What are you proud of accomplishing this year?

December feels like a short month. There are so many things to wrap up before the holidays hit. Even though the month is 31 days long, we all know that people become unreachable right before Christmas and stay that way until the year turns over. The race is on to beat the clock, so to speak. 

It’s so easy to think about what didn’t happen or didn’t get done while we rush to close out the year. But what if we looked at what we actually did accomplish – how might we feel if we celebrate what successes we did have?

Here’s what I’m proud of accomplishing this year:

On the book coaching side:

• I pursued an opportunity to share my proposal development wizardry on a cruise for writers with big-name editor/writer/coaches! It’s happening in late April 2024 and if you want to seriously work on your writing project for a week, and you like the idea of crossing the Atlantic on a luxury cruise liner, please consider this great adventure. Reach out to me for more info.

• Two of the writers I worked with got agents! 

• Monique wrote her memoir proposal for Silence and Resistance: A Memoir of a Girlhood in Haiti, in 4 months and signed a contract for agent representation just two months after querying.

• Kate’s proposal for her decluttering manual/manifesto, Ditch Your Sh*t, was runner-up in the 2022 Book Pipeline Unpublished contest, which got her some exposure to additional agents, and she signed a contract with an agent this year.

On the personal side:

• I started pitching podcasts to increase my exposure as a writer and as a book coach. I’ll be on one in December!

• I submitted 56 times this year. Most of those were my micro memoir, which is still being considered at 6 places. The rest were pieces of fiction, guest blog pitches, and podcast pitches. I got 36 rejections this year… and 8 acceptances. You don’t get published or get exposure if you don’t put yourself out there! If you’re curious, you can read what’s been published and see what’s forthcoming.

• I am pleased that my micro memoir is still being considered for the Digging Press Chapbook Award. The winner will be announced in early February. 

• I took myself on a writing retreat and I deeply appreciate the time and opportunity to focus on my projects – and rest and refresh.

On the literary citizenship side (these things in particular make me feel like I’m contributing to the literary community):

• I blurbed a book for a writer I met in a class

• I interviewed an author on the occasion of her newly published book

• I’m going to be a creative nonfiction mentor for AWP (The Association of Writers and Writing Programs) in 2024! I applied in early 2023 and just heard last month

When I organize what I’m proud of this year like this, I can see how much I’ve accomplished. It makes me feel good.

Next month, I’ll ask you about your goals. For now, what are you proud of? Reflect on what you feel good about having done this year  – and what that might mean you pursue in 2024.

Happy, healthy holidays to you and yours,

Amy