Year in Review 2024
Writing Progress Background
On August 26, 2016, I created my website at garydavidgillen.com. Making a website was part of my plan to become a social media experienced writer. I had written a novel and a few short stories over the years, but I had stopped writing in 2012. In December of 2015 I decided to start writing again.
I finished the story I was writing in 2012 (called Dystopia then, now called Kay-Eye.) in that month and created a plan for 2016. My 2016 plan called for writing four short stories, begin attending conventions, creating Facebook and Twitter accounts, and starting a website. I wanted to become a better writer and then expand the short novel that I had written in 1995. It was called A Gathering in New Marl in 1995, and I have renamed it Assassin in New Marl City. I joined a writer’s workshop group at the South Euclid-Lyndhurst Public Library and two at the Parma-Snow Library. I have been writing ever since.
This is a link to the Cuyahoga County Library website.
https://www.cuyahogalibrary.org
Writing Progress from August 2016 to December 2024
Year in Review 2024
Novels written are Assassin in New Marl City and Cuba Liberto.
Novel in progress is Chemithurgy.
South Euclid-Lyndhurst Library workshop submissions include 1 in 2016, 1 in 2017, 2 in 2018, 2 in 2019, 3 in 2020, and 1 in 2021 for a total of 10 submissions.
Parma Library introductory workshop submissions include 5 in 2017, 9 in 2018, 11 in 2019, 9 in 2020, 10 in 2021, 11 in 2022, 4 in 2023, and 0 in 2024 for a total of 59 submissions.
Parma Library advanced workshop submissions include 4 in 2017, 12 in 2018, 11 in 2019, 11 in 2020, 9 in 2021, 10 in 2022, 9 in 2023, and 8 in 2024 for a total of 74 submissions.
The seven Flash Fiction Stories I sent out in 2020 and 2021 were Space-Dog Confession, Sleeping Sickness, Caliburnus, Popular Mechanics Re-brewed, Wormhole Generator, Runs with Scissors, and Principled Rogue.
The four other stories 4 Humours, Space Station Sunyata, Grognard, Get to the Point, and LARP Film Noir (aka Game Dome) have been submitted to magazines.
Magazine submissions include 2 in 2016, 13 in 2017, 0 in 2018, 1 in 2019, 19 in 2020, and 4 in 2021 for a total of 39 submissions
Magazine submissions for 2016 to 2021 were 11 unique stories submitted 39 times, with 0 accepted, 0 pending, and 39 rejections. No submissions for 2022. None for 2023. None for 2024.
This website post is post number 316 including 159 Book Reviews, 100 Writing Progress Reports, 44 Conference Recaps, and 13 Other Posts.
Events attended from July 2016 to December 2024
Year in Review 2024
Cons attended include 5 in 2016, 7 in 2017, 6 in 2018, 7 in 2019, 4 (3V) in 2020, 1 (1V) in 2021, 5 in 2022, 7 (1V) in 2023, and 6 in 2024 for a total of 48 cons attended.
Note: V equals a virtual con.
Ohio Expos, Fairlawn, OH (2016)
Confluence Pittsburgh, PA (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020V, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Western Reserve Writers Conference, South Euclid, OH (2016, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Capclave, Washington, D.C. (2016)
Indy Author Day, Parma, OH (2016, 2017, 2019)
Winter Fiction Fest, Cleveland, OH (2017)
Concoction. Cleveland, OH (2017, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024)
Marcon, Columbus, OH (2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Inkubator, Cleveland, OH (2017, 2018, 2021V)
Mystery Writers Getaway, South Euclid, OH (2018)
Cleveland Writing Workshop, Independence, OH (2018)
Confusion, Detroit, MI (2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Gotham Writers Conference (2019, 2020V, 2023V)
Dragon Con, Atlanta, GA (2020V)
Ice and Fire Con, Mt. Sterling, OH (2022, 2023, 2024)
Writing Goals for January 2025 to December 2025
Polish and submit these ten stories: Explosion at Moon Base Plaza, Grognard Simulations, Kay-Eye, Bear and his Boy, We Sell All Potions Greenhouse, The Squirrel Curse, The Prisoner of Tarnal, The Case of the Reluctant Pawnbroker, Game Dome, and the Erebus Project for submission to short fiction magazines.
Expand the novelette called Chemithurgy from about 13000 words into a 22000-word novella. (This is a 2025 project.)
Expand the novella called Chemithurgy from about 22000 words into a 40000-word short novel. (This is a 2026 project.)
Edit Assassin in New Marl City (about 88000 words) and try to get an agent to sell it to a traditional publisher or prepare to self-publish it. (This is a 2027 project.)
Edit Cuba Liberto (about 88000 words) and try to get an agent to sell it to a traditional publisher or prepare to self-publish it. (This is a 2028 project.)
Make 11 submissions to the Parma Library advanced workshop in 2025.
Join a short fiction writing group at the South Euclid-Lyndhurst Library and make 6 submissions.
Write and publish 48 posts on my website in 2025 including 24 Book Reviews, 12 Writing Progress Reports, and 12 Conference Recaps.
Planned Events for January 2025 to December 2025
January 23 to January 26, 2025, Confusion in Detroit, MI.
March 7 to March 9, 2025, Concoction in Cleveland, Ohio.
March 22, 2025, Western Reserve Writers Conference in South Euclid, Ohio.
May 23 to May 25, 2025, Balticon, Baltimore, MD.
July 25 to July 27, 2025, Confluence in Pittsburgh, PA.
September 20, 2025, Cleveland Inkubator in Cleveland, Ohio.
OR
September 19 to September 21, 2025, Capclave, Washington, D.C.
November 20 to November 22, 2025, Philcon, Philadelphia, PA.
Links
Year in Review 2024
In December 2024, I wrote four blog posts for my website, garydavidgillen.com. One of the posts was my writing progress report for December 2024, which I linked below.