Well, since it’s been about a year (yeesh) since I updated, I thought it was about time! Call it the inherent reflectiveness that sparks as the end of the year nears, or my motivation to share my thoughts rattle a little more loudly, that spurred this on. Or guilt. Probably a bit of a mix. But it was time I addressed briefly what happened in 2021 so that I can move on from it to bigger, brighter things.

The year of our Lord 2021 was wild. Not in the way I had wanted, because I had some big plans and ambitious goals I wanted to accomplish. But setting goals as though every day could be an ideal writing day and not allowing for imbalance and burnout- especially a massively overwhelming burnout that took a big chunk of the year- was a teeny bit of a mistake.

I had goals of finishing a new project from first draft to polished draft, having it beta read, edited, more beta reading, and beginning to work on a query. And I have to say, none of that got done. Not a single one.

And I don’t see any shame in that.

As mentioned, I burned out hard, fast, and in a spectacularly brutal fashion in February of 2021. It was fairly terrible and quiet disheartening and generally inevitable with the demands of my life amping up to a crazy degree. Factor in the complete lack of basic care I had been providing my creative soul, it was just going to happen. I was doing nothing but output and somehow thought that it was sustainable, while giving no input for recharging myself.

It was a great lesson to learn, and a needed one. It tore me down the centre, having the desire to write but not the energy for a long stretch of the year. It wasn’t endless though, as nothing is really so stagnant. Eventually I was able to right myself. I allowed myself creative rest, of a reprieve of accountability that would have turned into festering guilt and a prolonged sentence in burnout purgatory, and filled that well back up, as it were.

I should point out that nothing is linear either, so it wasn’t a straightforward journey, but I did get through the harder parts.

I also started something new. Because of course I did.

The project that got me back into writing was darker, more emotional, complex and generally a lovely reflection of walking backwards out of that harder place. My view was dark if not healing, and my project took on those notes too, just a little too much. It kept me in that mindset and with the energy, when I needed to move on. And eventually, although loving that project, I decided to move onto something a little brighter, softer, warmer.

That’s where I am now. As of mid-summer, I decided to put that darker project aside (for now) and move on a project called Savage Magic, a fantasy romance novel that I have been casually brainstorming for years. It’s a series that I’ve had the joy of brainstorming and expanding on, loving nearly every minute. Bumps on the road are useful things so I’ve embraced the couple small ones that have popped up.

Through it, I’m still mindful of the Big Epic Burnout of 2021 that happened, and have been allowing (and encouraging) lots of reading, lots of gentle reminders that I’m doing okay, lots of focusing on the joys while embracing the lows.

So that was 2021, and grateful for all the learning that it brought but I am more than happy to leave it behind.

I have more blog posts coming up, including how to combat burn out, my new 2022 writing & reading bullet journal, more on my new project Savage Magic, my top 2021 books, and more, but I just felt the need to address the insane year that was 2021 and move on as we get into the new year.

Thanks for reading and happy writing darlings!