This is what I wrote a year ago - highlighted is what actually happened in 2010...
What does 2010 hold in store for me and my blog? Well, sadly, I doubt I'll be posting as regularly as in 2009. Reviewing each and every book I read is proving to be a bit of a strain (December has seen me struggling to keep up with my posts), and I don't think I could bring myself to cut down on how much I actually write for each review. I see myself limiting my blogging to weekly updates with full reviews for books I feel strongly about. I also see myself winning a Nobel prize for Literature at some point, so don't take anything written here as gospel.
I started off reading more and posting less, but I've actually ended up posting quite a bit recently. Also, I feel obliged to do full reviews on (the few) books I receive from publishers and those read for the Japanese and Aussie challenges, so it's no wonder I ended up with a touch of RSI :(
While I will continue to read widely and try to get into new authors and countries (just as 2009 brought an interest in Woolf, Wharton and Indian literature), 2010 may well be the year of rereading. As well as continuing my second tour of Haruki Murakami's novels and beginning a trip through Trollope's Barchester Chronicles, I will be reading David Mitchell's books again (in order this time) in preparation for the release of his Dejima novel. George Eliot may have to wait until 2011, but Hardy and Dickens will almost certainly be towards the top of my most-read author list in 2010 (as they were this year). But let's not get ahead of ourselves...
New authors this year included Katherine Mansfield, Natsume Soseki, Goethe, V.S. Naipaul, Albert Camus and Jun'ichiro Tanizaki, so I think I did fairly well on the new authors front (although not quite so well on the new countries!). I managed to read the Barchester Chronicles and all of Mitchell's novels (including Thousand Autumns...), and I also read a few Murakami books. However, I've read no Dickens and only one Hardy book this year - maybe next year ;)
Finally, I would like to think that next year will see the gradual development of what I am starting to think of as 'my book'. For Free E-Day on the 1st of December, I wrote a short story entitled 'Far From Home', and I have already written a second chapter following on from the first story. While I already know I will be insanely busy next year, what with finishing my Master's in TESOL and with other family business taking up most of my time, I hope to plod along with the story when I get time and (eventually) publish it on Smashwords, Lulu etc. If I do (which is highly doubtful, especially before the end of 2010), then I may even change the subtitle to my blog. Having said that, maybe it's time for the blurb to go. I mean, I must have written close to 100,000 words in my blog this year; surely that qualifies me as a writer...
I actually finished three chapters of Far From Home (and started a fourth), and I also published a short story on Smashwords too. I was midway though another when I started to have health issues, and I still haven't got back to doing any writing (real writing - not this blog business!). I'm getting on a bit, so I really should get on with it... I did complete my Masters though!
Oh yes... and I now have a second daughter, with little Hayley (born on the 11th of May) joining big sister Emily :)
Predictions for 2011? Once bitten, twice shy!
