It’s the first Wednesday of the month and time for another posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.
I’m co-hosting this month. My co-hosts are: Deniz, Pat Garcia, Olga Godim, and Cathrina Constantine. Remember to stop by their blogs and say hi.
The optional question for this month: Do you write cliffhangers at the end of your stories? Are they a turn-off to you as a writer and/or a reader?
The short answer: if you write in series, opening the door without stepping through is enough of a cliffhanger for readers to want to read the next book (without wanting to kill you while waiting for it to come out).
It’s the last month of the year. I can barely believe it. But a good way to end the year is to look at what I did and what I had wanted to accomplish at the start of it.
A look at what I planned and what I completed:
- The goal I made in January to be kind to myself is probably the only one I consistently kept this year.
- I added another bookish post in May titled “Speed Dating Books” for all the series I started but didn’t finish as part of my goal to work through my TBR.
- My podcast episodes went as planned.
Surprising things that happened:
- My TBR did shrink, but somehow now exceeds 2k books… Oh, well.
- I listened to several audiobooks instead of reading the eBooks as planned.
- I published my podcast by season as audiobooks on my direct store to help pay for the hosting of my podcast. (Faeries and Folklore Podcast Audiobooks)
- I wrote and published a non-fiction book about everything audio based on my own experiences. (Adventures in Audio)
Writing and publishing wise…
I flitted from project-to-project, starting and stopping, editing and rewriting.
It’s been a difficult year. My beloved Oliver died, though that was expected at his age… Roosters aren’t supposed to live longer than dogs. It still shook me. I think my mum’s close brush with death early in the year had my feelings on the fragile side.
Some things went awry, like the AI system on Amazon deciding that I should be terminated, but even that worked out okay.
I had hoped to finish a series or two, as two are nearly done, but I only worked on one of them. I’m not really happy with how I handled the themes in the stories, so I’ll have to print them out and read with a fresh eye (and a red pen) to fix whatever isn’t working. But I think I’ll leave that for the new year.
But I did write. I did edit. I did rewritings on various projects. And it’s not like I was planning on publishing or marketing much anyway, so not doing it at all is fine. Slow and steady wins the race, right?
What I did like from all the things I’ve done this year, was building a bookcase. It’s something physical I can look at and be proud of accomplishing.
And I started to listen to the Ink and Magic Podcast. So much fun!
What did you do this year? Did you smash your goals? You can find more author-centred posts here.
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No-one writes about the fae like Ronel Janse van Vuuren.
Yes, I like your series definition, leaving the door open for the next book…but NOT a cliff hanger!
My sympathies for your loss of Oliver. I lost Locksley last month. In retrospect we (me and my lovely vet) think it might have been lung cancer, but he had got too weak for X-rays, very suddenly. It’s hard losing part of the family. Sending hugs.
Also congrats on the progress with your tbr! I took a swipe at mine by looking at all the titles I had listed in 2015 and earlier. If I hadn’t already got it, or had a pressing reason to read it, it got struck off. That got rid of 80! It’s under 900 now.
Have a good seasonal celebration, and a happy new year, and thanks once again for co-hosting.
Jemima
Thanks, Jemima 🙂 Yeah, losing part of the family always hurts. So sorry for the loss of your furbaby. That sounds like a good way to sort through the never-ending TBR…
I’m sorry you experiences losses and challenges this year. Glad the AI issue worked itself out.
Thanks for co-hosting today!
Thanks, Alex. It wouldn’t be life if we didn’t experience all the ups and downs.
Sounds like you grew a lot this year. So sorry about Oliver. I’m glad you had him in your life. Thanks for sharing and for co-hosting.
Thanks, Joylene. Yeah, it was quite a ride.
Hi Ronel,
Your bookcase looks amazing and congratulations for all the other accomplishments. Sorry about your rooster Oliver. Thank you for co-hosting this month.
Thanks, Kalpana 🙂
Lots of interesting bits on this post, Ronel. 2,000+ books on your TBR! I choke when mine hits 20! And I like the idea of publishing your podcast as audiobook. Clever that.
Thanks, Jacqui 🙂
I’m sorry for your loss of Oliver. Critters really worm their way into our hearts.
It sounds like you had a productive year, even if you did flit from project to project. You definitely made more progress than I did.
Thanks, Janet. They certainly do.
Hi,
My condolences for the loss of Oliver. I had a cat for 22 years and it was very hard for me to let go.
Thank you so much for co-hosting.
Have a Merry Christmas.
Shalom shalom
Thanks, Pat 🙂
Thank you for co-hosting this month! Being kind to yourself is one of the most important accomplishments I think! Congratulations on publishing your podcasts, that’s awesome!
Thanks, Kathryn. I agree that being kind to myself was a huge accomplishment 🙂
I’m so sorry about your rooster. Looks like you got a lot done. Weird about the AI thing.
Thank you. Yeah, AI doesn’t seem to like me much. LOL.
I like your recount of your year. Sounds like an excellent one to me. I had a good one–I’m still here and doing well. Otherwise I don’t know that my own account would be as compelling as yours.
Here’s to another great year in 2025.
Lee
Thanks, Lee. ‘Still alive!’ is a great accomplishment (and reminds me of the Croods — I should go and watch that again.)
Thank you for co-hosting today. You have certainly accomplished much to your credit this year! May next year help you reduce that TBR list!
Thanks, Gail 🙂
Sounds like you’ve had a good year! Thanks for co-hosting today. @samanthabwriter from
Balancing Act
Thanks, Samantha 🙂
Thanks for co-hosting today!
Sorry for your loss.
I didn’t smash my writing goals this year. So I’m taking it as a much needed writing break. Though my full plate will Follow into 2025, I hope to be able to dive in, after all the busyness dwindles down.
Thanks, Lidy.
Love your “Year in Review.” It’s a good way to gauge your productivity. Your year was impressive!
Thanks for co-hosting this month. Happy holidays!
Thanks, Diedre.
I love bookcases. You did a wonderful job with the one in your photo. I have 5+ bookcases in my house, but I didn’t build any of them.
You have more than 2K books in your TBR? That’s quite a list. I wonder how many do I have? I never counted, because my TBR fluctuates all the time.
Thanks, Olga. I keep track of my TBR through Goodreads and my annual reading challenge where I share reviews in April 🙂
2K books on your TBR! That’s a mountain, and I applaud your audacity. I don’t have enough bravery to count the books on my TBR. My current plan is just to keep adding books to the list and somehow figure out how to live forever. Failing this, I will hope the afterlife comes stocked with an infinite library. It’s my best hope, at this point.
Congratulations on your podcast! That takes a lot of time, effort, editing, and creativity and I think you’re awesome. Keep going 🙂
And thank you for co-hosting today. Happy IWSG day.
Thank you! I’m sure each time I add a series to my TBR I’m imagining myself to be immortal like the Highlander. LOL.
You sound wonderfully productive! Good point about series books needing a teaser at the end.
Thanks, Jennifer.
Thank you for a thought-provoking post! Good idea to evaluate the last year. I just started doing that by the month in a Word document where I track goals and progress. The thought that brings me comfort is that every decade brings us new challenges., though sometimes we’re not ready. Our job? To cherish each day. Photographs help keep memories close. I’m hopeful you have many good memories of Oliver.
Thanks, Beth 🙂
Thanks for stopping by my blog and thanks for co-hosting this month.
Sorry for the loss of your feather baby.
If cliffhangers were as you describe them, [leaving the door open] I wouldn’t mind them so much.
Congratulations on your nonfiction book. I haven’t read it yet, but I hope to do so when I have my winter vacation in 2 weeks.
Thanks, Toi 🙂 I hope you get something useful from the book.
Being kind to yourself is a big plus, Ronel. I need to remember this. Bravo on your podcast. Love your new shelves. I should keep track of my year as a writer, too. You are a great example.
Thanks for cohosting this month. Happy holidays!
Thanks, Victoria 🙂
I think the fact that I’m only just wandering in here now tells you about how things are going for me! I shouldn’t complain–writing took a back seat in 2024 to some amazing travel.
I think you did great–and I, too, take great satisfaction in building things. It’s nice to have something useful at the end of a day’s labor. I’m impressed with everything you did this year 🙂
Aw, thanks, Rebecca. I hope you enjoyed your travels 🙂