My 2026 Author (and Life) Goals: Soar, But Stay Grounded
We’re walking into a brand new year, and for the first time in a long time, I don’t feel like I’m bracing for impact.
If you’ve been reading along, you know my word for 2026 is SOAR.
Not “survive.” Not “keep up.” Not even “grow” or “intentional” (those were 2024 and 2025). This year, I want to actually let myself fly a little.
So today, I’m sharing my big goals for 2026—author, business, and life. Some of them are ambitious, some are scary, and all of them feel aligned with the version of me who is finally ready for what she’s been working toward.
1. Publish Four Books in 2026
Let’s start with the big one.
My first goal for 2026 is to publish four books.
Is it ambitious? Absolutely.
Do I feel good about it? Also yes.
The main reason this feels possible (instead of delusional 🫠) is the Ashenheart series. I have this series so seriously outlined and developed that the drafting feels more like filling in the details than starting from a blank page.
The characters, the world, the emotional beats—they’re already living in my head. Now it’s about:
tightening arcs
sharpening conflict
layering in those little gut-punch details that make dark romance hit the way it should
The one partial “wild card” in this plan is book four.
The Christmas Novella Dream
I would love to write a Christmas novella in 2026.
Will it be Ashenheart-related?
Maybe. (Tell me you wouldn’t read a holiday novella with one of the Ashenheart men trying to survive Christmas. 😂)
Or it might be something completely separate—a little side project that lets me play in a different corner of my brain while still staying on brand with wounded, wild, messy humans.
Either way, that novella would be from scratch. It’s the one that scares me just enough to be exciting.
2. Attend Three (or More) Author Events & Signings
Goal number two: get out from behind the screen.
In 2026, I want to attend three or more author events/signings.
So far, that looks like:
✅ Wild Deadwood Reads in June
✅ Back to Vegas in November
✨ Hopefully at least one more event in between or around those
Author Nation opened my eyes to how valuable in-person events really are. I knew they mattered for business, but being there in person—talking to readers, hugging author friends, feeling that energy—it refilled my creative well in a way you don’t get from just watching everything online.
In-person events are:
visibility
networking
business strategy
…but they’re also motivation.
They’re a reminder that your stories live in other people’s hands and hearts.
I’m excited to grow more here.
3. Consistently Write on My Blog (2x a Week)
Goal number three might not sound flashy, but it’s a big one for me:
Consistently write on my blog, twice a week.
Chaos in the Margins has become this little home for all the things that don’t always fit neatly on TikTok or Instagram—behind-the-scenes thoughts, craft and business reflections, personal updates, the messy middle of indie author life.
In 2026, I want to:
treat my blog like a real part of my author ecosystem
show up there regularly
build a steady rhythm of two posts a week
Not perfection. Not daily. Just consistent.
4. Show Up Where It Matters (and Let the Rest Go)
Alongside blogging, my wider goal is to show up consistently in the places that actually matter for me and my readers.
For 2026, that means:
Instagram
TikTok
My website & blog
My newsletter
These are the platforms that feel the most aligned with my readers and my energy. So that’s where my focus will be.
Everything else?
If stuff gets cross-posted—great.
But I’m not stretching myself thin trying to be everywhere.
“Soar” doesn’t mean “do more.”
It means aim higher with intention.
5. Life Goals: Health, Home, Money, and Black Mountain Waste
Now for the non-author side of my life—because that absolutely impacts everything above.
In 2026, I want to:
be outside more
walk every day
make healthier food choices
be very consistent with homeschooling
save money and learn more about investing
keep growing our business, Black Mountain Waste
I get told all the time that people don’t know how I do everything.
A lot of days, neither do I.
This year, I want to focus really hard on:
my physical health
my mental health
and growing my two businesses (author + trash)
Our big-picture family goal is to support ourselves with those two businesses alone. Is that going to be hard work? Yes. Am I excited about it? Also yes.
Because that’s the dream: doing work we care about, building something we own, and creating a life that fits who we actually are.
The Heart Behind It All
Underneath all of these goals—four books, events, blogging, health, homeschooling, money, Black Mountain Waste—is something simple:
I want my life and my businesses to feel like something I’m intentionally building, not something I’m constantly trying to catch up with.
I’ve had years where “stay afloat” was the only realistic goal. Between babies, surgeries, job losses, COVID, building a trash company, and all the chaos life throws at us, there were seasons where my brain simply couldn’t hold more than “write when you can and keep the kids alive.”
Now, my kids are 7 and 3. I’m still busy. There’s still plenty of chaos. But I’m in a steadier mental place, and I finally have a clear idea of what I want.
2026 feels like the first year where my capacity and my ambition actually match.
Will everything go exactly according to plan? Absolutely not.
But I’m going into this year with clear goals, realistic focus, and a word that makes me a little nervous in the best way:
SOAR.
Your Turn: What Are Your 2026 Goals?
Now I want to hear from you:
What are your goals for 2026—author or otherwise?
Do you have a word of the year?
Are you focusing on writing, business, health, family, money, or something else entirely?
Drop your goals or your word of the year in the comments, or send me an email at shalanabattles@gmail.com and tell me what you’re working toward.
Here’s to a year of building, believing, and—when we’re ready—finally letting ourselves soar. 🕊️✨
