I write this on the early train to Sydney. It’s my first day back at my new job, at a major publishing company, after Christmas. It’s the second of January 2019 and I already know this year is gonna rock my life like no other… But lets not get ahead of ourselves. This post is about last year after all. Everything I did and accomplished. All the trials, fails and triumphs. So let’s get started shall we.

Work

We spend most our lives at work, so you want to make sure you’re doing something you like. That’s what some people say anyway. In 2018 (and some of 2017) I stayed in one job for the longest period I ever have (15 months). It was casual retail job and while there were times I hated it and every customer that walked through the doors, the women I worked were truly wonderful and will miss working with each of them. But you know how it is, if a major publishing company offers you a full time, ongoing job you don’t turn that shit down, even if you do have to commute 2.5 hours each way to get there.

I’d already left my other part-time position in the not-for-profit arts sector back in September. It was doing my head in and leaving freed me up to go on holiday and come up with a new novel idea (more below).

Life

Mat and I moved into our own home. Feels like a million years ago now, but if you read any of my earlier posts you probably know that we spent a good few months couch surfing across the end of 2017 and beginning of 2018. But come March we were fully settled in our own home, buying our own furniture and collecting our belongings from my mum’s place in Melbourne.

In November we finally made time for a holiday. A relaxing cruise to various Pacific Islands and it was just what we needed, if a bit rocky on the return journey. IT was the longest trip we’ve ever taken together that didn’t involve tents and dirt.

Writing

You could say writing wasn’t my strong suit in 2018. I did a fair bit of freelance work, and made the most money I ever have from that, but in terms of fiction it seemed like a bit of a dud.

In retrospect I don’t think it was. Sure I only had one story published which was actually accepted in 2017 and was completely unpaid, but I wrote heaps.

I wrote at least five new short stories that I rushed into submission (and thus rejection) but am now working on them again. I attempted a few novels, and while I did flounder and stop after the first acts I still learnt a lot.

Most recently I’ve begun another novel which is going great. I’m about 8000 words in (where I usually lose interest) and am still going strong. It’s a simple premise and plot which is probably what I needed to transition from short stories to a longer work. My goal is to finish the first draft (a messy scratchy thing) by the end of February. So I better stop talking to you and get to it.

Bye for now.