I’ve always loved the new year. Not because of resolutions I’ll make and never complete, or because I think there’s a newer, better version of myself that will emerge on the first of January, but because there’s something magical about this time of year. It’s like the world takes in one, deep breath and just… resets.
I love that feeling.
2023 was a year of changes. Many changes. Some of them good, some of them bad, all of them necessary to bring me to where I am today. This blog. This new, unwritten chapter. And 2024 is the year for me to dip my pen into the ink and start writing.
There’s an assortment of reasons why I’m excited for 2024–kind of like a box of chocolates, the year has much to offer in the way of new and exciting. For starters, I’ve started baking. Yep. The cookie queen has officially started making her own cookies. Or, more accurately, snitching recipes off the internet to try and make between the hours of 10PM and midnight. I also have a whole slew of writing projects that I’m determined to work on in the new year, as well as goals and dreams which I’m hoping will come to fruition. This is a year of newness. Of hopefulness. Of being rebuilt. This is a year of creativity and artfulness (in the way my sister always uses it) and learning new skills. This is a year of creation. And thus, this blog is a way for me to share some of that creation with the world. With you. And also with the goblins hiding under my bed.
In today’s post, I want to share some of my dreams with you all. And it all begins with a word.
MY WORD OF 2024
My family doesn’t do resolutions. I used to, back when I was young and spry and thought I could actually keep up with my own expectations of how one should be. But nowadays I follow my family’s tradition of choosing a word. Or–as I like to break rules and presumably cause as much chaos as possible–a bookish quote handpicked from my favorite pieces of literature. Sometimes, like today, I decide to go with both. Because why not. *shrug*
My word this year is create. At first I thought this word was too generic. “Create” is a word that’s thrown around so often now that it’s almost lost its magic. But the more I thought about it, the more I feel that’s exactly why I should pick it. I want to create in 2024. I want my walls to be filled with scribbles and paintings and little bits of stories. I want my desk to be a mess because it’s actively filled with the workings of my mind. I want this to be a year where I find joy in the creation of stories. Many stories. All of the stories. Create may be a simple word, but I simply want to create. And I think a simple word is exactly what I need to keep my focus.
As far as quotes go, I decided to find one from my favorite book of all time, ALICE IN WONDERLAND. Coincidentally, I plan on rereading this book this month, so I feel it’s only fitting to quote it here and now in the beginning of the year.
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”
Lewis Carroll, ALICE IN WONDERLAND
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.
“I don’t much care where—” said Alice.
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.
“—so long as I get somewhere,” Alice added as an explanation.
“Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.”
This might be a weird quote to pick–not to mention the length of it, which is terrifying–but when I read this, I can almost picture myself standing there, having a conversation with the Cheshire Cat. Not about walking, of course, but about my writing. I often get so caught up in the logistics of where my stories should go that I simply forget the most important part–to start. And then, almost harder still, to keep going until I get somewhere.
So I love this quote, not only because it comes from one of my favorite characters, but because it’s so true. Walk long enough in a direction–any direction–and eventually you will get somewhere.
I just love that.
JANUARY TBR
Something else I want to do in 2024: read more. And by more, I mean more. I have recently discovered the epicness of audiobooks, which means not only can I read while reading, but I can read while baking and driving and (on occasion) working, as well! I used to despise audiobooks. Listening to someone else narrate a story is difficult for me, especially when I don’t particularly enjoy their inflection or voice. But the more I listen, the more I’m able to let go and enjoy the story, no matter the format. It’s been extremely freeing having so many options for reading, and I’ve found that it’s easier for me to juggle multiple books using this method!
Because of this, my TBR pile for January is… er… excessive. (truthfully, are ANY of us surprised?) I decided that, instead of a book number goal for the year, I’m going to try the Alphabet Challenge! Apparently this is something that people have been doing for years, but I’ve only just discovered it through my friend Phoebe. So! We’re trying it for the first time in 2024 to see how we do!
For the sake of keeping things complicated, I’m also starting the Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge in 2024. This is a challenge that I’m predicting will take, at minimum, years to complete. There are tonnnnnnns of classics on there… But it’s never too early to start something, amiright?
This month, we’re starting strong with some classics (gotta start knocking those out, lol) and some books that have been rotting gathering dust on my bookshelf for way too long. Another goal of mine this year: read all of the books on my shelf that I have collected over the years and never read…
ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND by Lewis Carroll
Our first physical read of 2024. I’m long overdue for an Alice reread. It’ll be good to dive into this storyworld early in the year, not to mention the fact that it knocks out both the A of my alphabet reading challenge and one of the books on Rory Gilmore’s list!
ON THE EDGE OF THE DARK SEA OF DARKNESS by Andrew Peterson
This book has been on my shelf for yeaaaaaarrrrrssss… And while I’ve tried to read it in the past, I’ve never managed to be in the right mood to finish it. Now that the cartoon is gaining traction, I figure it’s better late than never to finally read it. Hopefully this will be the time that I can read the whole thing and move on to the sequel…
THE PRINCESS AND THE GOBLIN by George MacDonald
Coming in at just over 5 hours via the audiobook, this classic will easily get knocked out within two weeks of me driving back and forth from work. I’m exceptionally excited to listen to this one, too, because THE PRINCESS AND THE GOBLIN is my absolute favorite book. I only just discovered that there’s an audio version available on Spotify, and guys. When I tell you my entire world shifted in that moment, I’m not even exaggerating.
THE MEASURE by Nikki Erlick
This book is meant to be a buddy read with a friend, and–I’ll be honest–my library copy is definitely overdue right now. (shhhh… don’t tell the librarians.) I’m very excited to read this, as I have virtually no clue what it’s going to be about. Whether or not my friend and I will enjoy it is yet to be seen, but I can guarantee that we’ll have some interesting conversations regarding it either way!
Aside from reading, I also have a lot of writing that I’m planning on doing in 2024. That, however, is a blog post in and of itself, and will be something I talk about at a later date. Next week, to be more precise. There are many books in my brain–some of which have been marinating on the backburner for the past few years, some of which I’ve tinkered around with, others who are still in the knee-deep developmental edit phase–and I’m excited to work on each and every one in the new year. And, subsequently, share my creations with you all when the time comes.
The writing is what I’m truly excited about for 2024, if I’m being completely honest. It’s been far too long since I’ve put the pen to the page. NaNoWriMo came and went in a furious tizzy, and while I have a solid beginning for my current WIP, there’s still so much left to do within that narrative. (don’t worry. you’ll hear all about it very soon!)
While I hope that every year is my year for writing and publishing all of the things, I’m no longer going to hold that as my primary goal for 2024. This year, my goal is to just create. And if that means writing stories that don’t have a home in the publishing industry quite yet, then that is what it shall be.
So Good Morning, 2024. It’s really quite lovely to meet you.
talk to me, peasants!
do you participate in New Year’s resolutions? do you have a word of the year? what is something you want to accomplish in 2024? let’s talk about all of the things down below!
Mackenzie K. Writes 
Leave a reply to anamenotanumber Cancel reply