REVIEW AS PREVIEW -- 2023
My writing track this last year leading to new projects for 2024.
A “Year in Review” and “New Year’s Look-Ahead” is common fare among blogs at this time of year. Such posts are a strong compulsion, reflecting the human need for closure. I feel it, too. So here’s my end-of-year post.
LOOKING BACK AT 2023
1. Launch of Ray’s Wider World (Substack). I started this substack and canceled my WordPress site’s auto-renewal so it would expire by year’s end. I began posting regular reports of my observations of the stock market and world weather. These are subjects I have followed for a long time, and I wanted to produce regular reports to track trends in each area. I believe there are clues in global finance and weather behaviour as to what’s happening, and is about to happen in the world.
2. Began drawing again. Because I wanted illustrations for my Dentville novels but couldn’t afford to hire an artist, I decided to do it myself. I was a decent artist in my youth and I have found I can still sketch, at least well enough, maybe. I especially wanted maps, so I began with that. It has become therapy for me.
3. Revised Power of the Ancients. In rereading my first novel, I made a lot of adjustments to the text to better satisfy the story’s world-building and smooth the narrative flow. The story is not changed, but it should read better. I also created three maps and one illustration that I feel the novel needs. These will be included in the hard cover revision I publish on Amazon in 2024.
4. Made structure revisions in Legacy of the Ancients. I spent a few months making big adjustments to the plot structure of my follow-up to Power of the Ancients. I am back to drafting and having it critiqued, but there is still much to do.
5. Researched screenplay writing. I have been interested in how to tell stories in a screenplay format for some time. In 2023, I did some serious studying on the subject and picked up some insight that helped my novel-writing. I am hoping a knowledge of screenplay format and storytelling will feature in a couple of projects I have in mind.
6. Came up with new writing projects and rejected them. My screenplay studies and novel revisions prompted new ideas for projects. After much thought and sketching out ideas, I either rejected or postponed them. I note this as an example of the creative process in progress.
7. Another year’s work with my writer’s group. Critiques of my work from this group of writers has been very helpful over the years. 2023 was no different. I have also learned much from them about the different takes on storytelling seen in a writers’ association (a couple of beta readings I did were also educational). This is knowledge I want to take into a project for 2024.
8. House renovation. This was not writing and was mostly my wife’s project, but it was something I was involved with in 2023. It did produce a more congenial physical environment and included moving my study, which worked out.
Of course, a lot more happened over the year, but I’m only noting those events related to writing that had some impact on this substack, my writing work, and those who follow it. I will do the same for my look-ahead to 2024, where my work will ride the momentum started in 2023.
