My Writing Bucket List: Dreams, Goals, and Gratitude

Why I Write and Where I Hope My Words Will Take Me

Writer at his desk

The Vision Behind My Writing Journey

 No matter who you are or where you come from, everyone has a dream, something they’d like to accomplish during their lifetime. As a writer, my bucket list, as some call it, serves as both inspiration and a guiding light. Writing has always been more than just a hobby. It has always called to me, even when I wasn’t listening. I’m listening now, and today, I’m going to share the goals that drive me, and the gratitude that keeps me grounded along the way.

Books on table

1. Publish At Least One Book

   
   

At the top of my writing bucket list is a goal I’ve had since I was a student, though I lost my way a bit in my teens and twenties. I want to publish a book. I’ve always loved books and writing, but writing feels more like a calling than just a hobby for me. I’ve always believed that books have the power to change lives. The idea of changing at least one life with my words is both encouraging and humbling. Whether I publish one of the many works of fiction hiding among my files, a memoir, or an essay collection, I want to leave something that will resonate with readers long after I’m gone.

I’ve had multiple novel ideas come and go. One has stuck with me. It’s autobiographical in that the main character’s conflicts and desires are at least loosely based on my own. The protagonist is an aspiring writer with anxiety and doubt issues. His views of his family reflect the misguided view I had in my youth. I may post chapters of that piece, along with some pieces of shorter fiction, on this blog at some point. Let me know in the comments or by email if that’s something you’d like to see. Whatever the means, the goal in the end is to spend my time writing and sustain a lifestyle that fits me.  

Creative writer outdoors

2. Make a Living From My Writing

   
   

Though the dream has always started with publication, it doesn’t end there. I want to make writing my job. Whether it was through blogs like this one, short fiction, or a novel or two—or more—or any combination of those things, I wanted to make a living solely by writing. The goal is to wake up each day knowing that my creativity, my story, and my words can combine to sustain the life I want.

I used to think the dream of making a living writing was exactly that, a dream. I was convinced that it was just a hobby, and that was because that’s what I was always told. Things have changed, however. The internet has made it easy to write and share content with others. Publishing has also changed. Thanks to platforms such as Amazon, independent authors can publish their own work, putting the ball in their court, if you’ll pardon the cliche. Thanks to the internet and the continuous progress of publishing, my confidence has been renewed. I now go to the desk every day in some capacity, and I do so knowing that the dream of a writing career in a lakeside retreat is possible. All I need to do is keep trying.

Cabin near lake

3. Own a Lakeside Writing Retreat

   
   

Picture if you will, a tranquil lake house on a lake in Wisconsin’s north woods. You look at the sunrise from your screened-in porch as it casts its light over the lake, making it shimmer with a beauty you can’t experience anywhere else. Now picture this not being a vacation home, but your everyday residence. Picture being able to wake up every day, grab your laptop—or your typewriter, if you prefer—sit in a comfortable chair on your screened-in porch, and say to yourself, “I’m at work.” This is exactly what I envisioned for my life, a creative waterfront sanctuary where there’s nothing between me and the words on the page except the view. This goal is not about luxury or status. It’s about putting myself in an environment that allows me to create without pressure, and that has always been possible at the lake.

I remember fondly my family’s annual fishing trips. The lakes we visited varied based on accommodation availability, but each trip brought a sense of relaxation that I couldn’t get on even the best days at home. This past summer, I sat on the screened-in porch of my cabin—the inspiration for my intro to this section—and wrote most three blog posts along with a chapter in a novel I’ve been working on. There’s just something for me about being near a lake that is inspiring, and it feels like home, even more so than my current rural home. I can’t thank my parents enough for showing me the pleasures of growing up in the country. One of the many things they’ve done for me.

Family

4. Give Back to My Parents and Family

   
   

As much as I avoided saying this for many years, none of what I’m doing would be possible without my family’s support. They took me in after an unpleasant situation got worse, when they could have—and probably should have—sat back and let me suffer my mistake. Luckily, I suffered just enough to learn a lesson. The lesson was simple. Listen to what your family is telling you and don’t just hear what you want to.

I left my parents’ house for the first time at 23. Legally, I’d been an adult for five years (give or take a few months). Mentally and emotionally, however, I was nowhere close to adulthood. I wasn’t ready, but I thought I was. I thought I knew it all, but I knew nothing of the world beyond my parents’ house. Truth be told, I’m 37 as of this August, and I’m still learning. I have my parents to thank for the realization that it’s ok for that to be true. I was conflicted in my twenties. Deep down, I think I knew I wasn’t ready. But I was determined to show the world I was different from other people with cerebral palsy, that I didn’t need to spend my adult life living with my parents too, that I didn’t need the government’s help to live a good life outside of their home. That determination, while admirable on the surface, was my undoing. 

It took me five years and several failed relationships, both platonic and romantic, to figure out that writing was what I really wanted to do, and in November of 2022, this blog was born. My dad would sometimes come into my office while I was working on an article or a story draft, hand me a beer, and say something like, “Don’t forget about your old man when your writing starts making money.” Trust me, Dad. I won’t forget. I won’t forget about anyone who has supported me, and hopefully, it’s not too late to pass on the tradition.

Family portrait

5. Build a Family of My Own

   
   

Another life goal close to my heart, though I fear I’m getting too old for it now, is to have a family of my own. I’ve had relationships with women who had kids from previous relationships, and I got painfully close to some kids to the point I miss them more than their mom. I always brushed off the possibility of being a father, but deep down I wanted kids of my own. Father’s day was always hard. Every year I would lament the fact I didn’t have kids, while being relieved that I wasn’t paying child support for a child I didn’t see. It was a strange paradox for me. My biggest fear, now that I’m able to freely admit it, was not being enough for my kids because of my disability.

It’s no secret I have trouble with some physical things. I always worried that would limit my abilities as a father. I wouldn’t be able to drive my wife or girlfriend to the hospital. I know I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the energy of a young child once they’re walking. I also wonder if I’m capable of unconditional love. Every relationship outside of my family, the bond was always conditional on some level. I fear I may have let some of that seep into my mind. I’m working on it, and sharing my thoughts really helps. I still hold out hope that I’ll find someone to grow with and who supports my creative endeavors, perhaps through a shared interest. I want to share my journey with someone who wants to be part of it for the journey, not just for the rewards. After many failed relationships, I’ve concluded. I’m focused on my craft until someone comes along whom I cannot imagine my life without, or they without me. I will settle for nothing less. Until then, I keep writing, and I keep moving forward.

Writer at work

Why I Keep Writing

Each item mentioned in this article is more than a goal. Every item on this list is a reminder of why I do this. It reinforces my desire to build toward my future, to create something that others can enjoy, learn from, or be inspired by. I continue on this path to give back to those who have given me opportunities. The journey has had its challenges, and there will be more, but every word that falls upon the page brings me closer to these dreams. I hope that sharing more than I have in previous articles and expressing my hopes and dreams on this page inspires others who read this to do the same.

What’s on your personal or professional bucket list? Do you have dreams you haven’t reached yet but still see them within reach? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below or feel free to reach out to me via email. I’d love to hear from you.