I love having a word or mantra for the year. It helps me focus my aim and readjust course if needed. A great reminder of the philosophy I want to adopt for the next 365 days.

Last year was an easy decision. My word was resiliency. It helped at a time when my business was still fairly young and I had only recently dared to embrace my writing career.

I knew there would be obstacles, like pitching my first novel, finishing a draft of my second novel, and meeting with more clients. Whenever I faced those challenges, I endeavored to push through because it was the year of resiliency. And resilient people don’t give up.

The word reminded me of Stephanie Garber’s true ending idea. Yes, yes I’ve grown to have a mild obsession with Garber’s Caraval series.

In the third book she writes, “Every story has four parts: the beginning, the middle, the almost ending, and the true ending. Unfortunately, not everyone gets a true ending. Most people give up at the part of the story where things are worst, when the situation feels hopeless, but that is where hope is needed most. Only those who persevere can find their true ending.”

For much of the last year, I felt like I was stuck in the almost ending. I’d made a bold decision to open a private practice and start focusing more on my writing in 2017. In 2019, I was living out the murky middle and gliding into an almost ending full of many rejections. So, resiliency was precisely the word I needed.

This year is a little harder for me to determine. I’ve been thinking about “lighten up” because I tend to get a little hard on myself and preoccupied with goals. Y’all saw my 20 for 20 list. You know what I’m talking about.

I also thought about a combination of words, an equation of sorts: lighten up + perseverance = magic. I think there’s wisdom there but it’s a bit of a mouthful.

Instead, I keep coming back to the idea of magic. Maybe it’s because I write fantasy, am legitimately obsessed with Harry Potter, and have a mild infatuation with a couple of other magical series, but something about it feels like the right choice.

The symmetry of 2020 seems auspicious. Also magic can have so many meanings. Magic in my writing. Magic in landing an agent who I’m convinced are mythical creatures. Magic in believing my stories and this little blog will resonate with someone.

Magic in the sense that I have hope when I need it most. That I can persevere to find my true ending.

So, there you have it, friends. 2020 is the year of magic. I couldn’t be more of a fantasy writer if I’d picked dragon. Maybe next year.

What’s your 2020 word or mantra?

Photos by Nora Schlesinger and 8moments