Writing Review of 2020

2020 has been a strange year for obvious reasons. It’s been a quiet year for my writing too, partly due to the global situation. 

I’ve not submitted much because I suspect publishers have been on hiatus, so I’ve had no new publications. I have, however, sent a handful of pieces off in the last few weeks so I await replies. I’ve also not updated my social media much, including this blog. Again, that reflects a quiet year, as well as moving into a house that has needed quite a bit of work. 

I have been writing, though: 

•I finished a novel about an evil spirit attaching herself to a heavy metal band. I’m not sure it’s a great story, but it was fun to write. 

•I’ve nearly finished another novel about a ‘changeling’, the ancient belief that fairies exchanged their disabled babies for healthy human babies. I’m pleased with the premise and plot, but I’m probably too close to it to judge whether I’ve pulled it off. 

•I’ve written a couple of ‘romantic’ novelettes. I doubt I’ll submit them, but writing something upbeat and concentrating on characterisation rather than action, has been a good change. 

And as for 2021, I’ve for a couple of things going on: 

•I’ve started a retelling of another traditional Welsh story, ‘Peredur Son of Evrawg’. It’s not got the strongest of plots but part of it was set down the road from where I live and I can’t resist putting in some local history. I wanted to write something historical because I’ve not felt comfortable writing contemporary stories the last few months. What with social distancing and the like, everyone’s behaviour is different at the moment, which has made writing modern scenes seem very strange. 

•I’m planning a horror story about a young lady who is offered the chance to manage a local football team, and finds herself involved in the club owner’s supernatural carryings-on. 

Thank you as usual to everyone who has helped in my writing in 2020 – you know who you are!