Re: 2020 Resolutions
Dec. 28th, 2020 08:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rynlingMy resolutions for 2020 were to publish my book about comics, somehow find a way to leave my horrible job at George Mason University, and move to Philadelphia so that I could actually live with my spouse without anyone having to commute across a continental landmass two or three times a week.
I managed to do all of these things! During a pandemic! Nice!!
I had a few other resolutions, but most of them fell by the wayside, mainly due to said pandemic.
Still, my art went from (this) to (this), which is very fucking cool.
I published two zines of horror-themed flash fiction, one in April and one in October, and I ended up selling more than a hundred of copies of each zine on Etsy – with a lot of positive reviews and repeat buyers! I was able to exhibit at the Philly Zine Fest this year, and a few local bookstores in Philadelphia and Baltimore stocked copies of my zines. Sweet!
I also started submitting short fiction to magazines. I haven’t gotten anything published yet, but I’m getting a better sense of the market. I was accepted as a writer to a handful of original and fandom zines, though, so I know my work is good. I just have to keep writing and improving my craft and submitting stories.
Finally – and this is such a big deal to me – I started writing my first original novel!
Because of my success with various projects this year, I’m starting to realize that maybe I don’t need to worry so much about gatekeepers. The work I do is interesting and original, and I’d like to think that it’s only getting sharper and more creative with each passing week.
The most important thing, however, is that I’m enjoying my work for the first time in a long time.
When I think about where I was at the end of last year, I’m honestly like, Bitch I can’t believe you lived like that. The timing of the pandemic could not have been worse for me, and I can’t say that I was able to land on my feet after making such an enormous leap of faith, but I’m in a much better place.
I managed to do all of these things! During a pandemic! Nice!!
I had a few other resolutions, but most of them fell by the wayside, mainly due to said pandemic.
Still, my art went from (this) to (this), which is very fucking cool.
I published two zines of horror-themed flash fiction, one in April and one in October, and I ended up selling more than a hundred of copies of each zine on Etsy – with a lot of positive reviews and repeat buyers! I was able to exhibit at the Philly Zine Fest this year, and a few local bookstores in Philadelphia and Baltimore stocked copies of my zines. Sweet!
I also started submitting short fiction to magazines. I haven’t gotten anything published yet, but I’m getting a better sense of the market. I was accepted as a writer to a handful of original and fandom zines, though, so I know my work is good. I just have to keep writing and improving my craft and submitting stories.
Finally – and this is such a big deal to me – I started writing my first original novel!
Because of my success with various projects this year, I’m starting to realize that maybe I don’t need to worry so much about gatekeepers. The work I do is interesting and original, and I’d like to think that it’s only getting sharper and more creative with each passing week.
The most important thing, however, is that I’m enjoying my work for the first time in a long time.
When I think about where I was at the end of last year, I’m honestly like, Bitch I can’t believe you lived like that. The timing of the pandemic could not have been worse for me, and I can’t say that I was able to land on my feet after making such an enormous leap of faith, but I’m in a much better place.
