A Glimpse into 2017: You and Your Site in the New Year (Part III)

In our Resolutions series, we’ve asked writers, artists, photographers, poets, and business and website owners: what’s in store for you — and your site — in 2017? Last week, we shared goals here at Discover and The Daily Post. Here’s a final set of resolutions to inspire your own journey in the new year.

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Robert Okaji, poet, O at the Edges

O at the Edges will remain focused on poetry, but I hope to look outward beyond my own writing, by adding monthly interviews and Q&A posts with poets and editors, and by increasing interaction with other writers.

There will be a slight shift to include more political and socially conscious writing, with perhaps an expansion of related prose. We live in curious times, and I’ve come to believe that communication, even within the confines of poetry, is essential to our growth and betterment.

We live in curious times, and I’ve come to believe that communication, even within the confines of poetry, is essential to our growth and betterment.

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Maggy Liu, storyteller

Photo courtesy of Maggy Liu

For me, poetry — at least the type I like to read and want to write — always comes from a place of truth.

In 2017, I want to dedicate my time to finding, creating, and living my truth and sharing it with others on my blog.

Having been on this platform for more than two years, my biggest fear is that I will eventually become a one-dimensional caricature of myself, regurgitating the same old narratives again and again. To prevent my content — or worse, my mind — from becoming stagnant, I will be consciously pushing myself toward growth and experimentation online and offline in the new year while staying true to capturing who I am in these specific moments in time when I pick up the pen.

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Edwin Turner, curator, Biblioklept

My hope is to write more in 2017 — to write looser, messier, and freer than I have in the past few years.

I started the blog as a sketchbook with the elevated stakes that someone might read my scribbles; as the blog’s readership grew, so did my anxieties about hitting the “publish” button. I’d love to get back to writing more about the books that I’m reading — writing about them in a way that’s less tethered to the formalism of traditional reviews.

I’d also like to write about art more, but I don’t know how. I’ve spent the past few years reading about art and posting art, but I have no formal training in art history or art criticism, so I’ve been reticent to share my thoughts or opinions.

I also aim to expand my reading diet — more nonfiction, more poetry, and more older, weirder books.

Finally, I plan to reread more. Rereading is my favorite thing.

My hope is to write more in 2017 — to write looser, messier, and freer than I have in the past few years.

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Nneka Okona, writer and traveler, Afros y Paella

Photo courtesy of Nneka Okona

I like to refer to resolutions for the upcoming year as intentions, as I find it far easier to be more intentional in the coming year about everything I’d like to step into, including my blog. My intentions for my blog in 2017 are twofold — I intend to embrace more ease in my writing and the things I share on my blog as well as focusing on expansion, doing more of the writing that fills me up and can inspire others. Both travel and heart-centered writing are the core focuses on my blog, and I intend to write more narrative reflections of my travels on a more consistent basis versus sparingly as it has been in the past.

At the same time, I intend to allow myself to embrace what I need to write instead of crouching to the pressure to be a production machine. It’s a delicate balance for sure, but I’m confident I’ll be able to master it in the coming year and inspire a ton of people to live and write their truth, all while doing it all from the heart.

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Orlando Uy, photographer, A Walk with My Camera

Photo courtesy of Orlando Uy

The year 2016 has been a very slow year for me, photography-wise. I decided to take a break and pursue other interests during the only day I have in a week to do other things I love. I also didn’t have a goal for 2016 as I did in the past.

As this year comes to a close, I look forward to going places and getting to know more people and share their way of life with the world.

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Joseph Lyttleton, travel writer, 10 Cities/10 Years

Photo courtesy of Joseph Lyttleton

In 2015, I completed the project that was the initial raison d’être for my 10 Cities/10 Years travel blog. For most of 2016, the blog laid dormant as I adjusted to a stationary life and focused on returning to fiction writing. While I love living in Brooklyn, it didn’t take long for me to realize that the settled life just isn’t for me.

For 2017, I’m getting my TESL certification and moving to Spain in September to begin working as an ESL teacher. My blog will document that journey, both as a way of showing my progress and to provide helpful information for those interested in pursuing a similar goal.

During the 10 Cities project, my blog lacked cohesion as I wrote about anything that came to mind. Moving forward, I want 10 Cities/10 Years to have a clearer focus on living abroad and making travel a lifestyle.

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Ra, reader and blogger, Rarasaur

Photo courtesy of Rarasaur

I’m lucky to have a blog that runs more like a village than a soapbox. In this coming year, I’ll be looking for ways to deeply develop the many Frightfully Wondrous connections, platforms, and experiences that gather there.

In to-do-list terminology, I’ll post at least five blog posts a week. I’ll be releasing a handwritten book, full of my favorite posts, in February. My audcast and YouTube channel will have regular segments. I’ll continue to try to meet up with as many bloggers as possible, and create as many international blogging projects as the internet can hold.

I hope everyone is ready to play along!

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What are your blog or website goals for 2017? If you missed the other posts in this series, read other resolutions in part I and part II.