Happy Holidays!
2025 is almost over, and many of us will soon be saying “Happy New Year.”
And a year from now, we’ll be saying the same thing about 2026.
What will be different in a year?
More Indie Book Reviews
A while ago, when I began recommending Ian Barr’s Substack, I wrote that when I grow up, I want to be Ian Barr.
In 2025, I reviewed 9 indie titles.
Right now, I have a huge stack of books to read through.
And these are just the indie books! My goal for 2026 is to read and review this stack.
More Cinema and More Mainstream Books Reviews
Over the summer, I reviewed American Graffiti.
I’ve always liked the film, but the decision to create a review was also motivated by the thought that reviews of mainstream books and films could eventually draw the attention of readers who don’t normally read indie books.
I fully intend to review mainstream novels to raise the visibility of the indie author community.
A Caravan of Artists
Other writers sometimes ask me if I’ve ever been part of a writer’s group.
I have not.
But I often take notes when reading indie books and share them with the author. Sometimes they read my book and share their thoughts with me. I often refer to this as a slow-motion writing group.
And lately, the writing community of Substack reminds me of this notion.
We don’t meet in a decrepit side room of a local bookstore with stained windows that leak when it rains. We don’t argue over the best simile to use to describe stale coffee (yet.) And we don’t hold regular or any hours.
But there’s lots of reading. Lots of writing. And lots of ideas.
And maybe, just maybe, we can create works that will change what humanity believes is possible.
Nights of the Round Table
My goal for 2026
To read and review books and films.
That’s enough for me, and enough about me.
Questions
What are your plans for 2026?
And how do you anticipate writing as a craft and community will change?
I've read Messenger and Transmigrant and have Loretto on my TBR list. I'm currently reading Never Broken by Lori Duffy Foster, which to my knowledge, isn't a Substacker but an indie book I won from a StoryGraph giveaway.
A friend of mine asked me about my goals for 2026 and I told her that this time, I had decided that I was gonna think big. Like really shoot for the stars. Unfortunately, my aim must be incredibly bad or maybe I was too distracted by that star, because just hours later, I landed on the asphalt and just hours after that, both my arms were in a cast. So, I have now decided that my new plan for 2026 is to go back to setting realistic goals for myself.