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Writer's pictureRose Rivers

My Two Cents on 2022

Updated: Jan 6, 2023

Hello my lovelies! Since it’s day one of 2023 I thought it only fitting to give you My Two Cents on 2022.

So today I’m going to give a recap on how I did with my 2022 goals, and look forward to the year ahead! I didn’t meet all my goals, but this post won’t be about what I didn’t achieve because I feel proud of what I did.

This year I learned a lot about myself as a writer and a person, and I’ve grown so much as a writer by trial and error. I’ve done so much research for this blog that I have learned a lot about the writing process, the publishing process, the editing process and how to make my future manuscripts even better. 


And I've made so many new writing friends in 2022. If you’re a new writer, let me tell you, finding a community of writers is so important! I have a blog post coming up (next week hopefully) about how to build your community and what the differences between types of writing partners are, but let me take this moment to tell my book community thank you all so much! I couldn’t have trudged through this year without you! You have all taught me so much about myself as a human and a writer.

On a personal note, I got a promotion (and a raise) at my real job, supported my husband taking a promotion that makes him travel on the weekdays for the foreseeable future, and raised one of my kids to full grown (she turned 18 in November). I have watched all three of my kids reach their goals and fall short, been a dutiful wife and mother, got a new house, learned the benefit of saying "no" and how freeing it is to not always try to please everyone all the time. I've learned the value of putting myself first sometimes, how important it is for your kids to see you growing, failing and learning from mistakes and tried to be the best wife, mother and person I could. Ultimately, it’s been a hell of a year!

So without further ado... here's my writing goals for 2023 and recap from 2022!


Blog goals:

2022: I started this blog on January 24, 2022 on a wing and a prayer if I’m honest. Much like a lot of my writing goals, I didn’t do enough research. It wasn’t until I was several posts in that I even realized what I wanted it to be about, and I didn’t set goals until about March. But the ultimate goal was to make one post a week, which meant 49 posts. I made 36. And honestly, if you knew my life, that is actually pretty incredible. I feel proud that I reached nearly 75% of my goal and I hope that only increases next year.


2023: This year, I’m setting the same goal. One post a week which means 52, but I’m not going to hold myself to any arbitrary schedule, because I’ve learned it’s not great for my mental health to try to meet a deadline with what I have going on in my life. 


I also want to have guest bloggers this year and my goal is to have at least 5. So if you’re reading this and interested in writing a book review, a researched writing aide, marketing strategies, self-publishing guide, traditional-publishing guide, or basically anything book, writing or reading related, reach out! 


Finally, I hope to reach at least 150 subscribers. That’s not a huge goal, and I think I can do it, but if you’re reading this and you’re not already subscribed, please do it! I don’t spam people, and there are very few emails about my blog and in 2023 hopefully future book releases.


Writing/Editing Goals:

2022: I didn’t set any specific word-count goals in 2022, or any specific editing goals, but let me tell you, I feel proud of what I achieved. I finished two manuscripts that were already started and wrote one more full manuscript (for a total of four complete manuscripts since I started writing at the end of 2020). I also competed in half a dozen writing contests (writing/editing various short stories for each), wrote 36 blog posts, and edited all four manuscripts to varying stages of readiness.


I also beta-read at least a dozen manuscripts for friends, worked on edits/critiques for a dozen more and did half a dozen Arc reviews. I read 51 books, and listened to 23 more. (Just let me remind you—and myself—that is in addition to being a wife, a mother of three, and working 2 real jobs).


2023: In 2023, I don’t want to set too many goals that aren’t achievable, but here’s what I hope to achieve.

I want to write, compete and or publish at least three short stories. I have a couple short stories that I plan to turn into a Kindle Vella series and I hope to complete and publish. I also want to finish editing my full series and maybe start the spin offs that I plan to write. I won’t make any word count/writing goals this year either, but I want to set a goal to write as much as possible this year.


I also want to keep up the reading, and try to double the amount of beta and arc reading I did this year.


Publishing Goals:

2022: I actually wasn’t even sure when I started 2022 what my publishing goals were. I’d submitted my first manuscript to about ten agents in 2021, but if you read my blogs, you know that it really wasn’t ready. But in 2022 I ramped up my efforts. 

I submitted my query for book one of my series (The Cupcake Cowboy) 48 times in 2022 (42 agents and 6 small presses)

Here are my stats: 

—5 FR (Full Requests)—3 Rejected, 2 still open

—1 PR (Partial Request)—Rejected 

—2 R&R (Revise and Resubmit)—Still open (full request made based on my first submission after following their suggestions)

—3 Assumed Rejections

—27 Form Rejections

—10 are still open (at least 3 I assume are rejections but I just haven’t quite given up yet)

Those are pretty decent stats my friends! That means 8/48 (not quite 20%) of my submissions received what I consider positive attention (request for more material/feedback on how to revise). I had my query/submission packet reviewed by three industry professionals this year, the last one told me there was almost nothing she’d changed and 1 of those full requests and both R&R came from my current submission packet. All these rejections led me to the knowledge that my query package was good, my manuscript needed more work, and I think my MS is also getting really dialed in since my R&R. 


Aside from book 1 I also have really edited book 2 and 3, I even submitted book 2 to 4 agents (unfortunately all rejected). I don’t think the submission package or the manuscript was 100% ready for that, so I pulled back almost immediately.


I also got 2 short stories published on Spillwords and have submitted another that I hope will get published soon.


2023: This year I hope to get at least one of my books published. While I still hope to be traditionally published, and I plan to keep submitting to agents/publishers, I also plan to research self-publishing. I am not 100% sure I’m ready to take on all that entails, but I am going to research it and see if it seems like something I want to pursue. I also hope to get more short stories published and increase my profile by getting my work out there. I may even look for other blogs to guest blog for.


Other goals:

2022: In 2022, I set goals to start a website, blog and social media pages for my pen name, and post as often as possible on all three. I’m proud to say, I achieved all of these! My website still needs some work, I don’t post weekly like I hoped on my blog, and I have taken some breaks from social media. But I’m proud of the amount of content I’ve achieved this year and I hope it only grows next year! 


2023: In 2023, I hope to keep it up. I don’t want to reach any specific follower/post goals, because again it’s not great for my mental health to set arbitrary deadlines because I beat myself up for not meeting them. I just want to keep posting as much as possible, creating content and making more new friends on social media. Most of my writing community is on social media, and I hope in 2023 to just keep it growing. I want to grow my profile and set my future book sales up for success. 


I think that’s about it folks! Long story short, 2022 has been an exhausting, exciting, and ultimately wonderful year. I can’t wait to see what 2023 brings for me as a writer, a woman, a mother and human in this crazy world. 


Happy New Year friends! 



XOXO

-Rose Rayne Rivers


Comment below and tell me how you did on your 2022 goals? And what are your goals for 2023?

Also, let me know if you have any topics you want me to cover in the upcoming weeks!




1 commentaire


Rosy Gee
Rosy Gee
06 janv. 2023

Hi Rose. I would love to be a guest blogger. I wrote a full length novel on my Substack Rosy’s Ramblings in 2022 and keep on keeping on! You can reach me at rosygee345@gmail.com

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