Celebrating 2015

For the past several years (2012, 2013, 2014), I have kept track of the accomplishments for the year. Last year I kept a monthly celebration page, which I called my “Book of Stars” (I originally posted about that here). This year was particularly challenging for me, which I wrote about yesterday, so I’m particularly excited to look back on all I did accomplish. I didn’t meet every goal, but I know I’m a better writer on December 31, 2015 than I was on January 1, 2015, so that is something that I can be excited about.

Personally

• Moved to a new city across the state from where we were before
• Got a new dream job (school librarian)
• Transitioned family, sold old house, bought new house
• Taught 2 week summer writing camp at Hollins

Bookish Things

• 1^st book published—Ancient China (ABDO, 2015)

• As a result of that, I got to sign my first books, see my book in a public library, and speak at a literacy conference.

• Mentor Text E-book published and up for sale on my website

Challenges

• Writing Marathon–February
• ReFoReMo—March
• Poem a Day—April, I completed 30 poems alongside Linda. Many thanks to Renee for teaming us up!
• PiBoIdMo—I was not a winner, but I did work on getting ideas down in November.
• Write Daily 30—December, I worked on revising a middle grade in 45 minute sessions each day. Thanks to Linda Urban for organizing this!
• 12×12—All year. I wrote 6 new PBs and did 25+ revisions.

Guest Posts

• Marcie Flinchum Atkins Challenges You to Steal Second, A Mentor Text Post on using 2nd person POV (ReFoReMo, February 1, 2015)
• A Case of the Why Nots: How I Built (and am still building) My Platform (Alayne Kay Christian, April 18, 2015)
• Picture Book Refrains: ReviMo May (Meg Miller, May 16, 2015)

Reading

• Read 423 picture books (this does NOT include the books I read for my job at my job, just the ones I read at home for personal writing growth)
• Read 47 longer works—novels and adult NF

Writing Workshops

• Luray retreat with Candace Ransom
• SCBWI MD/DE/WV Conference
• WOW Conference
• SCBWI Mid-Atlantic Conference

Book Events I Attended

• Kate DiCamillo at Virginia Festival for the Book
• Cece Bell (at Hollins)
• Maggie Steifvater (at Hollins)
• Elizabeth Gilbert
• Politics and Prose Picture Book Panel
• National Book Festival—so many authors
• Margarita Engle
• Duncan Tunatiuh
• Natalie Lorenzi

Middle Grade Novel Writing

• Revision in progress since November

Other Writing

• Got back into the submission game again after a hiatus
• Received several helpful critiques from agents and editors at various events

Keeping track of the things I DID accomplish definitely does make me pumped to do more writing. So here’s to 2016!

What are you most proud of from 2015?