Sitting here in my cramped apartment -- where the walls creep closer every year -- I'm taking a chance to reflect on 2018 and the successes and rejections it delivered.
Reflection takes center stage this time of year for me, usually beginning near Christmas. Or, to be more specific, the action intensifies. Throughout the year, I often find myself reflecting, whether it be on the events of a certain day or a situation that happened further into the past.
A writer probably spends way too much time reflecting but it's a useful tool to have in the writer's toolbox. At least it is for me, in taking past events and recollecting the moments, the smells, the sights.
Today, the journey back will be much simpler one: looking back at the goals I set out to do at the beginning of 2018. *Note: these are not all of my goals. Instead, just a few I chose to make public.
New challenges and new goals await in 2019. I hope to keep growing, as both a writer and a person (and hope to continue to show kindness in the world). I won't necessarily be listing goals for 2019 -- just a few -- so here's a quick rundown of how these goals played out.
1.) Publish/Self Publish The Blue Gem. Finish 1st draft of 1 of 3 other novels I've started over the years.
The Blue Gem was self-published back in March and will hopefully be available in paperback soon. I did not complete any of the other three novels, though I am in the homestretch on one of of them.
2.) Write in 'yes' ten times. (This goal pertains to submissions, query letters, directing, writing, acting and various other creative endeavors)
I wrote down 'yes' nine times, coming up just short. I did have more submissions and more opportunities in 2018 so the bar has been raised for 2019.
3.) Finish 1st draft of a full-length play
Yes. Finished a first draft of Half Past Midnight and am currently working my way through a rewrite, with a goal of a reading in 2019.
4.) Write more posts for Bronco Nation News and Chowder and Champions.
I didn't look at the numbers for Bronco Nation News but I imagine I wrote at a very similar output I did in the previous year.
As for C&C, the number did go up in 2018, albeit only slightly. Still, I enjoy writing for this site and hope to keep growing in 2019.
5.) Direct a play and/or short film
Yes. Directed Jodi Sings Judy for Alley Repertory Theater in December of 2018.
6.) Original screenplay produced, optioned, or selected for film festival.
Yes. Kings without Castles selected as an official finalist for the Chandler International Film Festival.
7.) 65 posts for my blog, The Journey of Now. And for this website, the minimum of two posts per month.
This goal was half completed. I posted 66 times for the blog, but did not quite get to posting twice per month for my website.
Speaking of which, the news/updates section will take on a bit more of a different look in 2019. There will be more focus on each project I'm working on plus separate posts on what is happening around the Treasure Valley. There will still be updates -- like the current format -- but they may not happen monthly.
It is also my goal to start with the interview series of local artists that never quite got off its feet in 2018.
8.) Attend three workshops/conferences/retreats/festivals.
I only made it to one in 2018 and that was early in the year. Definitely look to remedy that in 2019.
9.) Act in two projects.
One usually has to make the attempt to act in a project to fulfill a goal. We'll see in 2019.
Thanks again for following, supporting, and sharing 2018 with me. Here's to an even better journey as we traverse the earth in 2019.
Be bold. Be kind.
Twitter: @jasonrh_78
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