Now that the first draft of the novel I began writing during NaNoWriMo is over and done with (out next year hopefully), it’s time for me, as a writer, to take stock of the year that’s drawing to a conclusion.

Did I meet my goals? What were the highlights and lowlights? What went wrong and what went well? And in what direction am I going to take things next year? All of these questions and more are what I ask myself as part of my annual Goals, Dreams, and Resolutions (GDRs) wrap-up for 2017.

These GDRs are nothing new; I’ve been working this process for years now. It helps me focus my mind on what I’ve been doing and where I’m going. They are based on an original idea by Devon Ellington who runs the Goals, Dreams, and Resolutions website, and they are all prepared and committed to at the start of each year in order that they act as a guide for the coming year.

So here’s my 2017.

GOALS

Midway through the year I also decided to partake in NaNoWriMo, which led to the penning of a new novel with DI Lennox as the protagonist. This novel has now gone through its first draft and will hopefully be published next year.

As you can see, meeting almost all of my goals and managing to include a full unforeseen novel writing project into the bargain, means 2017 has been a huge success for me. 2018 will be tough to match.

I don’t publish my Dreams or Resolutions as they are usually too personal, but I’ve summarised them regardless.

DREAMS

There were two.

One is still on target and one has not been achieved down to alterations in personal circumstances. They both still remain valid, and indeed one of them is being carried over to next year. The other may not.

RESOLUTIONS

There were four.

Two were achieved and this indicates a marked success given they have been on the list for a couple of years now! One is still in progress and on target to be met in 2018 so is being carried forward. The final one was nearly complete then turned around and was never achieved. This has been a huge disappointment, and so it is being made a top priority for next year.

2017 REVIEW

MUSIC

Best Album Bought: Mogwai, Every Country’s Sun

Best Live Gig: Porgy & Bess, Sketches of Spain, Usher Hall

Best Musical Discovery: R.L. Burnside

FILM

Best Film (cinema): Star Wars, The Last Jedi

Best Film (TV/DVD): The Lady in the Van, BBC2

Best Series (TV/DVD): Liar, BBC1

LITERATURE

Best Fiction Book Read: The Thread, Victoria Hislop

Best Crime/Thriller Book Read: Tombstoning, Doug Johnstone

Best Author Discovery: Kamel Daoud (The Mersault Investigation)

OTHER

Best Meal: Ishka, August Bank Holiday Monday

Best Sesh: The Diners in Queensferry & Leith, May

Best Celebrity Encounter: Andy Hamilton, Kings Theatre

Single Most Embarrassing Moment: Going topless on a tram in Edinburgh city centre

Saddest Moment: Death of Lulu

Single Most Memorable Moment: Finally getting to meet Paul Auster at the Edinburgh Book Festival

In the next blog post, I’ll be looking forward to 2018 through a new set of GDRs. These are still being worked on; I keep finding myself getting carried away after the success of this year. It’s a hard task forcing myself not to bite off more than I can chew and to be realistic about the amount of work I think I can actually get through and keep developing in the right direction.

But then, that’s what the GDRs are for.

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