Review of the year
Dec. 31st, 2007 01:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
avevale_intelligencerWith some trepidation...
In many ways this was a bad year, but only in the ways in which they're all bad. The Countess's health continues to decline, and there continues to be nothing anyone can do about it, including me. She has unbelievable pain in spasms and a continual dull ache underneath it all, and she can no longer walk any distance at all without at least severe discomfort. I appear to have a combination of depression and chronic fatigue syndrome. We've neither of us gone to work all year, and finally gave in and took voluntary early release from the job that was going to evaporate this coming March anyway, so we're currently unemployed and have nothing in prospect at the moment, though this is going to change, for me at least. And the agent I sent sample chapters of our work to in February gave me a vague assurance in May and has said nothing since, so presumably he thought I was joking. Thanks, JJ.
In other ways, it's been a goodish year, in that I had money, and I spent quite a lot of it. I cleared the debts that have been hanging over us since we moved here, got the house re-windowed and porched, and bought some new furniture (which turned out to be crap, so that's to be sorted, but it was nice for a while). I was able to help some friends, which is a nice change from being the one needing help. And I bought stuff. Of course, now I have to slam the brakes on hard, but it was nice to be able to make up for years of looking at things and thinking "oh well." I have music, and books, and DVDs, and audio books, some I've been leching after for a long time, and I don't regret a single purchase. Except for the furniture, of course. And the bills got paid without me having to go to a place I hate and do a job that was driving me mad, which was good.
I no longer dream of being a published writer. I'd like the Countess to be, because I think she deserves it, but I don't feel there's much point in my trying to write something I don't enjoy in the hope that it will meet the standards of some stranger. If I write what I like, people I like seem to like it, and that will simply have to do.
2008 will be the year I plunge back into the exciting world of the day job, and hopefully make up for the excesses of 2007. I'll finish my NaNoWriHoLoIFuWeTa thing, and maybe write some more with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
soren_nyrond, if he'll have me. I'll continue to participate in the Ubisoft forum with other friends, and there will be another year of Uru Live, hopefully. And I will continue to do my best to make Jan's time as not-uncomfortable as I can. Maybe there'll even be music.
Happy New Year and hugs to all my friends and family. May it be everything you would wish for, and more of the good stuff as well. And thank you all for being there.
In many ways this was a bad year, but only in the ways in which they're all bad. The Countess's health continues to decline, and there continues to be nothing anyone can do about it, including me. She has unbelievable pain in spasms and a continual dull ache underneath it all, and she can no longer walk any distance at all without at least severe discomfort. I appear to have a combination of depression and chronic fatigue syndrome. We've neither of us gone to work all year, and finally gave in and took voluntary early release from the job that was going to evaporate this coming March anyway, so we're currently unemployed and have nothing in prospect at the moment, though this is going to change, for me at least. And the agent I sent sample chapters of our work to in February gave me a vague assurance in May and has said nothing since, so presumably he thought I was joking. Thanks, JJ.
In other ways, it's been a goodish year, in that I had money, and I spent quite a lot of it. I cleared the debts that have been hanging over us since we moved here, got the house re-windowed and porched, and bought some new furniture (which turned out to be crap, so that's to be sorted, but it was nice for a while). I was able to help some friends, which is a nice change from being the one needing help. And I bought stuff. Of course, now I have to slam the brakes on hard, but it was nice to be able to make up for years of looking at things and thinking "oh well." I have music, and books, and DVDs, and audio books, some I've been leching after for a long time, and I don't regret a single purchase. Except for the furniture, of course. And the bills got paid without me having to go to a place I hate and do a job that was driving me mad, which was good.
I no longer dream of being a published writer. I'd like the Countess to be, because I think she deserves it, but I don't feel there's much point in my trying to write something I don't enjoy in the hope that it will meet the standards of some stranger. If I write what I like, people I like seem to like it, and that will simply have to do.
2008 will be the year I plunge back into the exciting world of the day job, and hopefully make up for the excesses of 2007. I'll finish my NaNoWriHoLoIFuWeTa thing, and maybe write some more with
soren_nyrond, if he'll have me. I'll continue to participate in the Ubisoft forum with other friends, and there will be another year of Uru Live, hopefully. And I will continue to do my best to make Jan's time as not-uncomfortable as I can. Maybe there'll even be music.Happy New Year and hugs to all my friends and family. May it be everything you would wish for, and more of the good stuff as well. And thank you all for being there.
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no subject
Date: 2007-12-31 03:19 pm (UTC)I think you are a fabulous writer. Don't give up.
no subject
Date: 2007-12-31 03:38 pm (UTC)I'm sorry to hear about the bad things, and happy to hear about the good ...
... I'm sorry that my own problems got in the way of coming down and seeing you and being able to offer you help when you needed it, we'll just have to do better in 2008.
And yes, getting music done, definitely a good idea.
Hugs to the Countess as well, and a very happy new year!
no subject
Date: 2007-12-31 04:08 pm (UTC)"I don't feel there's much point in my trying to write something I don't enjoy in the hope that it will meet the standards of some stranger"
Definitely not, and that goes for many other things as well. Do please keep writing the things you enjoy, though, because there are lots of us who enjoy reading them, and several of the high points of the year for me have been reading your stories. If mundanes don't appreciate them, that's their loss. One of my "if I win the lottery" dreams is setting up a publishing house for people I enjoy reading who (for many reasons) don't get published elsewhere.
no subject
Date: 2007-12-31 06:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-31 10:01 pm (UTC)I'm sorry to hear about the Countess, but pleased that 2007 has brought you some good things.
And the best person to write for is oneself. That way the people you know and trust will like it too.
Happy New Year.
no subject
Date: 2007-12-31 10:41 pm (UTC)Now, as to your writing style, well, I really enjoy your online work, but publication comes to those who bow and and scrape... On the one hand I'd say. No, No, Never, my friend! And on the other i'd say, well Banks writes as two people and gets paid as both....
Take care. I treasure the feeling that such as you still remain in my life and recollection.
no subject
Date: 2008-01-03 08:23 pm (UTC)Don't give up hope on the writing front. I almost did. Not giving up writing obviously, because it's the second most important thing in my life (I'm married to the first). But I decided to accept that I'd never be a pro. After years of rejection/being ignored I thought I may as well just go back to writing what I wanted, not what I thought would sell, because I (and my merciless but perceptive critiquing group) would most likely be the only ones who read it. Then I got lucky (and trust me, it was luck - I'll tell you all about it when next we meet). No-one was more surprised than me.
I reckon you should (politely) hassle John; his silence owes less to being rude than to having (in my opinion) taken on almost more than he can handle this year. Which doesn't bode well for your chances, I admit. But you've nothing to lose. As long as you've polite to editors and agents (no matter how unreliable or unreasonable some may be to you), you've got a chance. If not this time, then next time.
And if you still want me to look at the piece you posted earlier, please do email it to me this month. No promises, but I'll do my best to have a look at it and give you my opinion, for whatever that's worth.
no subject
Date: 2008-01-03 11:28 pm (UTC)I will politely hassle. I'm always a bit scared in this area: I picked up this idea from reading around the subject that if a writer asks once too often what's happening there's a bang and flash and he finds himself alone on the cold hill's side and can never go back no more. But I do understand being snowed under.
"When next we meet"--ah, that magical phrase...