Day 366: The Year of Writing Challenge Has Finished

One year ago, I stepped away from my job and I started writing full-time.

I set the challenge for myself to write all year, make major progress with my work, and find a way to make it permanent.

I didn't know how I was going to do this journal entry today. I don't want to go into my successes and my failures, and I really don't want to spend the entire day reminiscing on this last year.

Because things have changed since last year.

I'm no longer given just one year to write. We've figured out a way to keep it going. I've met so many people this year, I've learned so much, and we all agree it's best to keep giving me a shot.

I've learned that I write diligently, but some days are harder than others. I've learned that if I read in the morning and write in the afternoon, I'll do much better work. And I've learned a lot of sillier lessons that I should have known before that I won't share here in fear someone fancy will see my ignorance.

There were definite failures. I didn't write a blog post every single day. By the end, I was so caught up in querying and writing and reading and researching that I didn't always get to my blog.

But there were also victories. I wrote six out of seven days a week. I finished my book and now am querying my book. I finished my thesis and mailed it in. I have a bunch of short stories sitting in my revision garage (I like to imagine my revision as a big car wash, with 90's music playing over the loudspeakers). I was accepted to Kimmel.

Today, I will finish reading my book. Then I will go plant a peony bush at Gramma's grave. Then I will come home and work on my new ghost story. And then I have a couple of grants to look into.

And then of course there's the next book.

Here's to the first year. Onto the second.