2025 was a rather busy year for me. It started with a huge sigh of relief after completing the first draft of my first ever novel and ended in a similar fashion, with a gallbladder removal surgery and completion of the second draft in December.
My novel
My original plan was to spend a couple of months editing my first draft but I ended up spending the entire year working on this. The reason it took forever is because I was afraid of it not being good enough. I can be my own harshest critic.
I had spent the entire year unhealthily staring at the screen. When I finished work, I would immediately get on my laptop and work on my novel. It has taken a toll on my eyesight that I will be needing to go up a number on my glasses.
I would’ve continued to edit if I hadn’t come across an author post on Instagram, where she wrote about a similar experience with her first novel. It allayed my fears and allowed me to accept that my first novel is never going to be perfect and I will just have to deal with it.
Gallbladder removal surgery
This was not on my 2025 bingo card and it happened so quickly. In November I went in to complain about the severe attacks in my abdomen and was booked in for surgery the following month. I am still in the recovery stage, giving my body time to adjust to the new normal.
During the Christmas holiday, my sister stayed over. We watched so many murder documentaries, pausing in between to have intense discussions on theories. At one point, I shoved the remote control in her face and said “and let’s hear from the armchair expert”. We played a couple of escape room board games and binge watched Stranger Things volume 2. Having her around was fun and made the recovery period enjoyable.
2026
I would love to take a break from the screen and read more books. I also want to spend more face to face time with people; family and friends. I want to take care of my health by eating properly and going to the gym. I want to stress less, which I believe comes naturally as one gets older. I also want to give back to the community, through volunteer work.
As for my novel, I plan to have it read by a couple of people, to check for obvious spellcheck and grammar, and to make sure it is an okay read. I will ask trade editors in my company for advice on how to start plugging my book to traditional publishing and take it from there. Wish me luck.
Happy New Year! May 2026 be a healthy, happy and fulfilling year for all. Ciao for now.