My 2019

Writing Year in Review

This year, I published four novels, 5 short stories, 1 novella, and 2 box sets.  Obviously the lengths of story definitions can vary, but I'm not feeling too technical right now. :)  I should add that some of the short stories were written before 2019 as Patreon rewards.

For me, this year held some hard times and some burnout, and I ended up getting less done than I'd hoped.  Some things I was very proud of, and sometimes I just felt discouraged and like none of it was really worth bothering with.  The most meaningful story for me to write (and the hardest) was "You're Worth It."  But I'm not sure it was the best.  I'm not sure there was a best this year! 

I wrote about 281,000 words this year, which I do not consider highly productive.  It's less than 800 words a day--not my best average!  (Average obviously doesn't mean the pace at which I actually write, because I had one month with under 1k, and one month with over 80k.)

And I don't know how much of the year was devoted to editing--whether you can tell or not, haha--but I can tell you it was a lot, and I found it challenging.  For me, writing is easier than editing by a long shot.  Not always easy, but much less awful than questioning everything I wrote and trying to fix it all up.

I've had years where I wrote over a million words of fiction in a year and published most of it.  (But that could be one of the reasons I've been struggling with burnout.  That may have been an unsustainable pace for me.)

I won't deny I'd like to step up my game as an author in 2020, but I can't promise anything.  I'm not planning any new ventures like audio, and I can't promise that I'll be a better or faster writer, or how much I'll manage to write and actually publish.  I can only tell you that I'm still trying, and I think I still have some stories to tell.  I'm currently plugging away, as well as trying to regain the joy of writing and replenish my idea well.

Thank you for sticking with me this year.  I hope you have a great 2020.

love,
Hollis

               

bumps in the road

The last few months have been full of challenges.  Illness, depression, writing fatigue, world events, family issues, money issues, struggling to be creative, and general health stuff.

The other day I had a car accident.  I am OK (painful bruises, though).

Anyway, life has had some "interesting" curveballs for me this year.  I'm doing my best.  Through it all, I'm always working on one story or another (or editing).

Taxes are a bit of a burden.  The inherent instability of doing something creative as a business has some stress with it.  I'm still passionate about writing, and try to get my stories out in a timely manner.

I'm probably going to change the Patreon; a short story a month is taking away from my longer (and better paying) work.  I have to consider money; I don't have endless time and energy and creativity.  I need to focus where it will be the most valued.

Still figuring it all out.  Hanging in there.  Not giving up--but there have been some challenges.  Now I'm going to shuffle out to the kitchen, drink some cold brew coffee, and look out the window at the sunflowers growing in my garden--and count my blessings.

-Hollis