GOALS: 2023

It's once again my favorite time of year -- GOALS!! I absolutely love setting goals for myself and seeing just how much I can accomplish in a year. And after the (surprisingly) productive 2022 I had, I'm more excited than ever to see what 2023 has in store. So, let's do this!

STAY HEALTHY!

Yes, this is absolutely the first thing on my goals for 2023. I'm finally in a good place with my Fibro and all my meds, and I want to maintain this. I'm no longer actively trying to lose weight, but I will continue to eat healthy and stay active. Encompassed within this goal is to keep my family as healthy as possible, too. Thankfully, my daughter seems to be adjusting to her disease and the recent medication change very well, and I pray that she continues to improve and do well. 

KEEP ON WRITING & PUBLISHING!

Obviously! I mean, this is what I do after all. Unlike previous years, though, I don't have any firm plans in mind of what I want to write and publish--and admittedly, I was freaking out about this for a while, but then I realized it doesn't matter. I don't need to have my writing planned out for the entire year. That's the best part of being an Indie author: I can write whatever I want, whenever I want. So rather than list out all the projects I think I might want to work on (and let's face it, I *always* veer away from my list anyway), I'm going to aim to write and publish another 5 books this year. I'm going to make this a mix of YA and adult. 

TREAT MY BUSINESS LIKE A BUSINESS!

I realize this might sound a little bit odd, and I do treat the act of writing and publishing like a business, but it's all the other stuff that goes with it that's lacking. I need to become better organized with my marketing, expenditures, and time management. I'm confident that doing so will also help me in the long term with my output and overall creativity.

EXPAND MY AUDIENCE!

Back in 2021, I'd sold licensing rights to my series to a couple of serial reading apps. I have a list of others that I want to explore and potentially contract with so that I can continue to expand my audience. I'll also be looking for new fun ways to help spread the word about my books. 

READ!

I'd like to aim for 1-2 books per month again, not including any submissions I have to read for Anaiah. I read quite a bit in 2022, and I'd forgotten how much I love to get sucked into a story. I will attempt to read every night before bed.

BALANCE: SLOW DOWN & LOOK AROUND

I'm forever making lists of things I need to do, setting deadlines, and basically working as much as I possibly can. This past year, though, I'd taken a Mother-Daughter vacation (which is going to become an annual thing), and I can't tell you how much fun I had exploring, spending time with my girls, and laughing. I want to do more of that in 2023 -- So, I'm hereby giving myself permission to slow down, look around, and just enjoy life. I'm not getting any younger, my kids are starting to spread themselves farther apart, and I'm to the point in my life where I feel like I've earned the right to really start enjoying all that I have. While I will always keep writing, publishing, and editing, this is the year I find a better balance between my professional and personal life. 

What will you do in 2023?

Spill the Tea Tuesday: Are these really the best years of your life??

Today, author Sharon Rene is spilling the tea...

Hi y’all, my name is Sharon Rene, and I write young adult fiction. Today, I’d like to “spill the tea” about something that used to bug me a lot when I was younger. Perhaps it bugs you, too. 

When I was in high school, and I’d be in a down mood someone would say, “You should be happy. These are the best days of your life.”

Really? Are these really the best years of your life?

I wanted to cry when I heard those words because I can guarantee you that my teen years were not the best days of my life. 

I was awkward, shy, self-conscious, and lonely. I used to pray that the future would be better, so I certainly didn’t want to hear that my days in high school were as good as it was going to get.

Teen years are unique and so important. Change greets you around every corner, and you don’t know how to react. There is a reason parents cringe when they say, “My child will soon be a teen.”

Believe me, I was that teen.

My parents loved me, and I loved them, but I was a real pain to live with during those hormone driven, crazy years. My emotions were up and down like a hot air balloon. The teen years are challenging – a time of growth and exploration. Time to learn about the person you are and the person you hope to become. Some teens shine and seem to have it all together. High school is fun for them, but it is still NOT the best years of their lives.

We’re only in high school for four years. At the time, it seems unending, but four years is a small percentage of a lifetime. The world has so much to offer. 

If you’re struggling through the teen years, please remember that things are going to change.

I hated high school, but I loved college. I’ve lived in several states and worked a variety of jobs. I’ve met interesting people and made great friendships. I’ve grown emotionally and spiritually. I am very different from the shy kid in high school. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you will be chained to your teens forever. You have years ahead of you to change things that you don’t like about yourself and your life. Change will not happen overnight, but the journey is the joy.

Teen and young adults, never fear – these are not the best years of your life. As wonderful as life may be now, it will get better as you follow your dreams. I loved to write as a teen but gave it up as I got older. One day, I started writing again, and now it is my passion. I love to write for a teen and young adult audience because I know the struggle is real. In Hesitant Heroes, I write that God has a unique plan for each one of us. I want young people to realize that they are one of a kind.

Teens, hang in there! 

If you are the parent of a teen encourage them that things will change. Life is not confined to the walls of a high school. Please don’t tell them these are the best years of their lives.

Sharon Rene is a member of ACFW and loves to write young adult and children’s fiction. Her young adult dystopian trilogy has been acquired by Anaiah Press and the first book, Hesitant Heroes, released September 7, 2021. Hesitant Heroes, a finalist in the Selah book award for young adult fiction, is an exciting blend of danger, drama and romance. The next book, Relentless Rebels, released March 8, 2022. It continues Team Seven’s exciting adventures. Defying Destiny, the prequel, is the last book in the trilogy. Her first book, A Mixed Bag of God’s Grace, was published in 2018 by TouchPoint Press. This is a book of short stories and devotions for elementary aged children.

Sharon Rene grew up in Louisiana and now lives in Tennessee with one very spoiled cat who enjoys making Instagram appearances. You can learn more about Sharon on her website and Instagram.

The tea has been spilled! Who's gonna clean it up? 

Drop your thoughts in the comments!