the year that was

The year 2012 has been a big year. It's been mostly positive. I've undertaken challenges that have pushed me out of my comfort zone and my confidence has grown in leaps and bounds. While there have been disappointments, I've been able to put these into context. To learn from them and bounce back relatively quickly.

The biggest lesson has been to follow my muse. To believe in myself more and to push harder. Up until I've only worked on one book/project at a time. If I had ideas for other things, I would push them away and just keep trotting along  with the one thing. This would make motivation hard to come by at certain points as inspiration waned and writing would become hard work.

My new work method has been to have a few things on the go. Then depending on my mood I would always have something I could dip into. I've been experimenting with this for a few months now and it seems to be working for me. When I get tired or hit a brick wall I move onto the new project, and then come back revitalised.

My greatest concern with this was that nothing would ever get finished, and I still don't know if this is a valid fear or not. What I do know that regardless of what happens I'm writing a lot more consistently and it's such a lovely process clearing the ideas out of my head.

Some achievements this year have been:

• I started writing poetry again after participating in January's month of poetry
• Had a poem published in Page Seventeen
  
• Completed Nano for the first time ever after 6 years of trying
  
• Got a new gig as a workshop facilitator running writing workshops at City of Melton Libraries
  
• I'm experimenting with genres
• Completed my first year of two years part time course in Grad Dip in Secondary Education
• Completed a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (again a goal I had for years and years)
• I became a writing advice columnist for on-line journal Sultana's Dream
• I participated in the Australian Women's Writing challenge and started reviewing books again. You can read all my reviews on Goodreads.
• Won third prize in a competition
• Attended two launches of student's work for Keilor Downs College as part of my 2011 Artists in Schools residency and 2012 residency at Gisborne Secondary College
• Launched my Young Writers' Newsletter
• And I've been working on my super secret project to be announced next year.

And next year I have some general goals:

• Write more
  
• Finish a book or two
  
• Keep submitting
  
• Complete my Grad Dip
  
• Laugh a lot (an easy goal to achieve with my lovely girl)
  
• And love life
  

I wish you all a Happy New Year. I hope 2013 is kind to you and that you look back on the year that was with a fond sigh.