My year in books and links, 2022
My year in books and links, 2022
No. 22: Pointing your way... 15 books I loved reading this year, my favourite links I shared, a fun little game in the footer and more
Hey! Thanks for reading issue 22 of my newsletter.
Hope you all had a good Christmas. It’s been a while since I wrote one of these, so let me catch you up on a few things…
The First Thing
Writing this newsletter and blogging is fun for me, but it doesn’t offer much in the way of long-term rewards. As I’ve mentioned before, I keep finding myself misdirecting my creative energy and have yet to figure out how to remedy it. So I took a long break from blogging and newslettering after my last issue to spend time working out what I most want to write.
During the break, I filled hundreds of diary pages, started and scrapped personal essays, drafted a very messy short story that needs several rewrites, outlined a rough fictional history for an epic fantasy world, brainstormed multiple novels, wrote a poem for a friend, published the blog posts I’ve linked below, and I discovered what I’m most interested in writing next year.
Since starting this newsletter, I’ve positioned myself as more of a content writer than an author. At my best, I’ve published poetry I could share with you. Going forward, however, I intend to focus on the passion I’ve always wanted to follow: writing fiction.
In 2023, I’d like to try serialising fiction. The specific narrative I intend to serialise, where I will publish the chapters and when you can expect to start reading are all to be decided. I’m hesitant to commit to anything concrete right now, but I’m very excited about the ideas I’m working on.
The Second Thing
For now, the newsletter in its current form will continue. But now that I’m making fiction writing my priority, I will not be returning to a fortnightly schedule.
When I have something to share, I’ll be in your inbox. It might very well be two weeks from now. Or it could be a month. Or it could be longer.
January is lined up to be a busy month for me. If all goes to plan, the rest of 2023 will keep me equally as busy. The past few years have felt like one especially long year with very little happening for me. My hope is for next year to be so chaotic it feels like I lived three years in one. The calm has bored me now. I’m ready for a storm.
A Third Thing, Before All That Other Stuff I Have To Share
Thank you for persevering with me. Whether you’ve read every issue or dipped in and out. Whether you’ve only ever clicked one link or several. I appreciate you taking time out of your day to lend me your eyeballs.
Soon, you will have more stories to read.
Until then, please enjoy a couple of end-of-year lists I wrote, and I hope you all have a Very Happy New Year!
📚 My year in books, 2022
I compiled my annual list of favourite reads on my blog. This year, I highlighted 15 books I loved reading in 2022 — including my top three reads.
🔗 Favourite links I shared in 2022
As you’re all keenly aware, I was far too preoccupied with linking to other people’s content and neglected to produce much of my own. As we’re seeing out 2022 and I’m changing my focus for next year, I thought I’d list my favourite links from the year.
▶️ Video Recommendation
In issue 20, I mentioned attending a teeny short film festival in my hometown. I intended to track down all the films and link to them all, but most are not easily accessible.
However, The Boy and The Mountain is on YouTube and was my personal favourite of the international films showcased, so I thought I’d share it here.
📁 From the Archive
From Zhōngguó and Sierra Leone to the village of Assington: How do places get their name?
🐦 Twitter Thoughts
🔗 Stray Links
Socialists, in 2023 Read More Fiction: Reading literature is a remedy to capitalist realism
Amazing medieval words you should definitely add to your vocabulary
👋 Thanks For Reading!
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P.S. Aamon Hawk of Aamon Animations has made yet another nightmarish animation.