2017 In Review and 2018's Resolution

Hi guys, sorry for the long, long, looooooooooooooooooong overdue post, but y'all can rest easy now knowing that I'm still alive and not sacrificed to an Ancient One's cult.

It happens all the time. When year-end comes, I tend to let myself go a little and neglect a few things. It's like clockwork. I guess it's a combination of a few things, from military duties to fatigue to disillusionment, to the need to finally take a break and enjoy myself after holding out for so long. But the good news is, this phase never lasted in the past two years, and it won't kill my writing anytime soon.

One good thing about just sitting back and relaxing is that I get to reflect on what I've done in the 2017, to fight back any unrealistic expectations and regrets of mine and plan for the future.

Anyway, I'd like to think that 2017 has been a productive year. This is what I've achieved:

• Wrote the majority of Through the Abyssal Gates, I'd say about 80k out of 120k words, and then editing and publishing it.
• Wrote an interquel to The Keeper of Pulau Purba, about 35k words, which is published in my first anthology.
• Working on another interquel to The Keeper of Pulau Purba, now currently hanging at 70k words, though it won't be published this year, not by a long shot.
• More or less finished a Noir-styled screenplay for a roughly 20 minutes long film.

This is a mark up from 2016, when my main achievement is getting my first novel out, and working on a small part of the next book.

But let's talk about next year, 2018. What am I going to achieve? With the new year coming up, we'll call this my new year resolution of sorts, for my writing:

• Complete the Quadruples: four stories in novella length set in the same universe as The Keeper of Pulau Purba. As an estimation and benchmark, each novella will be 60k words in length, making a total of 240k words for the entire collection.

1. The first is already being worked on: Two security troopers on Pulau Purba telling each other stories of their encounters with the forces at work while patrolling the jungle half of the island.
2. The second will be about a young American girl visiting the island during their graduation parade and open house to surprise her aunt (of the USMC observation party there) with her uncle.
3. The third will be about a journalist who vows to cover the entire incident, risking life and limb and soul to do so.
4. The fourth will tie everything together with a rescue team, saving whoever there is to save on the island.

• Join whatever anthologies I can. This means the original group I got together with, as well as that of any genres. Each short story I contribute won't be as epic in terms of length though, due to expectations. I'd say at least 10k words long on average.
• Work on a book of a totally different genre: Science Fiction or Fantasy... or both (Science Fantasy).

Realistically, I won't be able to accomplish all of this, but I believe I'll be able to achieve at least a part of  the Quadruples, the anthologies and the new genre. It won't be a regression even if I did.

So... I hope you guys are looking forward to the new year as much as I am! There's always a new way for the world to end and for us to die every time the sun rises! :) Good luck!