A Year in Review, Second Edition

Starting this blog two years ago turned out to be a natural evolution of chronicling my past. I have journals from the past decade and a half that are a record of the things that have happened to me personally, the evolution of my relationships and family, and the catalog of my goals and dreams. I wanted to do something more when I set out to begin pursuing publication and getting my stories on the page. I wanted to share the journey of what it takes, to build a community where fellow companions journeying on the path could talk about and find support in the process. There are answers I’m looking for, questions I haven’t even thought to ask yet, and things I’ve learned along the way that I enjoy talking about. I love writing and the process and I love talking with others about it.

This past year was both lovely and challenging. I started two manuscripts and did a complete revision of one of my finished manuscripts. I started querying and found the process of querying and being rejected is a journey in and of itself. I completed the Nanowrimo challenge, though it was right after my Papa passed away and that was a very difficult time. Having that challenge and story to escape into was both a relief and a burden. I also read books and studied the craft of writing. I really enjoyed reading The Plot Whisperer and took a lot from that book. I completed Neil Gaiman’s MasterClass which was phenomenal. It was a very balanced year, in that I was able to work on my stories and work on my craft. When times were good, I wrote, and when times were challenging, I wrote and that was the most important thing of all.

There are things I’m looking forward to accomplishing and sharing this year. I have a shelf of books and some titles on my Goodreads list that I’d like to read this year. I’m going to challenge myself to read more, both books on craft, books in my genre, and books for fun, though those categories tend to overlap. 😬 I want to finish the two manuscripts I started this past year and finish the manuscript that I’ve continually struggled with over the past several years. This will be the year I complete that story. I have more than a few manuscripts that could use revisions, but two rise to the top of the list. I’d like those two to be done before Nanowrimo, as they are important to the story I plan on completing for that challenge. More than anything this year, I’m excited to continue to write. I knew before I started, and it’s something I’m continuously aware of, that my writing would only get better by regularly doing it, by always moving forward in the challenges I would take on and the projects I would complete. My writing now is more detailed, more complex, and more alive than it has ever been. Looking back over these past two years has shown me that I can overcome challenges in my writing and that I am a better writer now because I continue to persevere. I am excited to see what the future holds and I’m excited to continue sharing the journey with you. ⭐️

Remember, your story is special and important because it is unique to you. You are appreciated and you are doing your best.

Happy Writing!