Reflecting - Ally Aldridge

Published on YouTube on 7th January 2024

I think the biggest highlight of 2023 was author events. I got to meet YA Fantasy readers and chat about my books. I got to meet fellow authors and make new friends. I’ve learned so much and surprised myself.

Highlights:

💛 Dial Lane Books, Ipswich where I signed copies of Ocean Heart & the owner displayed a copy in the front window.

💛 Herts Book Festival, Hertfordshire was my first book festival. I had so much fun, I was buzzing! Was like an author getaway, meeting up with two of my long time author friends.

💛 Felixstowe Book Festival, Let’s Talk Fantasy – This was a long time dream of mine coming true & made a new friend that I shared the event with. 🥰

💛 Legends Comic Con, Stonham Barns where I got to befriend the Bury & Beyond Writers thanks to an intro by author Rachel Churcher. I’m looking forward to doing more with this bunch.

💛 MK Lit Fest, Milton Keynes was another excuse to meet up with some author buddies and we got interviewed about our books.

As a shy person, my dreams of being an author involve hiding in a cupboard to write with no peopling. I definitely did not want to make any public appearances! But, the author community is so welcoming and supportive, they gave me the confidence to get out there. Moving into 2024, high on my plans is to do more events. With each one, I get more confident and look forward to the next.

For 2024, I am already booked to do the Foreword Festival on 11 February in Bury St Edmunds’s. And, looking at another Comic Con in the Summer. Please come along and meet the authors. There’s such a good vibe, it’s infectious.

The year is coming to an end and as I look back I am really pleased with what I have achieved.

What I used from 2017

I ended 2017 by reflecting on what I had learnt in my first year of blogging.

When I look back at my Reflecting on 2017 post, I still use a lot of the tools and tricks I learnt in my first year of blogging.

Things I no longer do is embed Instagram pictures within my blog posts as they no longer seem to work. I also stopped using LoCal.

I am disappionted that I didn’t put what I learnt about creative writing into practice. Writing blog posts feels easier than writing a novel as I can dip in and out more easily, whereas when I write a novel I like to get into the chapter and write a chunk – nowadays, I struggle to find the time for that.

Progress towards 2018 Goals

I have acheieved 82% of the goals I set at the start of 2018. I’ve also achieved goals that I hadn’t anticipated such as article writing for an online magazine. I particpated in NaPoWriMo (poetry writing) which is outside my confort zone and really stretched and challenged me. I also hit my NaNoWriMo word count goal.

Personal life

I’ve also felt positive about my personal achievements this year. I completed my CIPD HR Diploma which is a professional qualification. I gave birth to my beautiful daughter Aria Rose.

I’ve also been making the most of my materntiy leave by being actively involved in activities at my son’s school such as parent phonic classes and parent maths classes (so I can better support him with his homework). I have also been making it to the Stay & Play sessions. I am out attending groups with my baby and making new mum friends for her and we are currently doing baby massage classes together.

I have really enjoyed including some blogs posts about my personal life and will continue to do so next year.

What is in store for 2019?

Well more personal posts for sure but I need to set some goals to get my focus back on my fiction writing as getting published is my lifelong ambition. Check back early January to see the goals I set to keep progressing.

If you have enjoyed this post, you may like:

Reflection on 2017

Goals for 2018

Reflecting on NaPoWriMo

NaNo Progress Diary (the end)