This post was originally sent through my author newsletter on January 6th, 2023. To subscribe to my newsletter and receive up-to-date news, musings, and more, click HERE.
Happy New Year!! What are your goals and dreams for 2023?
I don't really do New Year's Resolutions. Instead, a decade ago, I was introduced to the idea of choosing a Word of the Year. This word will set the tone. It will guide you and give you purpose. It will ground you or lift you up—whatever it is you need at the moment you set the intention.
In January 2013, the first time I did a Word of the Year, I chose Patience. It had been almost three years since I'd graduated from my MFA in Creative Writing program, and I'd been writing, revising, and periodically querying literary agents ever since. I was trying not to feel defeated, even though landing a book deal was taking longer than I'd anticipated. I'd also begun a new manuscript in 2012—the book that would become The Distance Between Lost and Found. I was in love with this manuscript. I felt strongly that it was the best thing I'd ever written. But I didn't want to rush to send it out if it wasn't ready.
In January 2014, with Distance on the path to publication, I chose Momentum. Things were happening! Amazing, exciting things! I didn't want to slow down for a second. I wanted to ride the wave as far as I could. I wanted to be ready to put in the work to turn one book deal into a career as an author.
In January 2015, the year my debut novel was set to hit shelves, I selected Gratitude. I knew I had some stress ahead with launching a book and facing reviews and such, and I didn't want to lose sight of how very lucky I felt to be doing what I loved. I wanted to approach every opportunity—and every setback—feeling thankful.
For some reason I can no longer recall (maybe just...life?), I neglected to set a word for 2016. But by 2017, I was in a publishing slump. My second book had released, but had underperformed. My option book (a proposed third title with the same publisher) had been rejected. I'd taken that book on wide submission to other publishing houses and had failed to sell it anywhere. I'd set that manuscript aside and was working on rewriting another, earlier book. I was trying not to panic. (I was also pregnant at the time, which made everything feel very fraught...) And so I chose the word Persist. I was not going to give up. I was going to tell more stories.
As an exhausted new mom who still hadn't sold a third book, in January 2018 I figured that Persist could stay my theme for another year. And then, in 2019, I moved on to Trust. I'd gone on submission a few more times. I'd rewritten both unsold books, and still hadn't nabbed a contract. I was beginning to draft something entirely new: a chapter book for young readers. I wanted to trust that one way or another, I would find the story that would become my third published book. But beyond publishing, I wanted to trust that the life I was living—as a tired mom to a toddler, in all its joy and its tedium—was exactly where I was supposed to be.
My chapter book series sold in January 2020, and somewhere between the excitement and celebration of that milestone and the arrival of a global pandemic, I never set a word for that year. (In retrospect, my Word of the Year was probably Survive.)
But in 2021, I chose Nourish. I wanted to find my way out of survival mode and into a healthier, happier space. I wanted to nourish my body, my mind, my soul. I wanted to eat more healthily. I wanted to go on a writing retreat. I wanted to make time for walks with friends and fresh air and other things that would feed my spirit. After a year that was challenging and scary, I wanted my theme for the year to basically be, "Be good to yourself."
Since I managed to skip January 2022 (thanks, Omicron...), we have finally—finally!—reached this year!
If you're still with me, let's have a drumroll...
For 2023, I have chosen the word Cultivate.
In looking back at 2022, even though I never set a formal intention, I do see a major theme. 2022 was about work.
Last year, I released two new books. I revised two others (one for publication and one that's not yet there). I started doing in-person school visits for the first time since my YA novels in 2015/2016. I hired a marketing consultant to help me figure out how I could help my stories reach more readers. I launched this newsletter. I pitched myself and my books to podcasts and reviewers. I organized social media campaigns and giveaways. I auditioned for new writing opportunities. I worked.
In 2022, I planted a lot of seeds.
In 2023, I want to cultivate them.
I only have one book release this year: the paperback of Madison Morris is NOT a Mouse! in April. Since I'll be spending a lot less time in promo mode, I want to dig deeper into everything else. I know I'll be writing first-drafts of various things, but I also want to finally get that magical middle-grade book I've mentioned before back to my agent. I want to go on another writing retreat. And I want to create more opportunities for myself and my stories, using what I learned last year as a jumping-off point. I want to be creative, and I want to try new things.
I also want to continue to cultivate a balanced life, in which I can be present as a parent to my daughter and as a partner to my husband, while also making time for myself to dance, do yoga, walk with friends, etc. My life is a garden, and it is my job to tend it so that it can flourish.
Did you pick a Word of the Year for 2023? What did you choose?
~Kathryn
What I'm:
Reading: Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. This is a Young Adult fantasy novel about a Black teen studying at an early college program who stumbles upon a secret society based on the Knights of the Round Table. The true secret? Arthur and his Knights were real, and so is magic! Bree, the protagonist, is grieving the recent loss of her mother, dealing with living away from home for the first time, and nursing a major crush on her student mentor Nick...who also happens to be the heir to King Arthur himself. One of the most interesting dynamics of the book is the contrast between the Arthurian style of magic with the magic that seems innate to Bree's family—a magic that reaches all the way back to the time of enslavement. I'm not done with Legendborn yet, but it is really great so far. If you're a fantasy fan, definitely check it out.
Watching: My husband and I are currently rewatching an old season of "Taskmaster," the British show in which a comedian asks a group of other comedians and television personalities to perform a series of absurd tasks and scores their performance. What can I say, we needed some absurdity (and some belly laughs) after the stress of December! If you like to laugh, there are at least a dozen seasons of this show on YouTube. Season 7, which we're watching now, is one of the best.
Writing: So much!!! Did I mention that December was stressful? Because January isn't slowing down. I've got an outline and character sketches to polish up for one fiction project (more on that soon!). I'm first-drafting and working on a proposal for a possible Book Two of the Science & Strange series with my coauthor, MarcyKate. I've also got a couple dance articles on my plate this month. Wish me luck over the next few weeks!
Loving: My kiddo is learning to read. It's actually happening! And it's incredible to witness. The other night, as she sat on my lap, working her way through a series of BOB Books, I thought my heart might burst with pride.