2024 retrospective

Reflecting on another year and setting a mindset for the twelve months ahead

Hi, friends. I know I said I’d be taking a little time away from my newsletter, and that remains true, but I couldn’t close out the year without tackling my annual end-of-year retrospective.

I’ve been writing these for awhile now, and I find them both fulfilling and cathartic. If you’ve been following me any length of time, you are aware that I’ve been facing some tough roadblocks in the trad publishing world. In short, what I’ve written in my retrospective for the past few years remains true this year too. (You can read the past two retrospectives here and here.)

That said, I still managed to accomplish quite a bit in 2024, and I’ve found that listing out my accomplishments has been therapeutic for me. It may be the same for you! Sometimes we are so focused one specific thing, that we feel like failures if it doesn’t come to fruition. (For me, that one thing has been a new trad book deal. I’ve been chasing it for nearly five years now!) But making a list forces us to reflect on what we have accomplished.

If you feel like this year was a wash for you, I highly recommend making a list of the things you accomplished in the past twelve months. It’s easy to forget how hard we’ve been working until we see everything bulleted out, and the list may offer you a fresh perspective. Here, I’ll go first.

In 2024, I…

• Completed an R&R for an adult novel novel

• Did a second major revision of said adult novel

• Brainstormed a new book idea

• Began writing something new

• Participated in several local bookish events

• Re-launched the Taken Trilogy after my rights reverted to me

• Launched In the Dead of the Night — my YA psychological thriller and my first indie release¹

• Juggled freelance design projects for other authors while also working a part-time design job (going “back to work” in March was huge for me!)

• Wrote and posted biweekly newsletter content on this Substack

I am especially proud of the newsletter writing I did in 2024. Here’s a roundup of my most popular 2024 newsletters², plus a few personal favorites:

• When your novel is no longer selling copies… (Insights into rights reversion and re-releasing novels)

• How to withhold information without frustrating the reader

• When should you start drafting?

• The importance of writer friendships

• Your book needs compelling stakes

• If you write, you’re a writer

• Changing it up (Switching genres/age groups)

• What next? (What to do if your querying efforts hit a wall)

• Finding the time to write (How to find writing time when you’re busy)

• Generating plot ideas

• It’s complicated (Reflections after a book launch)

• I have this writer friend… (A personal and vulnerable letter from yours truly)

Putting out quality content has always been important to me, and it was very bittersweet to announce I’d be stepping back from the newsletter earlier this fall. The good news is that my hiatus has been just what I’ve needed, and I know I’ll be back eventually. Today’s post isn’t that moment—I’ll be sure to announce when I intend to return to a routine posting schedule—but the fact that I felt compelled to write this post is, in my opinion, a great sign.

I’ve loved connecting with so many of you over the past months/years, and I’m really grateful for each and every one of my subscribers. Thank you for your support. 💗

If you have a friend who you think would enjoy my newsletter, please consider sharing it:

Looking ahead…

Instead of making resolutions, I like to pick a certain word to carry with me through the new year. A theme, a mindset.

2024’s word was “delight.” After multiple straight years of endless hustle and pivoting with no new book deal to show for it, I wanted to focus on something joyful—on getting back to the magic and delight of writing.

I think I succeeded. I had SO MUCH FUN writing (and revising) my adult book that has yet to find a publishing home, and I’m currently having a downright delightful experience brainstorming and drafting something new.

That said, 2024 came with some really bad roadblocks and low moments, and despite the delight I was finding in my writing, I was a mess of emotions. I’m a firm believer that feeling emotions is a necessary step in processing things, but I really want to take things in stride in 2025.

So what do I want my word to be for 2025? This year, I’m going with…

Calm (v., adj., n.)

I feel like I’m going to need this word not just in my writing career, but in life, in general. Home, family, politics, career… 2025 is going to require a lot of me, and I know that if I get too flustered—too angry, too bitter, too frustrated—I won’t be able to succeed in much. And I’ll be miserable to boot.

Enter: Calm.

A verb (to soothe, to steady). An adjective (peaceful, serene, at ease). A noun (tranquility).

I need calm in my life. This doesn’t mean I won’t be hustling or working hard, but I want my emotional mindset to be as peaceful as possible. The last few years have given me a lot of practice in rolling with the punches, in keeping my head down and my eyes on my own paper. But it is so, so hard in this industry. Every year since about 2021, I’ve said to myself, This is the year you break out of your funk, and it has yet to happen, which has left me feeling flustered and angry, empty and off-balance. The very opposite of calm.

So this year, calmness. Who knows what 2025 will hold for me—in my career or otherwise. But maintaining a peaceful, calm mindset will be crucial for me. I’ll also need to give myself grace along the way—comfort myself if/when things don’t go as planned, and keep myself composed and steady through the highs and lows.

So that’s my word of the year.

I want more tranquility in 2025. Quiet. Composure. Calm.

If you’d like to channel calming energy in 2025, please join me. Or feel free to pick your own word for the year. The more the merrier!

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday and very happy New Year.

Until next time,

Erin Bowman is the critically acclaimed author of numerous books for children and teens, including the Taken Trilogy, Vengeance Road, Retribution Rails, the Edgar Award-nominated Contagion duology, The Girl and the Witch’s Garden, and Dustborn. A web designer turned author, Erin has always been invested in telling stories—both visually and with words. Erin lives in New Hampshire with her husband and children.

1. While most of the heavy editing for this happened in 2023, 2024’s work included cover designing the cover, formatting the novel, finishing copyedits, and tackling all promo/marketing efforts

2. If you’re new here, you likely missed many of these. (Posts are paywalled one year after publication, so now is your chance to read before they’re archived.)