In January, I announced that I had signed a non-traditional publishing deal with Thistle Publishing and then needed your advice on whether I should change the title of my novel, The Art of Letting Go. In February you discussed with me which books you haven't enjoyed despite common wisdom being that they are brilliant. Then in March my life changed completely when my wonderful son, Digory, was born, and I wrote him a letter about storytelling.
In April I took part in a podcast about novel-writing with Steve Dunne, and won a prize in a short story competition (Chudleigh Phoenix). I revealed my new website in May and the cover of my novel in July, just a week or two before The Art of Letting Go was published. I followed this up with a blog tour in August, along with being runner-up in Txtlit that month. Later in the year I received a certificate of distinction in the Mere Literary Festival timed flash fiction competition and rounded-off my story-telling by taking part in Simon P Clark's 1225 story challenge.
Along the way the readers of this blog - many of them brilliant writers - have discussed topics such as learning poetry, the absence of futuristic Booker Prize winners and why we bother studying literature in schools at all.
It's been a busy year! What have been your highlights?
As with last year, I'm not setting many goals for 2015. I'd love to finish the first draft of the novel I'm currently working on during my baby's nap times, and to enter a few flash fiction competitions, but my only real goals are to keep writing, keep reading great literature, and keep talking to fellow writers and readers about what we're passionate about. What are you aims for 2015?
God bless you all in the coming year and may you have a joyful Christmas!
Hi, Chloe. Thank you for sharing your journey through 2014 and here's to a creative and peaceful 2015.
ReplyDeleteThank-you, Derek. The same to you!
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