As writers (indeed, as practitioners of any form of art) it’s often too easy to dwell on what we haven’t achieved, rather than what we have accomplished.
I’m guilty of this. I often raise my creative bar impossibly high, and set myself productivity goals and benchmarks of success that simply don’t align with my work and family life. As a consequence, I’m often left feeling like I’ve failed myself and my art. Silly, huh? I’m working on it.
My two words for 2023 are: Balance and Vitality. I aim to use their themes to underscore all aspects of my life this year, and help guide my intentions and mindset.
Many writers post a list of their ‘year in review’ and I think it’s a great way to overthrow any negative feelings you might hold about your personal output. You might not have set the world on fire (according to your own goals), but you’ve written, damnit! And maybe, along the way, and in between the rejections, you’ve had a few wins, in whichever shape they take.
As we move into 2023, my creative advice is simply this:
- Be bold.
- Be patient.
- Be kind.
- Share.
- Do not compare yourself to others.
- Remember, a high tide raises everyone’s boat.
- Make the art you love, regardless of whether it’s deemed ‘commercial’ enough. Writing to a trend or market when it’s not your jam does not a happy writer make. When you attempt to shoe horn your work into a space and place not carved from authenticity it will also show in your writing.
- HAVE FUN.
With that said, below is my 2022 Writing Year in Review. Despite my inner critic telling me otherwise, it’s actually been a very positive year.
Why not make a list of your writing activity from 2022? Even if it’s just a word count. You’ll be surprised at what you’ve achieved.
Happy New Year to you all, and of course happy reading, happy writing, and happy days for 2023.
Awards and Honours
- Finalist – Ditmar Awards – Best Collected Work
- Finalist – Ditmar Awards – Best Novella / Novelette
- Finalist – Aurealis Awards – Best Fantasy Novella
Finalist – Australian Shadows Award – Long Fiction Category
Finalist – Australian Shadows Award – Poetry Category - Honourable Mention – Dishlickers – Mornington Peninsula Shire Mayor’s Writing Award
Residencies
Two-week Police Point Artist’s Residency, Point Nepean (Mornington Peninsula Shire)
Contracts
- Middle Grade Novel Sea Glass – Wombat Books (Release date: March 1, 2023)
- Middle Grade Novel Jonty’s Unicorn – IFWG Publishing Australia (Release date: November, 2023)
Publications
Short Fiction
Fawdaze ‘From The Wasteland’ Anthology, PS Publishing
Poetry
- If I Touch You, You’ll Know Nightmare Fuel Magazine
- The House Contrition Built Midnight Echo #17, AHWA
- House Spectral Realms, Hippocampus Press
Articles
Gateways to Horror: Defining Books that Sparked a Love of Genre Aurealis Magazine Issue #151
Writing Life and Community
- Ambassador, Australia Reads
- Vice President, Peninsula Writers’ Club
- Co-Director, Little Stories, Big Ideas
The Numbers!
- Pitches: 3
- Submissions: 17
- Rejections: 48
- Competitions Entered: 4
- Grants/Residencies Applied For: 3 (no cigar, dear reader!)
- Books taken to acquisitions: 1 (no cigar, dear reader!)
- New Manuscripts completed: 2
- Works rewritten on request: 1 (no cigar, dear reader!)
