2014 is going to be the year of writing seriously for me.

This year has been one of self-reflection. I’ve been asking myself about what I want to get out of being a part-time writer and the answer has always been that I want to write full-time.

It’s time for me to up the ante and focus on becoming a the writer I want to be. I love to write; it’s a cathartic process, almost like a function I have to perform in order to live. The same can be said for my drawing endeavours. I’ll write what I want to and most of my writing has been well-received, but I want to move up from “emerging” author to “established”. Sometimes I wonder: is a writer only taken seriously if they’ve written something novel-length? I don’t know. Maybe I’m just being paranoid?

Earlier this year I fished out an early draft of a novel I wrote almost three years ago. It was a novel that was expanded from a short story and, after looking at it again with fresher eyes, I realised that it wasn’t the novel I wanted to be my “first”, so I’ve put it away again, in the hope that one day I’ll be mature enough to get it ready for publication.

Self-doubt is part and parcel of being a writer and this year, I’ve been under its thumb a number of times, but I am determined to remain positive. Right now, I’m 30,000 words into a Young Adult dark fantasy story. I don’t know how long it will end up, but that’s not what I’m focusing on. What’s important (and always will be) is the story. I have a plan that this will be the first book in a series and come hell or high water, I’m going to follow it through.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not trying to belittle my published writing here. I’m extremely proud of my novellas. My latest, The Last Night of October, has been well-received by reviewers, but I feel I need to give MORE if I’m going to increase my readership.

Things on the art side have been great. Since Witch Hunts received the Stoker back in June, I’ve seen a steady amount of design work coming in; from cover art for Black Beacon Books and Cohesion Press here in Australia, to creating custom art for Midnight Echo Magazine, the Australian Horror Writers Association and the Horror Writers Association – all of which I’m supremely grateful for.

Commercial drawing and design won’t be taking a backseat in 2014, but the drawing for leisure might, at least until I get my writing mojo back again.

So if you don’t hear from me for a while, you’ll know the reasons why…

And to all those readers and fellow writers who’ve supported me this year – thank you!