work. I dread bedtime because that's when the anxiety comes creeping through my chest. I'm not in financial stability to just leave, and there's no support for those of us who are denied our basic employment rights. Companies like ACAS have given advice, but the first step, the waging of war, is down to me, and in a small company that's hard to do. I called Citizen's Advice Bureau, but after being told there was no support for me to leave the job, I couldn't talk for crying. The guy I was talking to couldn't get me off the phone quickly enough.

ACAS, CAB, DWP have all been very sympathetic to my plight, but inevitably it stands that to get what I'm entitled to, I have to do it alone.

But how does a person averse to confrontation do it?

Well, this I don't know. I can stand up for others against any foe, but it seems that for myself, I haven't found the courage.

I guess I'll have to dig deep and see what I have inside of me. I hope there isn't only cowardice there.

A Late Introduction

I’m a romance writer with a day job.

I work for minimum wage to keep my dog and I in the lifestyle to which we’ve become accustomed, which is frugal budgeting and only spending when I have to.

That being said, we have a happy little life together, just me and her. I’m content with my life as it is right now. It doesn’t mean it’ll just be us forever, but for now I’m happy as I am.

I work in the day and I write in the evening. I have romance in my veins, in my heart, and in my brain. I’m a romance writer.

Things at the moment are extra crazy. They’re scary and devastating times, and as someone who is considered a key worker, it means the day job continues for me. Writing is my escape from hard times and it always will be. So, the new books will be coming, but not any faster than usual, because I’m fitting it around the day job.

Writing full-time is the dream, but it’s not the reality yet. Romance day and night is the dream, but it’s not the reality yet.

Right now, though, I’ll get back to the stories, and to everyone who reads this, stay inside and stay safe. Read books! It’s a fun way to spend your time.