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What’s your word for the year 2026?
I’ve been choosing a word for the year for several years, and it’s a practice I’ve happily passed on to the women of the See Jane Write Collective.
Some years, I’ve picked three words. In other years, I’ve chosen a phrase.
Some years, I get completely obsessed with the word that I chose. It becomes my mantra or prayer that I constantly whisper. Other years—like this year, I must admit—I forget which word I picked until someone asks me.
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I’m obsessed with goal setting. I set writing goals and goals for other areas of my life each year, each quarter, and each month. Because I’m so passionate about goal setting, I’m constantly reading books, attending workshops and listening to podcasts to help me get better at setting and achieving my goals. I take what I learn, tweak it and try it out. Then I figure out how to share what I’ve gleaned from my personal experiences with you. That’s why I get so excited for my annual Write the Vision Workshop! (This year’s workshop is on Sunday, December 14 at 4 p.m. CT. You can sign up here.)
If you HATE goal setting, it’s probably because you’re not following through. And if you’re setting writing goals each year and nothing in your writing life is changing, chances are it’s NOT because of laziness. You work hard. Probably too hard. You are NOT lazy. But I think I know what’s holding you back.
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Editor’s Note: See Jane Write publishes guest articles by writers who identify as women, non-binary folks, and our allies. Learn more here.
I’m a pantser, also referred to as a discovery writer or intuitive writer. Unlike plotters, we write stories without an outline, “flying by the seat of our pants.” That means the story organically unfolds as we write.
Early in my career, I found it difficult to locate how-to books that aligned with my writing style. Typically, they encouraged me to become a plotter or offered advice from a plotting point of view.
The rigid structure and demand for planning left me frustrated and struggling to get words on paper. It didn’t help to hear about the many authors who started where I did and turned into plotters. I was certain that if I also learned to plot, I’d write faster and better stories.
The opposite turned out to be true.
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It’s time for another edition of the See Jane Write Gift Guide! Here you will find gift ideas for the writers on your holiday shopping list — and if you’re the only writer on your list, take this as permission to treat yo’self! Or you can send this post to friends, family, or your Santa Baby so they’ll know exactly what to get you this year. (This post contains affiliate links.)
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After months (years?) of deliberation, I have finally decided on the topic for my next book and I’ve written thousands of words already. Yay! But I know I must find a way to keep the momentum going. Of course, I’m turning to a planner for help because, yes, I have a goal of finishing and self-publishing this book next year, but you know how the saying goes— A goal without a plan is just a wish.
Recently, I was gifted the Word x Word Accountability Planner for Writers by Hello Story, and this couldn’t have come at a better time!
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