Last year I decided I wanted to consume less and create more. I have a tendency to hoard information, endlessly collect interesting things to read or watch (and promptly forget about them), and of course “procrasti-learn” because I never feel ready to do the thing. Just me? 😅

To remedy this, I decided that 2023 would be my year to SHARE and EXPRESS. (Two for the price of one!) I wanted to cultivate an outward presence and produce more content, instead of just sitting on ideas and never starting.

This meant that I re-launched my newsletter after more than three years of not emailing. I started blogging more regularly and maintained a pretty consistent social media presence. All of which are major wins for me.

But what I’m most proud of is allowing myself to say yes to being on podcasts. If you had asked me last year, I would have immediately said, “Hell no.” Being on podcasts is like public speaking, and as an introvert I’ve always been so anxious about being seen or heard. Hence my career choice of working behind the scenes as a book editor. 🤓

But this year I did the scary thing and said yes. Three times, in fact.

Podcast #1: Tolerating Imperfection (on The Ugly Podcast)

In March, I chatted with Lauren over on The Ugly Podcast, all about how my creative practice helps me navigate perfectionism.​

Podcast #2: Perfectionism as a Superpower

In July, Lauren and I did a follow-up and nerded out over our twin perfectionisms… not as something to overcome, but as a sort of unique superpower. Very empowering!

Podcast #3: Collaborative Editing

Then in September, I was invited onto a writing podcast (Stark Reflections) to share some thoughts as an editor who works with indie authors. And I got that opportunity because I went to a local in-person bookfair and forced myself to start conversations with people instead of lurking and being shy. So that worked out! Listen to our convo here where I emphasize how working with an editor should be a collaborative experience.

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​Launch of HOZ Journal Vol. 4 (AI edition)

And the final win of the year is the launch of Vol. 4 of the HOZ Journal of Speculative Lit, which I co-edit. The launch week sale of our AI-themed anthology will run from December 21 to 27. If you’re into short stories and poetry about the future, namely how authors are dreaming up possibilities for AI, get your copy here!

And lastly, thank you so much for reading. I’ll try to be more consistent with my emails in 2024. 😇

Happy holidays!

Erika

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