Hello, lovelies! I hope you are enjoying your winter holidays! I’m writing this blog post on 1 January 2026, sitting by the large windows of my cozy hotel in Inverness, looking out over the river Ness. Outside, it’s snowing off and on, but it’s nice and toasty inside—perfect for reflecting on my writing goals for 2025 and thinking about my goals for 2026.
In June, I did this mid-year check-in for my 2025 goals. I wasn’t quite on track, but my creative energy was on point. Then September hit: work took over my life and I had no room for writing, no matter how hard I tried. Unfortunately, October and November weren’t much better, but I’m slowly finding my way back to writing now.
That being said, the demands of my day job won’t slow down in 2026. Sooo, I’ve been thinking carefully about how to balance that reality with my writing goals. I don’t want to set goals that aren’t feasible. Instead, I need to find a balance that works for me: when to devote my energy to work, when to preserve some for writing in my spare time, and when to be kind to myself and rest.
This is especially true because, on top of a demanding year at work, my orchestra is preparing for the World Music Contest on 25 July—which means a significant portion of my free time will be devoted to rehearsals.
Fortunately, I’ve also planned two wonderful writing retreats in January and April, which I hope will help me stay on track during this particularly busy period. What’s on the menu, you ask? Wellllll, let me tell you:
Finish a Full Manuscript of Project Paris
Sooo, as I mentioned in June, I was hoping to complete a big, messy revision of Project Black Captain in 2025. However, in a massive plot twist, Project Black Captain became Project Paris—my multi-POV historical heist novel, which I’m pitching as OCEAN’S ELEVEN meets LES MISÉRABLES.
Meanwhile, I’m > 30,000 words in, with a completed prologue and a fairly readable first act. I’m hoping to finish the full manuscript—ready for beta readers—by the end of the year.
Brainstorm Project Iron Mask
In 2025, I’ve been marinating on a YA retelling of THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK (the movie version). I can’t wait to dive deeper into brainstorming, but I won’t do so until I finish the draft for Project Paris. I’m allowing myself to daydream though, and any random thoughts I might have for this project will of course be noted down and saved for later.
Participate in a Short Story Contest
In 2026, I want to expand my writerly horizons by participating in a short story contest in my home country: the Netherlands. I’d love to challenge myself to work within the limitations of word count and theme. I’m hoping it will help me sharpen my craft—tightening prose, improving pacing, and strengthening my storytelling choices.
Keep Writing My Blog
I started my blog in January 2022 and I’d been writing a new post every two weeks—until September 2025. I’m hoping to get back to it in 2026! Writing these posts helps me organize my writerly thoughts. Also, it’s great to re-read previous posts: what was I up to at a certain point in time? It’s like a diary of my writing journey.
Since it’s going to be a busy year and Project Paris should be my first priority, my goal is to write at least one blog post each month.
Take a Writing Course
In 2026, I want to take at least one writing course. I’ve had my eye on Elise Kova’s course in The Writers Conservatory, titled “Profiting Off Passion: Blending Business and Craft to Build Your Author Career.” The course is designed to help writers improve their craft and understand the business side of being an author. Yay!
Send My First Newsletter
I did not create a newsletter in 2025. Darn it, darn it, darn it (yes, I’ve had this goal for a couple of years now). Buuut, I’ve been feeling inspired by some writer friends who launched their own newsletters recently. I’ve decided to dedicate my January retreat to updating my website and FINALLY creating my newsletter.
Read 35 Books
In 2025, I’d originally planned to read 35 books. In the end, I managed to read 45! In 2026, I’m planning to once again read 35 books, of which at least twenty must be from my current physical or digital TBR piles (since both are reaaally getting out of hand). Also, six must be Discworld novels, since I’m still trying to read all 40+ Discworld gems. I managed to read 12 in 2025 (fully in line with my goal). Up next are:
– Small Gods
– Lords and Ladies
– Men at Arms
– Soul Music
– Interesting times
– Maskerade