After a long fallow period following the publication of my first novel, A New Map of the Universe, 2012 has been an exciting year for me creatively, with the publication of my second novel Whisky Charlie Foxtrot (published in the US as Whiskey & Charlie). Like all writers I have also had plenty of rejections, unsuccessful applications for residencies and grants, slower progress than hoped on various projects and other frustrations and setbacks. Overall though, I feel that the achievements have far outweighed the disappointments for me this year.
Some of my highlights have been:
- Publishing my second novel Whisky Charlie Foxtrot (published in the US as Whiskey & Charlie)
- Receiving an inaugural Creative Australia Fellowship from the Australia Council
- Finishing a second draft of my third novel The Ark
- Contributing the ‘Year in Australian Fiction’ Essay to Westerly Journal
- Publishing a short story in Southerly Journal
- Starting a fourth novel, titled Ciudad
- Reading 52 books (and giving up on 14)
- Keeping track of all my reading and writing reviews on Goodreads
- Writing 69 blog posts
- Starting tweeting and gaining 147 followers (best Twitter moment: receiving a reply to a Tweet I wrote to Margaret Atwood!)
- Signing up for the Australian Women Writers Reading & Reviewing Challenge
- Taking part in the Top Ten Tuesday Meme
Your turn: How has 2012 been for you creatively? Have you written an end-of-year round-up? Please feel free to link to it in the comments.