You could argue that 2016 would make a great horror movie. It was a year when the world went crazy, the far right won and everyone's heroes have been dying.
There have been some bad moments in my own writing progress too...
1. Reading - All writers need to be readers, yet I have done a woeful amount of reading this year. I have literally read 13 books this year. Roughly one measly book per month. I am hanging my head in shame.
2. Room 204 - I desperately wanted to be chosen for Room 204, the writer development programme run by Writing West Midlands. Here was my application video. Sadly, I was not chosen. Cue the Sound of Silence.
3. Nephos 3 - I started the year with high hopes of releasing my third Nephos novel. The story is plotted but I am nowhere near finished. 83,000 words ain't too shabby but I need to get faster to become a successful self-published author.
4. Breadcrumbs 2 - I also started the year with over-ambitious hopes of releasing my second short story collection. However, I only wrote five stories this year which, added to my 2015 total, means I only have enough for half a book.
5. Sales - I have sold very few copies of my three self-published books this year: The Sheriff, The Curse of Besti Bori and Breadcrumbs. I am not exactly pushing them on the marketing front, but I had hoped word of mouth might have bagged me a few extra sales, especially because I have spoken at several events this year. Never mind. Maybe next year!
But it wasn't all bad. Head this way for my writing highlights...
Sign up to Simon's newsletter to hear more about his reading and writing projects.
There have been some bad moments in my own writing progress too...
1. Reading - All writers need to be readers, yet I have done a woeful amount of reading this year. I have literally read 13 books this year. Roughly one measly book per month. I am hanging my head in shame.
2. Room 204 - I desperately wanted to be chosen for Room 204, the writer development programme run by Writing West Midlands. Here was my application video. Sadly, I was not chosen. Cue the Sound of Silence.
3. Nephos 3 - I started the year with high hopes of releasing my third Nephos novel. The story is plotted but I am nowhere near finished. 83,000 words ain't too shabby but I need to get faster to become a successful self-published author.
4. Breadcrumbs 2 - I also started the year with over-ambitious hopes of releasing my second short story collection. However, I only wrote five stories this year which, added to my 2015 total, means I only have enough for half a book.
5. Sales - I have sold very few copies of my three self-published books this year: The Sheriff, The Curse of Besti Bori and Breadcrumbs. I am not exactly pushing them on the marketing front, but I had hoped word of mouth might have bagged me a few extra sales, especially because I have spoken at several events this year. Never mind. Maybe next year!
But it wasn't all bad. Head this way for my writing highlights...
Sign up to Simon's newsletter to hear more about his reading and writing projects.