Hello again Fellow Children’s Writers and Friends,

Posting twice in one month! I haven’t done that since the early days of the blog when I ambitiously, but naively attempted to post fortnightly if not weekly. I would normally have this as part of the opening post for the year, but that was long enough as it was. Besides I hadn’t cemented my choices by then. I’m referring to my word/s of the year. After a fair amount of deliberation and some soul searching, here they are. 

Trust came immediately, and as it transpires, it was one of my two from last year. I suppose I either did not master it (if you ever can) or it served me well and warrants repeating. The other being ‘build,’ which I absolutely did! (See my last post) This years supplementary words of the year seem at odds with each other. Yet, both Discipline and Flexibility are what I’ll need to create in 2026. 

The word discipline with the simplest font gave me (or my human, not AI hand) most difficulty, notably the C and the N and I find it interesting that one of those letters is close to the beginning of the word and one towards the end. Is it just me or is that when it can be hardest to be disciplined? It is for me, although I know a lot of people complain of getting past the middle, but then I mostly write short form so I’m usually on a roll by then and it’s not an issue. What about you? Is discipline an issue and if so, where in the creative process, beginning, middle or end? Share below.

Discipline is going to be important to me this year as I learn to navigate new work and family schedules.

Likewise, flexibility will be necessary as my Dad’s health is not what it was and my brothers and I are going to be called upon increasingly for his care. You’ll notice both that word and this whole cover page of my ‘12 Days of Christmas For Writers to make 2026 my best writing year yet’ (Julie Hedlund) is incomplete and that’s for three reasons: Prioritising, flexibility and fun.

Firstly, it was more important to get this blog post done and my words out into the universe. An exercise in flexibility itself and finally, fun! It’s a bit of cosy colouring and creativity downtime, adding to it if and when I need/want to. 

Fun Fact: The block letters chosen for Trust, not only represent the solid foundation trust will provide me this year, but are the letters I favoured as an upper primary school child. Why? I was one of the few who mastered them, in fact, I was probably better then, having not used them since High School. They gave me some much needed kudos as to my shame, I couldn’t master the trendy bubble letters of the day. Could you? I’d love to know— I think 🤔 😳🫣 Let me know in the comments anyway.

So there you have it, I hope these words serve me and those around me as well as last year’s did.

Farewell fellow travellers,

Savour the Quest,

Journeygirl