January has a particular energy for writers. It arrives full of hope and possibility, quietly asking what this year might hold for our creativity. At the same time, it can bring an unhelpful sense of pressure - the feeling that we should be doing more, writing faster, achieving bigger things than ever before. This year, we’d like to offer a gentler, more sustainable approach.
Rather than setting a long list of ambitious resolutions that quickly become overwhelming, we invite you to choose just two major writing goals for the year ahead. Only two. This might feel surprisingly modest, but there’s real power in narrowing your focus. Too many goals pull us in too many directions, while two clear intentions give us something far more valuable: clarity.
Those goals will look different for everyone. They might involve finishing a manuscript, writing more consistently, building a readership ahead of a future book launch, sharing your work more openly, or taking the first steps towards publication. There is no right or wrong choice here - only what feels most meaningful for you at this stage of your writing life.
Once you’ve chosen your two goals, the next step is to gently break them down into smaller, more manageable actions. Big goals can feel intimidating when we hold them all at once, but they become far less daunting when translated into what they actually require week by week. A goal to finish a book becomes a commitment to regular writing sessions. A goal to build an audience becomes showing up consistently in one place, rather than trying to be everywhere at once. Small steps create momentum, and momentum builds confidence.
Of course, all of this leads us to the question writers know well: where does the time come from? The truth is that time doesn’t magically appear at the start of a new year. If we want to add something into our lives - such as writing time - something else has to be reduced, reshaped, or let go. This isn’t about self-discipline or deprivation; it’s about conscious choice.
For many of us, the answers lie hidden in what we might call ‘dead time’ - those pockets of the day where time slips away unnoticed. This might be scrolling on a phone, watching television on autopilot, or filling quiet moments with distraction rather than intention. Even reclaiming twenty or thirty minutes a few times a week can make a meaningful difference.
Sometimes it’s not about removing activities altogether, but about combining them more thoughtfully. Listening to a documentary or podcast while walking the dog, exercising while watching something you enjoy, or using commuting time for inspiration rather than distraction can quietly free up space elsewhere in the day. By rethinking how we use our time, we create room for the things that matter most to us.
If one of your goals this year involves publishing a book - whether soon or further down the line - it’s also worth remembering that it’s never too early to start building your readership. You don’t need a finished manuscript, a polished brand, or thousands of followers. What truly matters is consistency and genuine connection. Writing regularly, sharing honestly, and showing up as yourself lays the groundwork for future readers long before a book appears.
As we step into 2026, we’d also like to share our intentions at The Book Whisperers. Over the past year, a great deal has changed, and as a result we are evolving as a company and as a community. Our aim is to support writers and authors all over the world in ways that are practical, encouraging, and rooted in real connection.
We are exploring new marketing support for our members, ways to work together to gain reviews and readers, collaborative approaches to promoting our books, and initiatives that help writers get their projects over the line and into publication. Just as importantly, we want to listen. We want to know what you need from us so that we can grow into the best possible community - one that offers information, peer support, and a genuine sense of belonging.
Above all, we want you to know this: you are not alone in this work. Writing can feel solitary, but it doesn’t have to be. Together, we are stronger, more resilient, and more capable than we often realise.
Choose your two goals. Break them into small steps. Make space for what matters. And remember - we can all do this, especially when we move forward together.