We have @ease fantastic monthly thread for interim goals, we also have the daily thread for short term updates (not necessarily daily - just update us any time < 1 month frequency to keep you on track for your monthly).
But this is New Years. The time we all reflect on the year past and think about what we want from the year coming. I just made a blog post about everything I achieved in 2024. I like to do this every year as it lets me re-celebrate the wins and so lifts me up. It also reminds me of *all* the things I have done - including things that were writing related and took time and effort but don't result ina tangible outcome (reading a craft book, attending a con, networking, etc). This also helps me think about whether I am headed in the direction I want to be, and highlights that in a year some areas may have fallen by the wayside and by examining that, allows me an opportunity to re-direct myself. I recommend it as an exercise. (If you want to see mine, its on my webpage https://gideonpsmith.com/2025/01/02/year-in-review-2024/ but its far from necessary to look at that to do it for yourself - thats why I described it above).
Anyway, I believe in public accountability for goals so I thought I would create a thread of what our 2025 goals are. We may unearth this thread this time next year and see how we all did but as over the year its likely to drop down low I am also adding mine to my sig so I see it and remember my goals all year.
Post yours below and lets try and support eachother towards success 
/p>
Mine:
2025 goals:
a. Write zero-draft of one new novel
b. Write a new piece (any length) every month and submit it
c. Reach 100 rejections for the year
"...your motivations for wanting to write are probably complex. You may have a few great passions, you may want to be rich and famous, and you may need therapy."
- Dave Farland, Million Dollar Outlines
Writers of the Future:
2025 Q1: HM Q2: P Q3: TBD Q4: TBD
2024 Q1: F Q2: HM Q3:SHM Q4: SHM
2023 Q1: RWC Q2: SHM Q3: SHM Q4: R
2022 Q4: R
Submissions to other markets:
2025: 32 submitted 3 acceptances
2024: 45 submitted 8 acceptances
2023: 74 submitted 13 acceptances
2022: 22 submitted 1 acceptance
2025 goals: a. New Novel b. New piece submitted/month c. 100 rejections
Love it.
- Write/edit every day (one word minimum)
- Finish cyberpunk WIP novel
- Query cyberpunk novel
- Improve day-job income/reduce day-job hours (little bit out of my control as I'm currently an indentured servant dependent on Trump giving me a Green Card, but after that hurdle it should be easy to reduce 80 hours or increase pitiful income)
- Run every month
- Get at least one freaking story published in a pro-market
Gideon, is your novel plotted/conceptualized? Would love to hear about it.
VOL 40 2nd Quarter: Third Place ("Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber")
Past submissions: R - HM - HM - HM - HM - HM - SHM - SHM
www.jd-writes.com
Kindle Vella - Ashes to Ashes, Earth to Kaybee
I think this is a great idea!
My resolutions for 2025:
- Write and submit a new story to WotF every quarter
- Self-publish my YA novel
- Write a monthly or quarterly newsletter
V39: - - - HM
V40: SHM, HM, SHM, HM
V41: HM, SHM, SHM, F
V42: DQ, WIP
Stories published in Triangulation, Neo-opsis Science Fiction Magazine, Flash Fiction Magazine, and others.
https://kzrichards.com
I'm away travelling for at least half the year, but I think my goals are still doable:
- Beat my submissions total of 43 from last year (I only beat my 2023 total of 41 by making 12 submissions on the 30th and 31st Dec), with at least 32 being short stories and at least 12 poetry.
- Submit to WotF every quarter.
- Write at least three fresh stories.
- I should also send at least one newsletter. I didn't even send one to announce my first sale last year.
- Sell a story.
35: - R R R | 36: R HM R R | 37: HM HM HM SHM | 38: HM HM HM HM | 39: HM HM HM SHM | 40: HM R SHM SHM | 41: R HM SHM R
5 SHM / 13 HM / 9 R
Hmm, annual goals. I think i can commit to that.
- Finish the third draft of my novel, get critiques, revise, and (finally) submit somewhere
- Sand off the serial numbers of a story I wrote too quickly for an anthology, get critiques, revise, and submit for Q2
- Submit three more new stories for the remaining 2025 deadlines
- Start submitting to pro publications
- Attempt a non-fiction book that's been kicking around my brain (likely novelette size)
Stretch goals -
- Write a parody for an anthology
- Start a middle grade novel
V38: HM, R, R, HM
V39: RWC, HM, RWC, HM
V40: RWC, HM, SHM, R
V41: R, RWC, R, R
V42: RWC, WIP, WIP
I second the hmmm
2025 goals:
- Spend more time with my family
- Spend less time with video games
- WotF: Write a new story for each quarter
- Submit older stories (previous HM or above WotF) to other markets
- Continue a novel I've started (horror OR sword and sorcery)
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right."~ Henry Ford
2025 V42: RWC, ? (HM Resubmit), WIP, ?
2024 V41: RWC (HM Resubmit), HM, RWC, Finalist (RWC Resubmit)
2023 V40: HM, HM, R, HM
2022 V39: SHM, HM, Semi-finalist, HM (HM Resubmit)
2021 V38: ---HM (R Resubmit)
2020 V37: -R--
Great idea! My 2025 goals are:
- Write more and find more time to write.
- Read more and find more time to read.
- Write a novel (first draft).
- Find a home for my WotF stories that received a SHM or HM. Fine tune them, reevaluate what worked and what didn't, trim them down and get them submitted.
- Write a fresh story (probably flash or less than 3,000 words) at least once a quarter. I figure this may be a nice creative outlet alongside writing a novel and editing my "back catalogue" of unsold stories.
- Sell at least one story.
- Get a website.
3rd Place Vol 41 Q3 ("The Stench of Freedom")
Submission record: R x 2 / HM x 7 / SHM x 2 / W x 1
Stories published in Daily Science Fiction, Every Day Fiction, 365tomorrows, and Gwyllion Magazine.
Find out more on my website (www.joelcscoberg.com) or sign up to my newsletter for updates on my writing journey.
My 2025 Goals are:
- write a new story every month and enter it somewhere
- write one novel, at least an edited draft
- read, read, read!
- write, write, write!
- build that website I've been meaning to do (I only bought the domain for 10 years 
)
- win at least one writing contest
*When one door closes, another one opens. Here’s to a new chapter! Onward!*
