Our 2025 Goals

Summary

Podcast Summary: Bad On Paper – "Our 2025 Goals"

Release Date: January 8, 2025

In the "Our 2025 Goals" episode of the Bad On Paper podcast, hosts Becca Freeman and Olivia Muenter engage in an enriching dialogue about their reflections on 2024 and lay out their aspirations for the upcoming year. This episode offers listeners an intimate glimpse into the personal and professional journeys of two inspiring women in the literary community.

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Reflecting on 2024 Goals

Becca Freeman’s Review

Becca begins by assessing her 2024 goals with a mix of triumphs and challenges. She proudly achieved her goal of maintaining a five-year journal, emphasizing its importance by stating, "I can't stop hawking five year journals. If you're listening to this, start a five year journal" (14:30). Additionally, her venture into hosting quarterly entertaining events, such as Friendsgiving, was a resounding success, surpassing her initial expectations.

However, not all goals were met. Becca acknowledges difficulties in achieving work-life balance, noting how her book project sometimes "ruled and decimated" other aspects of her life (16:44). She candidly discusses her struggle with screen time, particularly her addiction to the game "Merge Dragons," which she used as a procrastination tool (19:03). Despite these setbacks, she celebrates improvements in reducing overall screen time and enhancing her newsletter engagement.

Olivia Muenter’s Review

Olivia shares her accomplishments with enthusiasm, successfully continuing her "letter to self" tradition, which she describes as a valuable tool for maintaining focus throughout the year (21:42). She celebrates the completion of significant home renovation projects, including the guest bathroom and her writing cottage office, though she plans to defer her kitchen renovation to 2026.

Professionally, Olivia reflects on her experience with publishing her second book, "Little One," expressing pride in its success: "I did this and I'm really happy I did" (28:24). She also launched her substack, which has become a vital income stream, and successfully grew her podcast audience through engaging events and interactions.

Nevertheless, Olivia faces challenges in maintaining a regular exercise and weightlifting routine due to extensive travel and book-related commitments (23:04). She also candidly admits to not accomplishing her goal of finding new doctors and dentists, expressing her intention to address this in the coming year.

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Highs and Lows of the Year

Becca’s Highs

Becca recounts the joy of participating in her secret Santa tradition with her college friends, highlighting the delightful exchange of personalized and meaningful gifts (02:34). She also cherishes the extended time off work before Christmas and during the week of New Year's, which provided much-needed relaxation and rejuvenation (04:31).

Becca’s Lows

A standout low for Becca was her disappointing experience at a Christmas pop-up bar, where poor customer service dampened her festive plans: "I was furious... She was so rude" (10:41). This incident underscored the frustrations of planning and not having expectations met by service providers.

Olivia’s Highs

Olivia celebrates the installation of a wood-burning stove in her home, enhancing her living environment and fostering cozy family moments: "It's the most marvelous feeling in the world to walk downstairs and sit in front of a warm wood burning stove" (05:19). Additionally, she successfully resumed therapy, which had a significant positive impact on her well-being: "It did make a huge difference, even though it wasn't necessarily comfortable for me" (23:24).

Olivia’s Lows

Olivia experienced health challenges when she nearly fell ill shortly after returning from Portland, complicating her hosting duties during the holidays and leaving her feeling run down (07:06). Despite not achieving all her wellness goals, she remains optimistic about ongoing and future health initiatives.

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Looking Forward: 2025 Goals

Becca Freeman’s Personal Goals

1. Culinary Mastery: Learn to roast a whole chicken confidently, inspired by Ina Garten's memoir (42:25).
2. Continued Journaling: Maintain her five-year journal and engage in long-form journaling weekly for personal reflection (44:27).
3. Screen Time Reduction: Limit screen time to under four hours daily, implementing strategies such as not using her phone before noon and minimizing phone usage altogether (44:49).
4. Home Aesthetics: Undertake a couch pillow makeover and thoughtfully acquire new art to refresh her living space (44:26).
5. Skincare Routine: Develop and commit to a more effective skincare regimen to address signs of aging and enhance self-care practices (45:55).
6. Beach Trip: Plan a relaxing beach vacation to rejuvenate and foster personal well-being (46:57).

Becca Freeman’s Professional Goals

1. Newsletter Strategy: Refine her newsletter paywall strategy to balance free and premium content, aiming to better support her work and audience engagement (55:17).
2. Subscriber Growth: Double her substack paid subscribers by the end of the year, leveraging her enthusiasm and content quality to attract more supporters (56:20).
3. Income Diversification: Explore additional income streams such as affiliate marketing, sponsored content, and consulting to reduce financial dependency on book sales (57:39).
4. Book Two Completion: Aim to gain clarity or completion of her second book by year's end, balancing ongoing writing projects with feedback cycles (57:47).
5. Podcast Continuation: Maintain the podcast’s momentum without setting specific growth targets, focusing on keeping it enjoyable and authentic (59:44).

Olivia Muenter’s Personal Goals

1. Exercise Routine: Establish a consistent exercise regimen incorporating cardio, weightlifting, and daily walks with her dog, Winnie (48:22).
2. Thrifting and Reselling: Develop a thoughtful approach to thrifting, identifying and reselling vintage items that resonate with her style on platforms like Poshmark (50:02).
3. Travel Ambitions: Plan a significant trip to Japan with her partner, Jake, in 2026, ensuring it aligns with personal and financial feasibility (50:31).
4. Jarlic Reduction: Overcome her aversion to chopping fresh garlic by switching to pre-minced alternatives, embracing healthier cooking practices (51:09).
5. Home Library Enhancement: Complete her library's bookshelves with a ladder and defer larger renovations like the kitchen to upcoming years (52:35).

Olivia Muenter’s Professional Goals

1. Book Promotion: Enhance publicity efforts for her second book by reviving her essay-pitching skills and planning effective promotion strategies (55:34).
2. Paperback Release: Successfully launch the paperback edition of "Such a Bad Influence" in May, coordinating with university events and seminars to boost visibility (61:19).
3. Book Three Development: Aim to sell her third book by preparing proposals and completing one to two drafts, maintaining momentum in her writing career (63:28).
4. Podcast Improvement: Improve the podcast by refining book club selections and enhancing organizational aspects, ensuring a diverse and engaging lineup (65:24).
5. Substack Redesign: Refresh her personal website and substack design to better reflect her brand and engage her audience more effectively (67:35).

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Conclusion

Becca Freeman and Olivia Muenter wrap up the episode with a positive outlook towards 2025, expressing excitement and commitment to their outlined goals. They encourage listeners to engage with their content, share their ambitions, and participate in the community through various platforms. The episode serves as both an accountability checkpoint and a motivational blueprint for personal and professional growth in the year ahead.

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Notable Quotes

• Becca Freeman: "I can't stop hawking five year journals. If you're listening to this, start a five year journal." (14:30)
• Olivia Muenter: "It is such a cozy couple weeks for the most part." (07:06)
• Becca Freeman: "Don't treat me like an idiot. Don't lie to my face." (10:43)
• Olivia Muenter: "I'm committing to leaving garlic behind in 2025." (51:59)

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Timestamps

• 00:18 – Episode Introduction
• 02:34 – Becca Discusses Secret Santa High
• 10:41 – Becca’s Experience at Christmas Pop-Up Bar
• 14:30 – Becca on Successful Five-Year Journal
• 16:44 – Becca on Work-Life Balance Challenges
• 19:03 – Becca’s Struggle with Screen Time
• 21:42 – Olivia’s Letter to Self Tradition
• 23:04 – Olivia on Exercise Goal Challenges
• 28:24 – Olivia on Publishing Success
• 35:43 – Becca’s Book Writing Process
• 44:27 – Becca’s Personal Goals for 2025 Begin
• 51:09 – Olivia’s Battle with “Jarlic”
• 55:17 – Becca’s Newsletter Strategy Goal
• 56:20 – Becca’s Subscriber Growth Ambition
• 57:39 – Becca on Diversifying Income
• 61:19 – Olivia’s Promotion Plans for Book Two
• 63:28 – Olivia’s Book Three Goals
• 65:24 – Olivia’s Podcast Improvement Goals
• 71:25 – Olivia’s Substack Redesign Goal

Transcript

[A]

Hi, everyone. Welcome back to Bad on Paper podcast. I'm Becca Freeman.

[B]

And I'm Olivia, mentor.

[A]

This is our second take doing this intro because I forgot how to open an episode after having three weeks off. But welcome to our first episode of 2025. We're lagging behind a little. We're recording this on December 30th, so we're in the past still. But I'm very excited because this is one of my favorite episodes that we do every year. It is our 2025 goals episode.

[B]

Yes, I think this is the best way to kick off the new year a little ahead of time because, yes, we are in the the past.

[A]

Looking forward, are you feeling energetically New Year's Y or not yet?

[B]

I'll be honest, I had full intentions of waking up this morning at like 6 and just like journaling, writing my letter to my future self, really just being focused. And instead I had a really strange dream about Jeff Goldblum and hit snooze for like an hour and a half. So I'm not as focused as I would want to be. But I'm still excited. I'm taking a vacation next week and that will be my chance to fully, like, rebirth my brain. How are you feeling?

[A]

I'm still feeling in the sloth phase of the week between Christmas and New Year's, but I have been writing down my goals throughout the month of December and kind of noodling on them. And I'm very excited. When I go home on the second, I want to make my mood board or vision board, which I did last year and I really loved. I'm excited about turning the page. I don't feel like I had the best 2024. So I'm really excited for a fresh start.

[B]

Me too. Always. Well, tell me about your high.

[A]

I mean, it was hard to narrow down because I feel like the last time we recorded was the very beginning of December. So I would say my two highs are I did my secret Santa with my college friend group, which is a long term tradition. People fly in for it. It's like one of my favorite things. We did it at my friend Julie's house and she made a whole spread of crock pot dips and cheese and apps and it was so great. The presents were phenomenal. Really phenomenal. Yeah, it was so fun.

[B]

What did you receive?

[A]

What did I receive? I received a monogrammed pickleball bag, like a paddle bag, and like stuff bag. I received a pun of the day 2025 calendar and I received this, like crocheted little dumpster fire. Not quite a stuffed animal, but something like that, which is gonna live on my desk.

[B]

Oh, very nice. And have you already talked about the gifts you gave or I guess you couldn't. I can't remember.

[A]

Yeah, no, I couldn't because I was afraid the person I had would hear. I had my friend Elizabeth, and I got her. Let's see. So the nice part of my gift was I got her a set of Lisette pajamas, the pointelle, really pretty pajamas, which I feel like are very her style. And then I custom made her a hat with our baton paper merch account. She's the biggest Lindsay Lohan fan. And so the hat is pink on pink and it says live in la vida Lohanaissance. I like, designed a logo for it. She loved it. What else did I get her? I got her an Amazon tissue box cover that I'm obsessed with. Oh, I got her a really rude T shirt that. I'm not going to say what it said on the air, but. But it was very funny.

[B]

Oh, I know the one you're talking about.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

Well, I'm glad everything was a hit. It seems like.

[A]

Oh, it was so fun. Yeah. So that was great. And then my other high is just taking time off from work. So the week before Christmas, I. I half worked. I did a bunch of newsletter stuff. I did a bunch of catch up stuff. I kind of got my ducks in a row. I didn't work at all the week of Christmas. This is the week of New Year's. I'm recording this today. I have to write a newsletter at some point this week with my book report. Probably like later this week. But generally just having almost two full weeks off, I feel great. I really needed it.

[B]

The last time I saw you was, well, in Portland. Cause we got back from Portland like right before Christmas, basically.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And you were still working then, so you seem refreshed and relaxed.

[A]

I feel refreshed. I think it's also been really nice that I'm in Maine right now. And I feel like the quality of relaxation that you get when you're not at home is maybe higher because you don't have stuff to do. I was home for two days between when I went to Boston and when I came up here. And I just. I immediately got home and I was like, there's 9 million things I need to do. I need to clean out my fridge, I need to change the sheets. I need to do this errand. I need to do that errand versus here. I'm like, I have nothing to do.

[B]

Yeah. No responsibilities. Yeah, just chilling.

[A]

Great. What about you? What's your high?

[B]

My high was, well, we had a really nice holiday, but my specific high is that right before Christmas we finally got a wood burning stove set up in one of our fireplaces. So technically in our house we have four mantles, like four fireplaces, and none of them work. So it's also very hard to heat our house efficiently. And so for the longest time we really wanted to put a wood burning stove insert inside of the entrance of one of the fireplaces downstairs in the room that will be the library. And it took forever to get this thing figured out. Took forever. Anyway, right before Christmas it finally got set up. It is the most marvelous feeling in the world to walk downstairs and sit in front of a warm wood burning stove. I'm. I'm just calling it a fireplace because that's what it is. It's so great. Winnie like curls up in a little ball in front of it on her like special blanket, which is the most heartwarming sight in the world. For some reason, Jake and I opened Christmas presents in front of it. Like we just sit there in the morning and drink coffee. It's just so nice. Like the sounds of it are great. I've gotten really good at stoking the fire. I'm like, I'm basically a trad wife.

[A]

It's just my little fire poker. It's a new level to your upstream, idyllic, quiet fantasy life.

[B]

Thank you. It's very nice and it's saving us a ton of money because it's much more easy to heat the house. So the one in my writing cottage is not set up yet, which is driving me nuts. The people have been here five different times. But anyway, it's fine. I'll take one out of two. I'm not really doing any hardcore work until the new year, so, you know, I'll take it. It's just been a really nice, cozy couple weeks for the most part.

[A]

What about on the low side?

[B]

So the low is that we got back from Portland and I basically immediately almost felt like I was getting sick. And it was like at that point it was like four or five days before Christmas. Jake's parents were coming on Christmas Day and we were hosting them. We had to clean the whole house. All the things you do when you host people, get all the food, grocery shop, plan the meals, whatever. And I was like, in that time period, we were not sure if it's a cold Covid or the flu. And I was Just like, please, dear God, let me get through this. And it turned out just to be a cold, but I was sick basically until essentially until like the day after Christmas. And that whole time was just like hosting or getting ready to host and it was just. Yeah. And then his parents left last night and we're recording bright and early on Monday morning. So I've, I've just been going pretty hard. I feel a little bit run down.

[A]

You haven't gotten the downtime part of your holiday break yet?

[B]

Yeah, not yet. But we are going on a very nice tropical vacation, just Jake and I, for the first week of January. And I am so looking forward to it. I have my stack of books picked out. I'm bringing seven books. I'm aiming for seven to eight books in six days.

[A]

Love it.

[B]

Well, what's your low, if anything?

[A]

Ugh, I don't really have a low. I have something petty I can complain about, but I'm just going to choose to embrace that. I have time off from work, I'm in one of my favorite places. Everything's good.

[B]

Well, that's good. I'll ask you about the petty thing afterwards.

[A]

It's stupid, I'll tell you. Because I do want to complain about it. So I feel like every time I come to Maine, one of my friends who lives up here is like, okay, what's on the top of your list this time that you want to do? You know, like anything new you want to try, etc. And there was this Christmas pop up bar that I'd seen online and I was like, I want to go to this Christmas pop up bar. It looks so cute. So we made a whole plan around it on Saturday. And I'd called in advance, I called the day before and I was like, hey, what's the deal with this? Do you take reservations? Is it usually crowded? Should we come right when it opens? And they were like, yeah, it's pretty crowded. They were like, the bar opens at 4, there's 14 seats come at 3:45. And like sometimes there's a line but like that's the best way to do it. And I was like, okay, great. So we go down, it's like an hour and a half drive from where we are. And you know, like we went to this dog friendly brewery on the way and we brought Ruby. We like got pizza for lunch there. Like it wasn't all about this. But so we get there at 3:45 as instructed. We're the second people. So there's a group of two in front of Us, and we're standing there in the hallway waiting for the bar to open. And, sorry, I, like, didn't want to complain. Now I have, like, the longest winded story. And basically, like, we. We overhear some people in the bar who are, like, had just wandered in, and the bartender is like, no, there's no reservations for the bar. It's first come, first serve. You need to wait in the line. We're like, okay, great. We did this right. We're set. We get to the front, and there were two people who got seated before us, and they sat all the reservations, too. And I think the people. People who had been in the bar, there were, like, three people wandering around, then went on open table, made a reservation for a table, and then asked to be sat at the bar instead. And then even despite having overheard the bartender tell them that there are no reservations to the bar, the hostess was like. She was so rude. The hostess was like, I'm sorry, the other seats at the bar are reserved for. I can't remember what she said. It ended up being a total lie because we then watched her seat some of her friends there.

[B]

Oh, that's frustrating.

[A]

I was furious. And she was so rude. She was so rude. And I was like, don't treat me like an idiot.

[B]

Yeah. Don't lie to my face.

[A]

Yeah, don't lie to my face. Don't treat me like an idiot. And so I was so disappointed that we, like, had gone so far. It was the thing I was most excited to do and then just had, like, the worst experience.

[B]

So did you not end up being able to sit, or was it just, like, you had to wait?

[A]

No. We got there right as service started, and I was like, I'm not waiting for, like, right. It to turn over.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And also I was like, screw this place.

[B]

Yeah, that's not cool. I'm sorry. That's the worst feeling. When you, like, go out of your way to make a plan. You look forward to it, and then it just, like, you know, does not go the way it should because people are rude.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. So that's my petty low.

[B]

Well, shall we talk about some goals?

[A]

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[B]

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[A]

I've kind of lost track at this point, but I think I've been using Prose for about five years now and even if these ads went away tomorrow, I would keep using them. I think my hair has transformed for the better. It is just so much shinier, so much healthier. I notice it when I go get a haircut that like it's not split ended in the same way. Like my hair overall is just so much healthier. But it also on a day to day basis I can go longer between washes. I do think that it's fuller, like it just looks better. And I always notice it the most when I'm traveling. I've been away for about a week right now and I've been traveling on and off through December and not having my pros with me, I'm like, oh, I can tell that my hair is just like duller and less cooperative and I miss my pros.

[B]

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[A]

All right, so why don't we kick off by reviewing our goals from 2024 and seeing how we did.

[B]

Did you have time to listen to the episode before we recorded this?

[A]

No. Literally. I couldn't bring myself to because I feel like I've done so poorly on so many of my 2024 goals that I feel like I just need to make it a write off and just like start fresh.

[B]

Well, I mean I was looking through them and I feel like you've done a lot, but let's get into the specifics, I guess. Let's start with the personal goals from 2024.

[A]

Okay. Well, the good news is, is that my first one was continue my five year journal. And big fat check plus did great. Did that one.

[B]

Success.

[A]

Success. My favorite thing. I can't stop hawking five year journals. If you're listening to this, start a five year journal.

[B]

This will be your third year.

[A]

Yes. Yeah.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

I'm so excited. My color of the year. I do a different pen color every year, and my color of the year is going to be green.

[B]

Oh, nice. Does that represent anything to you or you just like the color?

[A]

I think that green feels like it represents luck because I associate it with shamrocks and money and positivity. Like, it just feels like a positive color versus I feel like red. Feels like negative bad.

[B]

It does feel intense. I've been using a red pen for mine this year a bit, and it's. It's an angry color, for sure.

[A]

This year's was purple, which I don't have any real associations with other than grimace from McDonald's, but so I don't think it, like, really gave my bad. My year bad juju.

[B]

But apparently Lewis Carroll only used purple ink.

[A]

Love that for him.

[B]

I learned that from a Antiques Roadshow episode. So, you know, just full of fun facts over here.

[A]

Here we are.

[B]

Okay, what's next? What else did you do or not do?

[A]

Oh, my next one. I shouldn't have made this goal. It was to be more thoughtful about time and money spent on travel. And I think I made this because I was having a lot of trouble getting work done because I was traveling so much in Q4 of last year. And. And I really wanted to start the year and just be like, I'm settled. I'm home. I'm working on my books. I'm not distracted. And I didn't really travel in January that much. And then I had a good stretch in August, September, October, where I was pretty much home. And that was good. I think it's just that I need to be more thoughtful with regards to how I travel and pair that with deadlines, personal or ones that I make or ones that I'm given. So, yeah, I, like, I didn't do this. This is laughable. I also feel like I value travel so much. I don't want to, like, punish myself. I don't know. I didn't do it, but it was a poorly constructed goal.

[B]

Well, I think that's. That's a healthy perspective to have on it.

[A]

Yeah. My next one was to have more balance. As in, like, work, life. Balance with books. Wow. Olivia's face just, like, looked horrified, which is how I feel I did at this goal.

[B]

No, I was trying to think. Because in the outline, it says balance with books, and I was trying to think of what it meant, and you were describing it, but, yeah, it didn't go great.

[A]

I feel like when things are going poorly, it just, like, spills over into the rest of my life and my mood and my attitude, and I don't have good boundaries with it. And, yeah, there are a lot of times you're very hard on yourself. Yeah. And there were a lot of times this year where how my book was going just absolutely ruled and decimated my life.

[B]

I understand that.

[A]

Fail. Take one afternoon off a month for an artist date or adventure. Wow. I don't think I did this even once.

[B]

Oh, really?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That's fine. It wasn't important.

[A]

I. I guess so. I mean, I feel like I always have in the back of my mind, like, should I do the artists way? Which is where the artist date thing comes from. I feel like I should want to do it, or I. It will improve my creative process, and I have never done it, so it's. It's like a should thing.

[B]

Isn't part of the artist's way that you don't read any books?

[A]

No, I think that's just for one week.

[B]

Oh, that sounds. I. That can't. I can't subscribe to that. Like, it just feels unnecessarily restrictive.

[A]

Well, didn't do it. Here's another one I didn't do. Get my screen time under four hours. I will say that I do think that having this goal made me more thoughtful about my screen time, and I do think that I overall improved aspects of my screen time. I feel less addicted to Instagram than I did this time last year when I made that goal. I think one of the biggest things that I did was something that you inspired me to do. Was I muted almost everyone. Like, I probably have maybe 40 to 50 people unmuted. Very few of them are influencers. Most of them are like people I know in real life. And, you know, the people that I do have unmuted who are like, creators, are people who I'm either, like, very close with that I talk to on a regular basis, and I want to keep up with what's going on in their career and. Or people I like greatly admire. And I think having fewer stories to scroll just like that there is an end. It's not an endless Loop has been really great. The place where I've really fallen off with my screen time. This is so embarrassing. Is I'm really addicted to this game called Merge Dragons, where you, like, organize things.

[B]

Okay, where do you find these? Are these, like, targeted ads and you're.

[A]

Like, no, this game has. I've been addicted to on and off. I discovered it through my friend Maxi, who is one of my weirdest friends. It's really soothing. You, like, organize things and then you unlock new things. And I think that especially as I've been working on my book over the course of Q4, I think I use it as a way to feel competent because it's like, you did this and then a graphic explodes and it's like, you did great.

[B]

So it's like dopamine.

[A]

Yeah. It's a manufactured dopamine hit that I'm using to substitute dopamine that I should be getting through other places. So I've been so addicted to this game as a procrastination tool. And right now I don't have it deleted, but I have it hidden from my home screen. And I'm really hoping that I go into next year and I can kind of leave this behind. But I do think that if I stopped playing it, which I have really, since I turned in my book, mostly, my screen time has been so much better. And I feel like this week of the year is usually, like my worst screen time of the year because I'm just, like, sitting on my phone. And this week my screen time has been an hour and 41 minutes, which is amazing.

[B]

That's great.

[A]

But, yeah, usually it's much higher. So anyway, I haven't done this, but I do think having it as a goal and spoiler, I'm making it a goal next year, too, has made me think about it at more intervals and, like, be more proactive about it than I otherwise would be.

[B]

Well, look, there's a lot worse ways to get a dopamine hit than a Dragon game.

[A]

Sure.

[B]

So I. I say that's fine.

[A]

I'm never getting that time back, though, is, you know, that's.

[B]

That's also true. A little gaming here and there never hurt anyone.

[A]

But I am bookending it with the other personal goal. The only other goal that I did, which was quarterly entertaining of either hosting, like a dinner party, game night, something every quarter. And I did this. And I am so happy that I did this. I don't know if I did it because of the goal, but I really love cooking for people and, like, doing my Friendsgiving dinner party was so fun. I, like, did a whole tablescape. Like, I just really enjoy entertaining.

[B]

Okay. I would say you did this more than quarterly, actually.

[A]

I think so too. I think so too, which is great.

[B]

So it's like, I think that counts for more than just one. Check mark. Check.

[A]

Plus, I really appreciate you being gentle for. For on my behalf when I cannot be gentle on my own behalf.

[B]

Well, there's lots of goals I failed at this year, too, so we can commiserate.

[A]

All right, your turn. How did you do at your personal goals?

[B]

So my first one was an easy one, which is to continue my letter to self tradition, which is basically, like, at the beginning of the year, I write a letter to my end of your self, like, explaining how I want to feel. I actually haven't had a chance to review my letter from last year, but I did put it on substack. I'm gonna do it again. I think it was a really great thing to have in the back of my mind throughout this year because I just. It helped me remember what was important to me. So I'm looking forward to revisiting that. I'm probably gonna do it on vacation. I'm gonna take a morning and just, like, write the new one, read the old one, reflect, journal, all my favorite things. So, yeah, check. I guess I did this. Love that I'm doing this. I don't know. My next one, I would say, on the whole, is a failure, which is. I had a goal to have a regular exercise and weightlifting routine. I did attempt this at various points. I would say I had two times this year where I was in a routine for, like, five to six weeks. This year was just hard. Especially, like, after the book came out and just, like, traveling most weeks for, like, I would say, three months on end. Like, I was either going somewhere or I was taking a week off and then going somewhere. And it was just very hard for me to get in any sort of routine.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Especially when I did, I didn't have, like, that foundation of it. So this is a goal again for the new year. This year should be much more settled and calm for me, I'm hoping. And so I have faith in myself. But, yeah, this was, on the whole, I would say, not a resounding success for me.

[A]

Fair.

[B]

My next goal I did, which was to go back to therapy. Yay, therapy. I will say it's a psa. If you're out there and you're like, I'm thinking about just taking a year off and then going back to it at some point, much harder than I anticipated.

[A]

But you're with the same therapist, so it's not even like you need to catch somebody new up, right?

[B]

Yeah, it's that. But I still like had a year of things to catch her up on. So you're doing that and then it's like you're getting back in the habit of being vulnerable in this very specific way. And I went to every other week instead of every week, which I found a lot more difficult to get into a groove again. So I think this year I might try to go to every week if I can, or at least maybe like three out of four weeks a month. But yes, I did this and I'm really happy I did. It did make a huge difference, even though it wasn't necessarily comfortable for me.

[A]

I'm so glad. I'm nervous about the next one, honestly.

[B]

I mean, I failed at this one, which is that. I'm sorry, I don't. It was to find doctors and dentists and stuff up here, which I did not do.

[A]

I hate when people I love don't get blood work.

[B]

I mean, I have gotten blood work recently. I have no symptoms or anything. I feel okay, but I will try to do that this year.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

Sorry.

[A]

It's okay. I feel like you have like first hand health anxiety and I have like. Well, I mean, I have some first hand health anxiety, but like I have secondhand health anxiety when people don't go to the doctor.

[B]

Yes. And. And I should, I think, because I'm so health anxious that I'm like hyper aware of like symptoms and my body and stuff. And so when I'm feeling good, I just like, don't like to mess with it. I know that's not the most healthy perspective, but yes, I will do this this year. I. I will.

[A]

I didn't mean to make you feel.

[B]

Bad, but it's okay. It's okay.

[A]

What is the next one?

[B]

My next one was basically to prioritize routine over everything. Definitely did not do this.

[A]

I mean, I know obviously with the book coming out you didn't have much routine, but I feel like you're such a routine oriented person that I associate you with. Like, I don't know, like I would've said externally, I would've been like, yeah, Olivia did this.

[B]

That's interesting. I mean, now that you say it, I think that I did establish a really good work routine. Like I have my Monday through Friday schedule that is pretty set in stone in terms of how I work and what I work on, which Days. So I did that, which I don't think I had the year before. But like I said, I think I was just like, always trying to hit some deadline or I was trying to hit a deadline and I was dealing with book stuff or I was traveling or whatever. I was just all over the place. I also had, like, a lot of uncertainty about what was gonna happen with work stuff and with book stuff. And so I think I was basically just like, I had a one track mind and all I was focused on was, like, deadlines, trying to do this as a career and everything else specifically. I think exercise, like, just was not a priority. But I do feel in a very, like, settled, calm place in the new year, like I said. So going forward, we'll work on that. And then finally, I guess a good one. I had a goal to renovate the guest bathroom, renovate the cottage outside into my office, and to save for kitchen renovation in 2025. The guest bathroom's done. The office cottage is 99% done. We just got the floors done, so it's like, very close. We just need the stupid wood burning stove hooked up so I can be in there without freezing. Did not save for the kitchen at all. I do not think that is a 2025 project. I think that's probably 2026. But overall, I'd say as home renovation goes, pretty solid.

[A]

Yeah. Continuing in the hot seat, Olivia, take me through your 2024 professional goals.

[B]

Yes. So my main goal was to have a good experience with publishing. Such a bad influence. It's kind of funny when I remember writing this list of goals, and I think I was so completely terrified that whatever criticism or rejection or bad reviews I got would absolutely devastate me, that I wouldn't be able to enjoy the experience or feel any sort of pride or, like, gratitude for it or joy that I didn't even think about, like, tour meeting people. I didn't even think about anything good. I was just like, I just want to survive this emotionally. And, yeah, I did this. I'm really proud of myself. I'm proud of how it went. I feel good about it. It was a good experience. I loved meeting people. I loved being on tour. It was all so much better than I could have expected. Not perfect, but, like, I'm just. I'm proud of myself because, like, I did this in a. In a big way that I did not predict. I thought I would be crushed emotionally in every sense, but I guess I was, but in, like, a good way.

[A]

Well, of all the goals that you could have Achieved. I'm thrilled that it was this one and that you feel good and proud and like fulfilled by the experience of publishing the book.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

Also, I cannot believe that that happened this year. What is time?

[B]

I know. I feel the same way. It's been a weird, very intense year.

[A]

All right, what else?

[B]

So my next goal was to sell my second book, which I am happy to finally be able to say that I did.

[A]

Yay. I didn't know if you were going to be able to say this out loud and I was like, do we pretend that it didn't happen? Like, what's happening?

[B]

Yes. Yeah, I'm really excited. So I actually sold it in September, but it's been a long process trying to figure out the title before we officially announced it, which I'll probably talk more in detail about one day. But actually, I haven't even told you this, Veka. So you're hearing this, right? So you're hearing this live. But the title is little one. It's coming out with little brown in 2026.

[A]

Oh, that's very like the little little of it. I can't think of the word that I want.

[B]

I know it's Little one with little brown. So it's easy to remember when you want to go into your local bookstore and pre order it. But yeah, I am, like thrilled. I'm so excited. I just finished my first big round of revisions and I've been dying to talk about it. So when this comes out, the announcement should have just happened. And yeah, it's a major relief because I had no idea what was happening for most of 2024. And I'm just grateful and excited.

[A]

Yay. I'm so excited for you that this can now be publicly celebrated.

[B]

Yes. Oh, and I'll give a little pitch for the book, which I guess I should tell you what it's about. So it's a dual timeline story about a woman who grows up in this very sort of specific community in early Aughts, Florida. And her present day life is sort of interrupted when a journalist starts investigating the community in which she grew up. So the story is about all the ways her childhood and how she grew up sort of collides with her very perfect present day life, at least on the outside. So yeah, that's it.

[A]

Yay for Little One.

[B]

And then my next goal was to start book three, which I did in between edits and being on submission and all of that. And I have about 25,000 words of that.

[A]

Wow. For reference, if you're listening, a book is usually a standard adult contemporary novel is like 70 to 90,000 words. So that's like solidly like 30% of a book.

[B]

Well, a lot of it is very.

[A]

Bad, sure, as first drafts are.

[B]

Yes. But I started writing it in April, just for fun, on a whim, and I really liked it, so I continued on it. I have taken a lot of time away from it now, and I'm in that phase where I'm like, was that all just really dumb and stupid? Why did I do that? But we'll see how I feel when I revisit it, probably in a month or so.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

My next goal was to continue to grow my substack. To be honest, I do not know the numbers of how much I have grown. I know that I have grown, but it's been so small. Like, it's been really, really small but steady. And I feel okay about it. Even though I don't think I really achieved this in any sort of meaningful way, it's still a significant part of my income, which is the most important thing.

[A]

I mean, I think the net result of feeling good about it is more important than any numeric growth. So the fact that you feel good about it is its own win.

[B]

Thank you. I think so, too. The next one was to find more ways to connect with the podcast audience. I don't know if I really did this, but I did meet so many of you while doing events for such about influence, and that was just the best thing ever. And I enjoyed it so, so much. So we'll call it a check, I guess.

[A]

Great.

[B]

I don't know. And then finally, did not do this. I wanted to plan a cozy writing and reading retreat in the Cotswolds. I think about this probably once a week. And the thing is, I get so intimidated by the logistics of it that I just.

[A]

That's a big undertaking.

[B]

Don't start. Yeah. So I have an idea that we'll talk about in 2025. Goals for how to do it in a different sort of way. But, yeah, no, didn't achieve this.

[A]

Okay. Fair, I would say. I mean, honestly, having a good experience with the release of such a bad influence and selling your second book is like a huge year.

[B]

Thank you. Yeah, I feel really proud of myself because I worked very hard this year and it was not always easy. Anyway, so let us get into your professional goals.

[A]

Okay. The first one was to finish book two. My, oh my, did I not do this? I hit a lot of stumbling blocks. I don't know. This whole book, this whole process has Been much harder than I anticipated. So I wrote two drafts of it. I turned in the most recent draft, like, mid December, and I'm going to get feedback on it mid January. And I honestly don't know how I feel about it. Like, I feel like I've lost the forest in the trees a little bit, and I don't know if it's good. I don't know if it has any potential. I don't know if somebody's going to be like, I'm sorry, ma'am, this isn't a book. This is an octopus that you've been working on. And I'm like, oh, I didn't know that.

[B]

I know that feeling. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. This has really challenged me in every possible way. So I worked hard at it. I did not finish it. No matter what happens next, there will be more drafts of it or it will get killed, and then I don't know what will happen.

[B]

Well, like you said, you had, like, stumbling blocks you didn't expect. So there were, like, there were goals that you created within the year, you know, that were new, that aren't necessarily in this list that you did achieve with this book. And I think that's worth a lot, but thank you.

[A]

Yeah. My next one was to write a first draft of book three. Didn't do this. I maybe wrote, like, I have a draft that's probably about 20 to 25,000 words of a book3 idea that I'm really excited about. But I just found it really hard to work on it. When I wasn't working on book two, I was recovering from working on it or catching up on other things that I'd let drop. And I just did not have. I guess I think I thought that I would be done with book two by the summer, September maybe, when I would be able to spend Q4 writing a draft of this. And it just didn't shake out. And I'm, like, not even angry because based on the way that the year shook out, this just couldn't have happened.

[B]

You do have a lot of it written in your head, though. We've talked about that before. Like, you feel excited about the premise of it, and I feel like that is honestly so much of the work that doesn't get counted in, like, a. You know, here's how many words I wrote. But it is a huge part of it.

[A]

Yeah, I'm excited. I'm getting feedback on book two, I think the 21st. So I'm gonna spend the first two weeks of January working on it. And I'm really Excited about that.

[B]

Oh, good. What a nice way to start the year, actually.

[A]

Yeah, I think I'm gonna do a lot of, like, substack stuff. And I don't know what my goal is. If it's like a thousand, fifteen hundred words a day and, like, just try to get some momentum behind me, I'm, like, really excited about the next few scenes and chapters. So. Yeah. Okay. My third one was to create a writing process journal. And I'm gonna say that I did this. I experimented with a bunch of different forms. Like, at the beginning of the year, I tried writing in a journal after every session, which was too much. And then I tried doing it like once a week, which was still too much. And then basically what ended up happening is I think I just started a regular long form journal that I'm not writing in daily, but I'm writing in every week, every two weeks. And a lot of it writing stuff finds its way in there. So the goal was just to have a record so that in book three or in subsequent years, I can look back at this and be like, yes, this was also hard, but you made it through it.

[B]

Yes, that's important.

[A]

So I think I did this ironically. I have not actually written in it since I finished my most recent draft of my book. So I need to do that when I go home. I, like, turned it in and then immediately went to Portland and have just kind of been go, go, go. So. And now I'm in Maine and I didn't bring it with me. So, yeah, I owe it an entry. But, yeah, I feel good about where I landed and I feel like I have a record.

[B]

Good.

[A]

The next one is half, like a raging success. So the next one was to do bat on paper merch and then also to test video. So the merch part, huge success. I'm wearing a bat on paper sweatshirt as we record this. It's, like, probably one of my most worn items of clothing.

[B]

It's very comfy. I was wearing mine the other day.

[A]

And it makes me so excited that other people were into it. I, like, I don't know. I'm not a big merch person myself, so I kind of had a hard time believing that anyone wanted this. And I was so thrilled that people are so proud to wear it. I also get DMs sometimes where people spot other people wearing it in the wild, which makes me so happy.

[B]

I want that day.

[A]

Yeah, like, people I know will DM me and be like, I saw a woman at school pickup wearing a battle paper sweatshirt or something.

[B]

That's amazing.

[A]

Yeah. And then video testing, we just never did. I think it's, like, it is a big hurdle. Like, it's a big stumbling block for me that I don't want to have to, like, get ready or worry about my face to do this podcast. Like, the podcast is so comfortable, and I feel really competent at doing it, and I, like, kind of don't want to make myself then feel incompetent in a new way.

[B]

Yeah. Yes. I mean, I literally rolled straight out of bed to my desk this morning. Hair is not brushed. Teeth are not brushed.

[A]

Yeah. Like, my hair is so greasy. And I also have, like, death lighting. Like, it's. I kind of look green.

[B]

Video is hard. I don't know. I don't know.

[A]

People have asked for it, and I think that I have this idea that using podcast clips could help us grow. But I don't know. I guess I just don't feel strongly enough that I actually care to do it.

[B]

Yeah. And I wonder how worth it it is if it's not, like, so highly produced, you know?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

If I'm not like Alex Cooper with my slicked back bun and my oversized sweatshirt and my perfect makeup. Do the people want this? I don't know.

[A]

I don't know. So we'll see. Next one.

[B]

Oh.

[A]

This was my, like, huge surprise of the year. My goal was to get my newsletter back up and running and to post every other week, because at the beginning of 2024, I had kind of, like, an author newsletter that I was maybe sending to, like, once a month. And in February, I added a paid tier to my substack. And in January, I very quietly, like, started posting every week just to see if I liked working on this and I liked doing it, and I did. And my newsletter has become something that I'm so excited about, and it has become an income stream, and it's become, like, a huge growth driver for me. And, like, I am thrilled about this. And I did not. I could not have predicted where I ended up at the end of the year. At the beginning of the year.

[B]

I love that. I mean, you're crushing it, like, truly. So you should be really proud of everything you've put out.

[A]

This one I'm incredibly proud of. Yeah, good, good.

[B]

You really should be.

[A]

And then my last one was to continue to build writing community and deepen ties, which I do think that I've done.

[B]

It's better than you implied. I think it's pretty good.

[A]

I think it's just hard that, like, my biggest goal I Failed at.

[B]

You did make progress.

[A]

It didn't match my vision.

[B]

Right. That's very hard. I know that.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

But still, lots to be proud of.

[A]

We have so much more to go. Let'swe have our 20, 25 goals. This episode's gonna be, like, three hours. Let's take another ad break, and then let's get into 20.

[B]

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[A]

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[B]

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[A]

Follow this is Small Business behind the Buy on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And big thanks to this is Small Business for sponsoring the show. All right, Olivia, the slate is wiped clean. I have taken one of those chalky, like, elementary school blackboard erasers, and I have just wiped the slate clean.

[B]

Wow, what a visual. This is like a meditation, like podcast now.

[A]

It feels great.

[B]

It does feel. It does feel really good to, like, talk about all the things. Then just let's move on, you know, it's dead.

[A]

Let's go.

[B]

Well, okay. Let's talk about your personal goals.

[A]

Yes. Okay. Also, I'm noticing you have so many goals for next year. I'm excited to hear about these. Okay.

[B]

Might be too many. This podcast episode will be so long. I'm glad that it's one of people's favorites traditionally because. Wow. Buckle up, guys.

[A]

I mean, this is as much for me as it is for the listeners. This is like, I love the accountability of this. I love getting to talk about these things.

[B]

Yeah, me too.

[A]

Okay. My first one is that I want to learn to roast a whole chicken. This was partially inspired by reading Ina Garten's memoir, but also, I am so impressed whenever somebody roasts a chicken, like on TV or in a book. I don't think anyone's ever roasted a chicken in my presence. But like, the idea of a roast chicken is so impressive to me and I feel like this should not be beyond my cooking abilities.

[B]

Can I tell you something?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I used the Ina Garten roast chicken recipe twice over Christmas break. I did it once as a test run and then once with Jake's parents. Both times it turned out well. Despite the fact that I learned on the second time as I attempted to carve the chicken, that I roasted the chicken upside down. Oh, still delicious.

[A]

How do you pay for it?

[B]

It was so easy. No, not that recipe. It was so easy, so effective. Like, you can 100% do it. It's delicious. I want to hear about it.

[A]

I'm excited. I feel like maybe sometime in January I'm gonna host mahjong and make them be my guinea pigs of roast chicken.

[B]

Do it and do lots of like, potatoes in there. It was. It's so good. It's so good.

[A]

Okay. I'm very excited. Please, if you have tips or recipes, come to the Geneva group and share them with me.

[B]

Should we start a roast chicken channel?

[A]

Yeah, the chicken channel. I actually love that. Just photos. Anytime anyone roasts a chicken and like, applause.

[B]

Amazing.

[A]

Okay, the next one is kind of a gimme, but I feel like I need that. I like, want some things that I'm like obviously going to be able to do. So I want to continue my five year journal. @ this point, barring losing it, I cannot imagine not continuing it. And then I want to long form journal approximately once a week, which is, I think, more than I have been doing.

[B]

That's a good goal.

[A]

My next one is continuing from last year. I want to get my screen time under four hours, but I want to actually do it this time. I have this vision of maybe not using my phone before noon. You know, just like leaving it in my bedroom. I can text from my computer, which isn't the problem. And just like I'm not doing this until later in the day.

[B]

Yeah, I fully support that. That sounds like a great plan.

[A]

And obviously breaking up with my dragons. I am an adult woman who needs to break up with her dragons.

[B]

Dragons.

[A]

Okay, so that's still a goal. My next one is that I want to do a couch pillow makeover. I've lived in my apartment for five years and some of my couch pillows are like, just getting a little sad. And I also just like, I feel like it's an easy and not horribly expensive way to just like, freshen up the look of my apartment. I also debated putting on here. And this is to be clear, not a goal. I really want to buy more art. And I don't mean that in like, necessarily an expensive way, but like, there's a big photo print behind my couch that I'm like, I wouldn't mind swapping that out with something. There's a painting in my bedroom that I wouldn't mind swapping out. I want to be really thoughtful about it and like, only acquire things that I really love and see myself loving into the future. So we'll see. But yeah, I kind of want to do like just a mini refresh.

[B]

That's a great goal.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

I'm excited to see that take shape.

[A]

Yeah. And then my next one is I would like to acquire a skincare routine. Outside of moisturizing, which is my current skincare routine. I'm 38. I do feel like I'm seeing signs of aging on my face. I do get Botox. I'm not like regularly committed to it. So right now it's all worn off. But, you know, I do go off and on with that. But I do think that I would like to find a more. I would like to test a more effective skincare routine because I also have it on my mind of like trying some laser stuff and I'm like, why don't you try a skincare routine first?

[B]

Yeah, the. The easier, less painful option for.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. So cheaper. Yeah. I like went on a weird. It wasn't even a bender. Like, it was like three seconds. And I spent so much money on you beauty the other day of like getting like their small trial kit stuff. So, yeah, I want to like, try some stuff. I want to figure out what works for me, if anything works for me. Yeah. Have a skincare routine.

[B]

Good and doable. Doable for sure.

[A]

Doable. Yeah. And then my last one. I don't know if this is going to happen. So I would really like to have a relaxing and potentially solo or like just with one other person beach trip. I don't think I've been on this type of trip since 2022. I went on a beach vacation for my 35th birthday. Maybe it was 2021. Anyway, I don't feel like I've been on this type of vacation in a while. Every time I go on this type of trip. It feels so soul refilling. So I would really like that. I have a beach trip planned that's a girls trip in May, which it's eight people. It definitely does not fit this criteria. And so I think the main question of feasibility in my mind is I think this year the 40th birthdays are really gonna ramp up. A bunch of my close friends are gonna start turning 40, and I just don't know yet how many trips that I'll have for that. Because I do feel like a lot of people, especially people who don't have children, are planning these big, almost like bachelorette style trips for their 40th birthdays. And I have four close friends who are turning 40 this year. So I'm just not sure what I'll be into from that perspective. And if time and money wise, I'll be able to swing a beach vacation. But if I can, I would really like to.

[B]

That sounds very nice. Very nice. If you can make it work.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. All right. That's me. What do you have going on personally this year?

[B]

Well, I've touched on a lot of these. I want to do the letter to self again.

[A]

Great.

[B]

I think the most important one for me is an exercise routine. Four to five days a week, cardio, weights, my music. The happiest I've ever been in my life is when I was consistently reading, writing, working out to very loud hip hop. So that's all I want. That's all I want to do. So that daily walks with Winnie, I've kind of gotten out of this habit because she's off leash all the time here. So it's like she's just roaming and doing her thing. And I just think walking is great, obviously. And I just like to make that a priority again. Just good to get out of the house too. The next one is kind of something new and different, but also not, which is that I want to potentially a little more thoughtful about how I thrift. And I love thrifting. I love going to Goodwill. And I feel like, not to toot my own horn, but I feel like I do have a good eye for things that are trending or just designer pieces. And honestly, 90% of the time, they're not gonna fit me. So I would really like to experiment with like reselling some nice items. I find. Not like there are people who resell full time who like buy every designer label. And I'm not talking like I buy up all the Lululemon and price it up, but, like, if I find cool vintage or items that I think are just really my taste or beautiful or whatever that wouldn't necessarily fit me to resell them on Poshmark for, like, a. A very reasonable markup where I'm making maybe, like, a little extra money on the side, but not, you know, anything crazy.

[A]

Yeah. This isn't like your new how you're making your living. This is just, like, something you really enjoy doing.

[B]

Yes, I really, really enjoy it. And, like, whenever I see a really cool vintage item or something at the thrift store, it, like, pains me to leave it behind because I think it's so cool, and I want the person to find it who's meant to find it. And anyway, as a hobby, this really, really excites me and thrills me. So I'm excited to start experimenting with that more.

[A]

I love that.

[B]

And then my next goal is I either want to go on a trip to Japan with Jake or to Plan 1 for 2026. This has been a goal of ours for a long time, but it's obviously a very big trip, so I really want to make that a priority this year. Have you ever been to Japan?

[A]

I haven't, no. I've never been to Asia in general. Well, I guess I found. Does Turkey count as Asia?

[B]

Part of Turkey is in Asia, yes.

[A]

Yeah. So I guess I've, like, kind of cheating been to Asia that I think it counts. Okay, tell me about this next one. This is the one that I'm most curious about.

[B]

Okay. My most shameful quality, I would say.

[A]

It'S not your dragon is.

[B]

No, it's my jarlic, which is I hate chopping fresh garlic. I hate it. We already know about how I don't like smells in my hair or my skin.

[A]

Yeah, you're really sensitive.

[B]

Absorbs garlic so intensely. So I use garlic, which is like a jar of minced garlic that you can buy at Costco and lasts me for eons. And it's 100% not as good as fresh garlic. But I love to cook, and I love fresh ingredients. So I'm like, olivia, get over this. So I've started doing it in the last two weeks. I'm already committed to it. It is better. It smells better. I'm leaving garlic behind in 2025.

[A]

So just the term jarlic is I'm going to need.

[B]

I need the support of every community, every person.

[A]

Maybe it's something we can talk about in the chicken chat.

[B]

The thing that, like, when you watch videos or whatever of chefs, they're like, not the garlic. And I'm like, I can't give it up. But I'm going to. I'm going to. I'm going to.

[A]

Is garlic a widely used term, or is that something that you've really originated here?

[B]

No, I've heard it before.

[A]

Okay. Okay.

[B]

Yeah. So this is my personal battle.

[A]

We're here to support you.

[B]

It's gonna be hard, but we are.

[A]

Here to support you.

[B]

I'm in it. I'm committed. And then finally, some house goals. I want to get the library bookshelves made with the library ladder.

[A]

Oh, my God. I want this for you, not for my home.

[B]

I thank you. We have the fireplace. We're working on the bookshelves. I have all the books in there. It's gonna happen. And other than that, I want to just take a break on any, like, major projects and just save for the kitchen and plan for it. So we're going to need an architect and designer and a budget and all of that. So it's going to be a big deal with many, many months of saving. And then beyond that, I just would like to, like, more thoughtfully furnish rooms here and there. So, for example, we have needed a new bed in our bedroom since we moved, which is two years, and haven't invested in it. And there are lots of rooms where they need certain pieces, and I've just been using placeholders. So one item a month, maybe, if we can afford it, is my sort of goal.

[A]

Okay. I love that. Those are all great goals.

[B]

Thank you. I like the mix we have. I feel like we've touched on sort of everything.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

All right.

[A]

Should we get into the professional.

[B]

Yes, hit me. Tell me your professional goals.

[A]

Okay, so my first goal, which it's among my most important goals. I'm not gonna say it is. My most important goal is I would like to figure out my newsletter paywall strategy. I feel like I've really struggled with this, and to date, I'm really grateful that a lot of the people who pay to subscribe to my newsletter are doing it because they want to support my work and they value the work I'm creating, not necessarily because they want to gain access to what is behind the paywall. And I've really struggled with what goes behind the paywall because, you know, and never say never, but, like, I don't want to put book recommendations behind the paywall because it's so hard as an author to get the word out there about your book. And so I don't want to, like, send that to a smaller audience. Like, I feel like it's an aspect of literary citizenship. But that is the most obvious thing to go behind the paywall. It's kind of like what I'm maybe known for. And then at some point I really thought that I would be able to write more personal essays. I don't think that it's something that I'm particularly good at. And it's also something that like, I don't want to be necessarily more vulnerable than I am already being on the Internet. Like, you know a lot about me, you don't know everything about me, but like, I'm not keen to plumb those depths that I'm not already sharing. And so, yeah, it's been tricky for me to figure out what goes behind the paywall. And so that is one of my biggest goals because I feel like once I can more clearly articulate that, it will be easier to grow because I think there probably is a ceiling on people who just want to support the work that I'm doing. In a general sense, it's a very.

[B]

Tricky thing and everyone has a different method of doing it. And I feel like each individual also has reasons why something works. And another thing doesn't, that doesn't necessarily apply to you. And by you, I mean any person on substack. So yeah, it's a tricky thing, but it's a good goal.

[A]

I think this is something I really want to spend some time on in January before I get my feedback on my book and just kind of be like, okay, we're planning, we're figuring out. The one year anniversary of my going paid is coming up in February. So by then I would really like to have a more clear articulation of what a paid subscriber gets.

[B]

Yeah, great goal.

[A]

Then I would like to 2x my substack paid subscribers. I would really like to lean into this. It is something I am enjoying so much and it's something that I would love to spend more time on. And yeah, I would like to see it continue to grow. I think that's an aggressive goal, but I think it should be feasible by the end of the year. So, yeah, you heard it here first.

[B]

That is an aggressive goal. But if anyone can do it, I'm very confident it is you. So thank you.

[A]

The next one, vulnerably, I would like to. I need to figure out my income situation. The reality is, is that because book two is taking much longer than I anticipated, I think I really thought I could finish a book in a year. And then when I didn't finish a book in a year, I was like, well, certainly I'll be able to finish it in two years and it'll be two years in mid January and I'm nowhere near finishing this book. So I really need to figure out my income situation. And you know, I think that's a combination of doing more affiliate stuff. I don't want to do it in like a spammy way. I don't want to do it in a way that I'm promoting things that I wouldn't buy with my own money. But you know, doing more influencery stuff, maybe doing some more sponsored content. Definitely. I mean, that's part of growing the newsletter by 2x. And then I think the time has come where like I might have to take on a consulting client again. I don't know how to do that because I've let a lot of those relationships lapse. So yeah, this is a tricky one. But you know, I definitely have some wiggle room. It's not like an emergency. But you know, by when we do our update in June, I would like to tell you that I am like very on the road with this.

[B]

I think you will be, but yeah, that's a big one. I think people don't realize how complicated it is actually to make money as a full time author.

[A]

I also think that having so much of my income in books has also been a stressor. You know, I think that like having the stress of like my livelihood is riding on this is an added layer of like the book stuff. So yeah, I think for like mental health too, having a more diversified income and being less dependent on the book income. My next one is, I am trying to be really careful about how I word this because I feel like I don't want to set myself up for heartbreak. So I'm going to say it's to have certainty around book two at the end of the year. I just want to either be like, I'm obsessed with this book and like, I can see it still needs work but it's getting there. Or I want to be like it's dead or I want to be like it's finished. But I feel really uncertain right now and I don't want to leave this year with the same level of uncertainty.

[B]

Yeah, uncertainty is not a fun feeling, especially when it's directly tied to how you survive financially.

[A]

Yeah, I'm trying so hard not to make this goal finish book two because I just don't know if I could handle it if I made that goal again and then also didn't finish it. So yeah, that said, I do want to write or finish a draft of something new. So I said, I have that draft. That's like, I'm really excited about that. I have 25,000 ish words of. So, yeah, I want to do that. And I don't know how this works because this year I felt like I couldn't have written a draft of something. So I don't know if this is, like, in the off times when my editor is reviewing book two. I'm working on it, or if it's like a nights and weekends thing, or is it that I finish book two by June, let's say, and then can spend the second half of the year on this? I don't know how this works, but I do know that I want to have another iron in the fire.

[B]

Good, that's exciting.

[A]

Yeah. And then I don't have a podcast goal, really. And I don't want anyone to, like, misinterpret that. The podcast isn't important to me. But it does feel like the podcast is something that's like, pretty turnkey. I feel good at it. I feel like I have fun making it and I think people enjoy listening to it. I don't know how realistic it is to like, grow a ton, but yeah, I was like, I don't have a goal for the podcast. So I just said, keep the podcast. Fun is my goal.

[B]

I really like that goal. Yeah, I. I concur.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. I wanted to have something because it is like an important part of my professional life, but it is the part that's working well. So I don't wanna. I don't wanna mess it up.

[B]

Good.

[A]

Okay, tell me yours.

[B]

Okay. My first goal is to finish the edits and everything and plan some, like, content and promotion for book two. I think one thing I was really bad about with such a bad influence, my background is in freelance writing and pitching essays. And there was a time when I would pitch 10 stories a week when I was freelancing and I just kind of lost that muscle. But pitching essays tied to your book is a really good way to get publicity. So I want to be better about planning out, pitching those essays or even just doing them on substack. So I have like a promotion ideas like document going, spreadsheet. I want to be better about planning that this year and, you know, getting the pre order link out there eventually. And all of that seems so far away at this point.

[A]

But yeah, so I feel like, generally speaking, metadata gets fed out to retailers, like for pre orders about nine months before a book comes out. So do you Have a sense of like what season it'll be publishing in in 2026.

[B]

So I think we should know for sure in a month. But right now it's between January and June, July 2026. It's a big span somewhere in there. First half of 2026 is the goal. Of course these things often and can't change, but that sounds good to me, so I'm hoping that stays.

[A]

Okay. So we'll be talking about pre order sometime between like March and September.

[B]

Yes. Prepare to be sick of me. The next goal is that the paperback of such a Bad Influence comes out in May. So I want to do some promotion for that. I don't know what that will look like yet, but I want to plan some stuff for that as well. And actually one of those things is the plan right now is to go do a week long thing at the University of Florida to talk to some classes and do some maybe seminar teaching things and then do a speaking event. So I would love to tie that to the paperback but then also explore more opportunities like this.

[A]

That is so cool, Olivia. Like, oh, thanks.

[B]

I pitch myself for this, by the way.

[A]

You mentioned that to me when we were in Portland and I hadn't heard about it before and I was like, that is so cool that you're going back to your alma mater as an expert.

[B]

Oh, thanks. Yeah, I really love the idea of like talking to young people about who are in journalism school, specifically about like just opening your brain up to the different ways that your career can go. Because I had no idea. And then I'm also, I think, doing a writer in residency thing at a private high school in the spring. My cousin works there in the English department and she was like, would you like to do this and work with students on stories and stuff? And I was like, this scares me, but it also excites me. So I want to do that and see how I like both experiences. And yeah, I'm excited about it, but nervous. My next goal terrifies me.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

But because I just went through this and it's not a process for the faint of heart, I would like to sell book three and to finish one to two, one and a half full drafts of it. Ideally I would sell it in spring, summer.

[A]

So you'd like to sell it on proposal before you write it.

[B]

I mean, that's the goal. But also I. It's hard for me to like write a synopsis until I write a full first draft, I think. So that's what I'm trying to like puzzle through and figure out. But in terms of, like, the finances of it all, like, and being on a schedule, that makes sense, this would be the best. So it's such a scary process that, like, even talking about it makes me nervous because I feel like I just got through selling BookTube. But fingers crossed, we'll see. That's the goal. The next one is for the pod. I know that you have mentioned wanting to be better, like, as a whole, about screening books for book club picks. I am notoriously terrible at this, but I have been making a real effort at it. I have a whole doc with book options for every month of 2025 that I'm choosing. I'm gonna request them. I've been researching them, so I'm getting better at it. And I actually, besides the just planning part of it, I really like this because my favorite book club experiences are the ones where I'm like, the quiet tenet, where I'm just like, I want to go to bat for this book. I want everyone to know about it. I feel that way about Heartwood that comes out in April by Amity Gage. I love having more of a space to be like, I absolutely am head over heels for this book. Beyond just the what are you reading at the end of the podcast? And it's easier, I think, to do that with this method. So, yes, I'm doing it. I'm organized. You should be proud.

[A]

I am proud.

[B]

I hope you're proud.

[A]

I'm excited for a big book club 2025.

[B]

Yeah, I'm looking forward to it.

[A]

I too, made my list of not necessarily podcast picks, but just books I'm anticipating. I have a 52 book list through June.

[B]

Oh, my gosh.

[A]

I'm certainly not going to read them all, but, yeah, I've already started looking at, like, oh, what's interesting that's coming out.

[B]

Oh, I. I would love to. Well, I'm. I will hear about those, so I'm looking forward to that. I need to get new headshots, new other photos. I don't even have any. The one I use in such a bad influence Jake took outside my house in Philly randomly. I have, like, a Revolutionary War soldier ponytail in those, so I need to redo them.

[A]

Oh, that's a good goal. We should also take more photos for the podcast because if we share on Instagram the same three photos again, like.

[B]

I know, I know.

[A]

Maddie does such a good job with, like, making them interesting and, like, different and new and it' the same three photos.

[B]

It's true. It's True. So, yeah, refresh there. I also, for the past three months, have had a substack edit calendar. And I don't always stick to it 100%, but it just helps me. And so I would like to stick with that in the new year and plan content in advance, plan what I'm doing for bonus content. Who's coming on for Desk Tour? And speaking of Desk Tour, I was good at this for a while, and then I really dropped off. I really want to get them planned months in advance because it's so much easier to put them together instead of where I'm like, hey, I need this in a week, or I hate doing that to people. So there's that. I'd also like to host and expand the upstate book fair I did this year.

[A]

Oh, yay. That was so wonderful.

[B]

Oh, thanks. Thanks. I'm glad. I think everyone's on board. The bookstore, the brewery. So I would like to brainstorm in Q1 some ways to do it better or bigger or whatever. So stay tuned for that. And then I would also like to do, instead of doing a cozy Cotswold reading writing retreat, I think that I have enough connections up here that I could plan something upstate that would be really fun. And it's domestic, so it's easier for people to get to. Maybe it would give me the confidence to, like, expand to something international. So we'll see. We'll. We'll see how that goes. But I like the idea of it.

[A]

That feels great.

[B]

Places in mind. And then finally I feel like I'm going on and on if I can afford it. This is really, like, I don't know. But I would love to redesign, refresh my personal website and design for the first time ever, my substack. So, like, have a really cool design for Desk Tour and just. Just basic stuff that I've never been able to really invest in. So, yes, love, that's it.

[A]

We have a lot going on in 2025.

[B]

We do. I'm, like, very excited about 2025. I'm feeling good. How are you feeling?

[A]

I'm feeling really good. I love New Year's. I am very excited to do my vision board to ease into this year when I'm home. I'm excited.

[B]

Good. Well, let's take one last ad break, and then we'll get into some ED matter. This episode is sponsored by Masterclass. Anyone who listens to this podcast probably knows that I love hearing people talk about writing, craft habits, routine process. It is just endlessly interesting to me. So imagine my delight when Browsing through the writing classes on Masterclass and seeing that there are hours upon hours of lessons from authors I admire like Judy Blum and Margaret Atwood. I mean, these are some like fancy heavy hitters. This is not just like a random person. These are the authors that you grew up reading classics. There are classes on character and humor writing and overcoming writer's block. And I am planning on downloading a bunch of them for an upcoming plane trip and I truly cannot wait.

[A]

With Masterclass you can learn from the best to become your best. Masterclass is the only streaming platform where you can learn and grow with over 200 plus of the world's best for just $10 a month. An annual membership with Masterclass gets you unlimited access to every instructor and you can access Masterclass on your phone, computer, smart TV or even an audio mode. I'm very excited to get back into Masterclass. I have had a Masterclass membership for like years and kind of been off and on with it. And it was like kind of a running joke at one point how often I mentioned Shonda Rhimes Masterclass, who is the writer, executive producer of Scandal in Grey's Anatomy. I found it like fascinating. But I'm also really curious about Judy Blum's and Grace really recommended Robin Roberts has a masterclass specifically about communication and about interviewing people. So I'm very excited about that. In the past, I've tried to make it my lunch break where I watch like one or two episodes of a masterclass which are usually between like five to 20 minutes while I'm having lunch. And I think I want to reimplement.

[B]

That that's a really nice routine addition. I am also really looking forward to the cooking classes. As you know, I'm trying to move out of my Jarlick era and who better to teach me to do that than famous chef Thomas Keller. He has so many classes on cooking techniques and I'm just really looking forward to diving in. I find myself really missing school lately, that process of learning and taking notes and improving at something. And I think that Masterclass is going to fill that void in a really satisfying way.

[A]

Right now our listeners get an additional 15% off any annual [e-mail] BOP that's 15% [e-mail] BOP masterclass.com BOP.

[B]

Well, tell me what you are obsessed with.

[A]

Well, as I mentioned, I've been in Maine for for almost the past week and we have gotten really addicted to playing Settlers of Catan to the point where it is threatening to destroy our.

[B]

Friendship it's very competitive, as any game should.

[A]

Very competitive. I have won a sum total of zero games. I learned how to play years ago and I had forgotten all of the rules. And wow, it is. As a competitive person, it's like such a strategy game and luck. But. Oh, I am really into catan right now.

[B]

I've never played.

[A]

Oh, really?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It's a complicated game to learn because there are so many nuances to it. But if you're a game person and I'm a big game person, it's fun.

[B]

I know people love it.

[A]

Yeah. What about you? What are you obsessed with this brand.

[B]

That I'm unclear if it's maternity clothing or not. The models they use are not pregnant, but I was hit by a targeted ad. It's called the Lullaby Club. It's based in Australia.

[A]

I've heard of it.

[B]

I hadn't either, but they had like a plus size model and it was this really cute set and I was like, oh, size and close of cute outfit I have never seen or brand I've never heard of. I was like, let me look. And all the stuff is like very, very up my alley. It's like this linen, cotton blend matching. I got the shorts and pants. It's like this blue floral. I was looking for something really comfortable for vacation that I would wear in the SP and like, it's just so comfortable. The sizing is great. They have tons of cute stuff. It's like, I love it.

[A]

Is it pajamas? The name implies pajamas.

[B]

Some of them are, but they have like dresses. It's kind of like not nap dresses, but. Do you know that brand Sleeper?

[A]

No.

[B]

Daily Sleeper. They're Ukrainian. It's the kind of thing where it could be a really fancy pajama or it could just be a really cute casual set. But a lot of it is like matching sets. There's a lot of gingham. I'm obsessed with it. I'm so excited to wear it on vacation. It's been so long since I've like found a new brand that I'm like really into. The material is great. I just, I really liked it. I'm gonna buy more from there for sure.

[A]

Honestly, this sales pitch is doing it for me. I'm like pulling this up as we speak.

[B]

There's some really cute little dresses. I want to buy more. I wish I did actually, because it shipped from Australia and I was like, I really should make this worth it. But yeah, it's like not all of them are pregnant. But then like the description is like for Mamas. And I'm like, I'm not a mama, but I do like your clothes.

[A]

So fair.

[B]

Okay. They're all very loose and flowy, like kind of swing dresses.

[A]

Well, what I really want to hear about, and I feel like this is coming at a perfect time because we're recording kind of like halfway through our holiday break. Because I feel like sometimes this episode gets overloaded with books. But I want to hear what you've been reading.

[B]

Okay. So I've read five books since we last recorded. The first one is a book I was reading when we were in Portland. It's like pretty short and sweet and compact. Well, it's not sweet, it's pretty dark. But it's more of like a literary thriller. It's by this woman named Sash Bischoff. It's called Sweet Fury. And it's like the whole thing alludes to F. Scott Fitzgerald. And it's about a famous actress who starts seeing a therapist and sort of the very dark ways their lives intersect in past and present. But if you like books with like, literary references, if you like F. Scott Fitzgerald or you're just like into the Great Gatsby, I think you'll find it really interesting. Also, great cover. I really enjoyed the COVID Another great cover is I Read a Love Story by Maggie Stuart.

[A]

Based on the title alone.

[B]

It is very strange. It is literally about a woman who finds sort of like an amorphous blob fish looking creature behind a bar and then brings it home. And I really don't want to give anything away beyond that, but I really, really liked this. If you liked Piglet, I think you would like this. It's very strange. You kind of have to just be along for the ride. But it's very funny. It's very heartwarming. I had such like a tender spot in my soul for the main character. It's just different. It's really different and weird. It has a great cover, a great title. I really enjoyed it.

[A]

And both of these are forthcoming, correct?

[B]

Yes, I believe they both come out in January. And then the final book I read was the sequel by Jean Hoff Korlitz, which is the sequel to the plot, which I really loved and I read a couple months ago. I wasn't sure what to expect with this because I liked the first one, but I was like, I don't imagine how you could do this again and make it engaging. But I thought it was actually great. I don't know if I liked it as much as the first one, but I just loved all of the commentary and publishing so much and writing that I just found it really good. The writing is also impeccable. I think so, yeah.

[A]

Amazing.

[B]

Some good options. What have you read?

[A]

So I only read three books and I will talk about them all. The first book I read is Any Trope but yout by Victoria Levine. And this comes out in April. And if you remember, in our Best Books of the Year episode, somebody called and left the most effusive voicemail saying that this was the best book they read this year and it hadn't even come out yet. And I was so intrigued that I was like, I have to read this. So I got a copy on NetGalley and I started it on the plane ride to Portland and I had full intentions of writing a newsletter and doing some work and getting caught up on that flight light and I just got fully sucked into this book. I think this book is going to be huge. So it's a romance and it's very, as the title implies, trope centric, but in a self aware way. So the gist of the book is that this woman is a famous romance author who gets canceled when it's discovered that she doesn't actually believe in love. And she ends up going to get away from the social media fury. She ends up going to this like wilderness lodge in Alaska. And of course in real trope fashion, the proprietor son, very handsome son, is there and they have this like very trope filled enemies to lovers romance arc. That is so good. It's so good. Like the sexual tension, the chemistry between these two people is so, so good. And the book, I mean it is if you like Emily Henry or Abby Jimenez. I feel like it's very in this vein, but it also is its own thing where it didn't feel derivative of any of those. And it was so great, I gulped it down start to finish on that plane ride.

[B]

High praise.

[A]

High praise. Loved it.

[B]

The highest. Really the highest I see you give.

[A]

Yeah. I'm very curious if this will be like a Reese's Book Club pick or something like that. Like I think that this author has a very big year in store. The second book I read comes out in January and it's called the Favorites by Lane Fargo. And this is kind of Daisy Jones and the Six about a figure skating couple pair. So it's like an oral history about this figure skating duo who were like childhood first loves and then went on to become like huge ice dancing sensations. I thought this was so great. This is one of my favorite types of books where it's like a niche subculture that I know nothing about that I get totally sucked into. It's like you learn about this world and I thought it was phenomenal. It's like there's definitely an element of not mystery, but what happened. Because it's being told via a documentary that's happening in the present about the 20 years of their career. And certain people are in it in the documentary and certain people aren't. And so you're like, what happened to all of these people? I thought this was so fun.

[B]

Sounds great.

[A]

Yeah, it was great. It's like not a romance. I don't know what genre I would describe it as.

[B]

Yeah, I was gonna ask, I guess.

[A]

Maybe like book club fiction, women's fiction. Like there's romance elements, but it's certainly not a romance. But it's also not a thriller. So I don't know, somewhere in between. And then I had not read any Christmas books this year, so I wanted to read one. So on Christmas Eve, I started Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Car, which is kind of like an Agatha Christie style whodunit mystery with a strong romance. So I feel like real crowd pleaser in terms of genre. It's about two writers who get invited to this, like, mysterious Christmas party hosted by their biggest fan, and they like, go on a private jet to this woman's estate in England in like, rural England. And the first night the woman disappears and it's very unclear who's responsible. There's a house full of guests and it's very much in the style of. And Then There Were none by Agatha Christie. I thought this was so fun. Was it a perfect book? No. But as a holiday treat, Flew loved.

[B]

Do you know this author also wrote the Netflix Christmas movie A Castle for Christmas?

[A]

I did learn that in the. About the author. I did learn that, yeah.

[B]

Which was weird because I got those vibes very strongly while reading it. I was like, oh, yeah, that makes sense. Yeah.

[A]

I read another book by this author last year. So this author, I think has like a very beloved YA series that I don't think I was the right age for. And so I have no prior associations. But she wrote an adult action romance that was like a spy romance last year called the Blonde Identity. And it was really fun.

[B]

People love it.

[A]

I think that this author has really mastered pace in a way where it's like we're not lingering on, like, lovely writing. It's just like we're moving, like we're going. It feels like a movie in some ways.

[B]

Yes, I would agree with that.

[A]

You're not bogged down in backstory. Like we are just going and so I guess the recommendation's a little off season now, but for next Christmas, highly recommend.

[B]

Well, we've mentioned briefly our January book club pick, but do you want to tell the people again?

[A]

I would love to. So I think we're instituting a tradition. Who knows if it'll stick? But for the second year in a row we're going to do a nonfiction book, kind of a more self help style nonfiction book for January. And this year we're reading Stolen Focus by Johann Hari. And this book is about our dwindling ability to focus as a culture. It's touches really heavily on phone addiction and on technology. It focuses in a secondary level on like ADHD and things like that. I would not say that that is like why, if you're, if that's what you're most interested in, it like lightly touches that in a couple of chapters, but it's not the focus. I listened to this on audio last year after Leslie Stevens recommended it when she came on the podcast. Incredible audio listen. What I really liked about it as kind of a serial nonfiction abandoner is that it's told kind of in two threads. So there's a very personal narrative where the author talks about this summer where he goes off the grid to this beach house in Provincetown, Cape Cod and he leaves his phone and his computer behind and like really seeks to restore his focus and attention and kind of how that goes for him. And then alongside a more traditional like researched reported nonfiction of like, here are the studies, here's the history, here's all of this other stuff. And so that really worked for me that it was like the interweaving of the personal narrative and the more science y fact based narrative.

[B]

I'm very much looking forward to reading this.

[A]

Yeah, I feel like you of all people, given what we've talked about about phones, like I think I'm really excited to hear your thoughts and if anyone is just feeling weary uneasy of their relationship with their phone, highly recommend this. I will also repeat, I know that this author is a very controversial figure which we'll talk about in the episode. If you have strong feelings and you want to leave us a voicemail about that, the number's in the show notes or you can record a voice memo and send it to us@batonpaper podcast mail.com. but yeah, really excited to discuss this book and also if you read it along with us and have thoughts. We love voicemail. So send us your. Your thoughts, what it made you think of, how it made you reevaluate your. Your phone behavior. Yes.

[B]

And if you want to talk to us about goals, if you want to share your goals, you can.

[A]

Or a photo of a roast chicken or.

[B]

Yes, just any roast chicken content of any kind. Jarlic. I was abstaining from Jarlic inspiration. I don't know. Anyway, you can talk to us in the Bow and Paper Facebook group, which is under Bow and Paper Podcast, or on our Geneva group, which is also under Bound on Paper Podcast. We're on Instagram at Bound and Paper Podcast. I'm on Instagram and substack at Olivia Mentor.

[A]

I am on Instagram ecamfreeman. My substack is just Becca freeman.substack.com and if you're not familiar, that's just my newsletter, which I did say it's my goal to 2 exit. So if you would like to be part of that, I would love to have you there. Yeah.

[B]

Show your support if you want. All right, that's all. Happy 2025.

[A]

Happy 2025. We'll see you next week for three things.

[B]

Bye.