December 2021

It's December, and it's also my last post of 2021. Last year around this time, I decided to start a few things, a couple of good habits that would give me a reason to get in the chair, behind the screen, and write a few things. I also wanted a little more connection to other writers. 

Early on, I decided that I would use my Twitter account to connect with some readers and other writers as well as post something every day. I did that, and every day I posted, I added the hashtag of #writing or #notwriting. The #notwriting hashtag was really so that I acknowledged on that day that I wasn't writing and did not plan to. And that was ok because I was choosing not to. 

I posted an update to Twitter every day. Along with a bit of help, I grew my followers to 1570. I had given myself the arbitrary goal of 2000 followers. I should have been clever and shot for 2021 followers in 2021, but I just realized I could have. My imagination was focused on other things, it seems. (I also just tweeted that goal with a #writerslift call out to see if there could be a post-Christmas miracle.) 

Aside from clicking around on Twitter, I started a blog with the goal of a monthly post. I have been very consistent and will likely keep posting something monthly. It's a good way to reflect on what did or did not happen. What I accomplished and what I want to achieve. 

I joined the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance to see what that meant and what kind of connections I could make. I guess it works for some folks, but aside from the monthly newsletter, I did not get much from it. I joined a writers group that met over zoom due to Covid for most of the year. There was a couple of in-person meetings in the Summer, but I didn't make it. It was an interesting experience, and I learned a lot by participating. I stopped about halfway through the year when I realized I was spending more time reading and thinking about other people's work more than my own. While the feedback and the connection to other writers were good, I ended up a little anxious and not focused on my own work. I gave it a good shot, though, and it was fun to connect. I may start back up at some point in the future, but I'm good for now.

Since this was the year to do things with my writing, I also sent out a few queries to some agents to see if there was any interest. While I think this is truly a worthwhile endeavor, I don't seem to have the heart for it. I would love to work with an agent, but I would much rather write than try to woo one. Maybe if I connect with enough people and share enough of my writing and stories, an agent might come looking for me. 

I wrote a couple of short stories with specific publications in mind. This was not something I had ever done before, and I think it was good. My writing prompts in the past had always been self-generated, so it was a good exercise. The results? One story was turned down, and the other is pending acceptance or rejection. Sometimes I don't think I have the heart for this bit either. It's nice to just publish a story and get it to the readers (any readers) than waiting for a response. I'll keep doing this, though, and attempt to share a few short stories with a broader audience. 

For the year, I wrote five short stories that I struggled to keep from becoming novellas, and honestly, a few of them unapologetically are. I did manage to keep a couple of them at a short story length. I'll keep trying. Along with those, I finished an actual novella that I need to edit and publish. I'll make that a goal for 2022 and try to follow thru with it.

Lots of books read, lots of words written, and a bunch of connections to the writing world to let me know that when I question what the hell I'm doing with my time, I am not alone. 

My goals for 2022? I'll keep writing, keep editing, and maybe publish something.

Here's a photo of me walking Violet (Photo Credit: Jennifer Gammon)