Mariella Hunt

It is always daunting to take on a new project.

There is the hesitation before starting a new book (reading or writing). Is it truly such a great read as people keep claiming? (I just finished Throne of Glass, for instance, and while I enjoyed it, I expected more. But I’ll blog about that later).

(I enjoyed it. Truly. I did!)

There is the cold sweat before you reach out to someone in the hopes of being friends with them. (Yes, I do this sometimes!) In these instances, you find yourself wondering if they’ll see something wrong in you and turn away. Most of the time, we as people are keenly aware of our own failings.

It’s difficult to overcome the fear of starting something new, but most of the time, taking that step is a most rewarding experience. Like some creatures that live inside of shells, as long as we are alive and living, we will outgrow our portable homes. We need new shells. To fit in the shiny new shell, we must venture out of our old one.

Those instances in between shells can be terrifying.

In 2024, I plan to try new storylines—to attempt a bit of world-building—to meet new friends and readers. Putting myself and my books out there is unnerving. I’m always mindful of the fact that no one else will love my story as much as I do…and how it would hurt if they made that fact clear!

But I want to grow as a writer and a person. I see lots of new shells out there that I’d like to try out, and I’m going to brave those in-between moments, because those are when the human spirit really grows.

Three specific things I wish to do next year are:

– Venture into new genres, both reading- and writing-wise. Fantasy is and will always be my favorite, but I’ve also got some ideas in other categories that have great potential. I’ll elaborate on that later, when I’ve got more of a plan.

– Read more indie books. There are thousands of wonderful stories written by indie authors like me; it’s only a matter of finding and making them known to the world! Bookfunnel is one great place to find indie reads that are edited and of good quality.

– Read more popular books. I’ve often balked at the thought of picking up what’s popular in my genre, but am coming to realize that one great perk about it is that I connect with my audience by sharing an experience with them. So much of the writer-reader experience lately is connecting. If that means reading a mediocre bestseller – well, there are worse things to do!

The list goes on, but these are my primary goals.

Do you have a list of things to achieve in 2024? I would love to hear about it!