WHATEVER HAPPENED TO 2012...
Yep another Christmas has been (and gone)....Boxing day today and I'm off to visit my sister (and nieces and nephews) in the countryside....I'll return just before work on New Years Eve. Just in time to get ready for the new year which of course leads one to thinking what on earth happened to this one?
In one way I did a lot....hell of a lot----went to Tasmania for last years Christmas present (hubby and I retraced the first days of our honeymoon over 30 years ago) - have to go back as I so want to do some walking....
We even managed to get some stuff done around the house...wardrobes refitted, bookcases stained, new lighting, blinds for the lounge and dining rooms, new car and lots and lots of trees cut down and garden beds put in...the back yard is virtually unrecognisable from what it once was.
This year, not only did I go to a few concerts, and Agatha Christies' Mouse Trap, I ventured to a few local plays up here in Emerald, as well as my first burlesque show (wow).
And of course I channelled my inner Biggles - or perhaps the Red Baron -
The other huge impact this year, in a very personal way, was one niece living with us while she worked close by- and another popping in on weekends as she travelled from studying in Ballarat down to her boyfriend on the peninsula or back home to her parents.
It gave us a chance to know each other as adults, not only as aunt and nieces...and we've definitely had some fun this year.
So all of the above could explain why I feel that I've done very little on the writing side of things. But then don't we always feel this way...don't our TO DO List always spread for pages while those little ticks on things accomplished look so minute and not worthy....or pehaps thats just me.
I know what I've accomplished - this year I managed two writing retreats (one with the entire writing group, another smaller one with only those that could manage to get away) ....and I accomplished so much at both of these weekends. I wrote, I edited, I planned ....both of these times away with like minded folks really helped to get me back on track.
I began the year with the Month Of Poetry (which I'm hoping to do again this year)- and I really wrote a lot of poetry. If one out of ten of those are worth working on, I still have a lot of poems to send out....which is more than I've had previously. (I've also had more than poems than other years published this year). So even though I still feel as though I'm working in the dark regarding my poetry... I think I'm beginning to find my voice, my style.
This year I also worked on two novels- young adult and children's- both got feedback, and while neither was accepted for publication...the feedback has helped enormously. So much of a learning curve.
Short stories have taken a back seat this year....and I do miss them. Novels are huge unwieldily pieces that often take over your life... poems are snippets that need discipline to keep then that way....so the writing of a short story in another form of work. Perhaps I'll work on them next year? Who knows, too early yet to think of 2013 goals.
I've got out and about to different spoken words ( a few new ones for me)- I introduced above niece to these venues and the world of poets- I've been brave and asked work to stock my books (and heh presto there they are in the library system) - I've put stories out on the ebook arena (and sold some)- I've reviewed YA novels for YA web site, reviewed children's picture books for book website -ran a writing workshop and then a storytelling cafe....
So this year hasn't been the complete dud I thought it was. Looking back I did a lot, in some aspects my confidence grew, in others it faded away...but I've kept on writing. Kept on sending work out, editing, redrafting, writing, sending out....
So here's to 2012 ....it was a damned busy and fruitful year. A totally enjoyable year. A year to look back on and say' wow I did a lot!'
In one way I did a lot....hell of a lot----went to Tasmania for last years Christmas present (hubby and I retraced the first days of our honeymoon over 30 years ago) - have to go back as I so want to do some walking....
We holidayed in Vanuatu which was stunning and surreal and wonderful - a lot of personal firsts for me on that trip---snorkelling, allowing huge mother of a spider to walk on my hand, to stand on the edge of an active volcano....
This year, not only did I go to a few concerts, and Agatha Christies' Mouse Trap, I ventured to a few local plays up here in Emerald, as well as my first burlesque show (wow).
And of course I channelled my inner Biggles - or perhaps the Red Baron -
The other huge impact this year, in a very personal way, was one niece living with us while she worked close by- and another popping in on weekends as she travelled from studying in Ballarat down to her boyfriend on the peninsula or back home to her parents.
It gave us a chance to know each other as adults, not only as aunt and nieces...and we've definitely had some fun this year.
And Santa decided (in his madness) to give me a horse for Christmas... I think 2013 will be the year of horse stories --- how a novice figures out which end is which....etc...
So all of the above could explain why I feel that I've done very little on the writing side of things. But then don't we always feel this way...don't our TO DO List always spread for pages while those little ticks on things accomplished look so minute and not worthy....or pehaps thats just me.
I know what I've accomplished - this year I managed two writing retreats (one with the entire writing group, another smaller one with only those that could manage to get away) ....and I accomplished so much at both of these weekends. I wrote, I edited, I planned ....both of these times away with like minded folks really helped to get me back on track.
I began the year with the Month Of Poetry (which I'm hoping to do again this year)- and I really wrote a lot of poetry. If one out of ten of those are worth working on, I still have a lot of poems to send out....which is more than I've had previously. (I've also had more than poems than other years published this year). So even though I still feel as though I'm working in the dark regarding my poetry... I think I'm beginning to find my voice, my style.
Short stories have taken a back seat this year....and I do miss them. Novels are huge unwieldily pieces that often take over your life... poems are snippets that need discipline to keep then that way....so the writing of a short story in another form of work. Perhaps I'll work on them next year? Who knows, too early yet to think of 2013 goals.
I've got out and about to different spoken words ( a few new ones for me)- I introduced above niece to these venues and the world of poets- I've been brave and asked work to stock my books (and heh presto there they are in the library system) - I've put stories out on the ebook arena (and sold some)- I've reviewed YA novels for YA web site, reviewed children's picture books for book website -ran a writing workshop and then a storytelling cafe....
So this year hasn't been the complete dud I thought it was. Looking back I did a lot, in some aspects my confidence grew, in others it faded away...but I've kept on writing. Kept on sending work out, editing, redrafting, writing, sending out....
So here's to 2012 ....it was a damned busy and fruitful year. A totally enjoyable year. A year to look back on and say' wow I did a lot!'
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