2024 was to be a busy year–I knew that at the very onset. Some things you just know will happen, no matter what. I don’t know what it’s called. Clairvoyance? Intuition? But there are other things you already have information of. For example, I already knew that in 2024, I had some career best venues scheduled to be published in. On the home front too, I had been expecting major changes, including buying and moving into a new apartment. I’m happy everything fell into place and I am a very content person at the moment. Still, it is important to remember the struggles, and the heartbreaks. As always, I am eager to share my journey with you, my dear friends and subscribers. In case you’re new here, I have this (kind of) ritual of sharing my year’s journey in a year-end blogpost, somewhat scarily titled “Annual Report”. My annual reports not only list the year’s publications, but also recount the bad experiences, the unexpected happenings, my wishes and dreams. I believe they might help someone starting out as a new writer, because such frank accounts would have helped me, say five year’s ago, when I was new to the grind of online/print publishing of shorter works. All my “Annual Reports” are linked on my author website’s homepage.

Among the big highlights of the year: YES, I FINISHED DRAFTING A NOVEL!! And I sent it out on sub (but somewhat half-heartedly). As many of you know, because I am not based in the US or the UK, I lose out on many exciting opportunities. My guess is that the novel, largely based in India (though it is also VERY multicultural and cross-continental, and proudly follows major characters in different continents of the world) also suffered somewhat because of this. It’ll have a rough journey–again, that is something I already know. But like many of my flash pieces (including the exceptional journey of “Dark Matter” about which you can read here) my novel too will be taken by someone who truly appreciates its nuances. That’s my strong belief! I haven’t submitted it anywhere for months, but I am not giving it up–never! In fact, I’ll keep seeking publishers next year even as I look to revise it one more time. Another big change is that I haven’t actually been chasing lit magazines this year. I am a lot more cool about the rejections and grateful for whatever found publication and found readers. It is so difficult now to have the word out when you publish something–promoting your publications in the face of TwitterX’s collapse is challenging. I conducted exactly one workshop (Abode Press) because I was skeptical of scheduling more given I was to shift home (and that, expectedly, threw my routine haywire!), but I participated in several multiple author reading forums. I received multiple nominations–more than I expected anyway, and had a piece in the longlist of Wigleaf 2024. I also made it to both Best Microfiction 2024 and Best Small Fictions 2024 Anthology.

All these meant I also received many rejection notes. Again, quite surprisingly, many highly-sought-after venues dropped a line or two in additon to their fixed format declines appreciating my work, or style, or voice, for which I am hugely grateful. I know these mean not much in the greater scheme of things, BUT these tiny personalized notes mean the world to me because they tell me I am on the right path, and that my writing is improving. Without writing classes that I can ill-afford and expensive retreats/workshops I’ll never be able to participate in, these little notes of appreciation are my cushions in the big and crushing world of publishing.

I didn’t win anything, which is like every year–I never have won anything! But this year I made the runners-up spot in Bacopa Literary Flash Contest 2024. I published 3 collections–two e-books/online published and one in paperback–which was awesome and surreal! My latest Novella-in-Flash fiction “Glass/Fire” (Querencia Press) continues to receive much love from readers and the writing community alike, with several reviews and interviews popping up in November/December (including in Miracle Monocle, Kitaab, Fahmidan Journal and Bending Genres) and a few scheduled for next year too.

There were the disappointing bits too. I started a Patreon page that never took off. LOL! Secondly, 3 acceptances turned out to be duds because the issues were cancelled for some reason or other, mostly funding issues. And most unfortunately, I suffered a serious health scare in July and on doctor’s advice cut down on writing assignments and work. I excused myself from the editorial duties at trampset with a heavy heart. I am glad that the founding editors wanted me to continue writing the columns at trampset. In 2024, eleven columns were published covering subject-matter ranging from musings on rejection notes, to thoughts on the world’s biggest elections to speaking climate truths to power! I continue to be on the masthead of Vestal Review which has a fantastic team headed by David Galef. I love reading submissions and lending my perspective to the eventual final selections.

For the first time ever, in 2024 I applied for a grant that would allow me to attend an overseas 4-day retreat, and was one of the 32 finalists out of a 1200 strong pool! Sadly, I didn’t make the six who are going to attend in 2025. Anyway, Granta compared me to Gabriel Garcia Marquez which more than made up for that setback.

So that’s how 2024 was! In case you’d be interested, here’s the list of my publications (with links):

I hardly expect 2025 to be anywhere close to what 2024 was publication-wise. There are several reasons for it, which I will share some other time. I have some exciting projects lined up in the new year that’ll require me to take on new roles and responsibilities. I continue to offer fiction manuscript consultations. I’m glad writers are trusting my experience and wisdom. On the blog, the regular month-end craft essays have unfortunately ceased, but I will continue to publish (irregular) similar prompts-plus-craft essays, recommended reading lists, thematic and season-specific flash fiction examples, fiction analysis and writer interviews. Stats tell me that, in spite of publishing very few blogposts this year, my website received the highest traffic in 2024 since its launch in 2021. Woo-hoo! Finally, I appreciate your tips at PayPal.Me–I’ve been paying part of it forward through free manuscript consultations for those who need it! THANKS EVERYONE FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT–it really makes me very happy!

The first blogpost for 2025 will be a list of Top 5 writer-friendly websites that help in finding submission opportunities, and will be subscriber-only.

Finally, for those new to my author site, I’m also on Patreon, Instagram, and Medium (where I post selected works, selected craft essays and my trampset-published columns). I have a wee YouTube channel (where I post readings, craft essays and How-to tips). Follow me on Social Media as everything I post is related to writing. Like, share and subscribe. Reach out to me–I try to respond to everyone who writes to me!

In 2025, I hope you continue to share your creativity with the world, be generous, positive and kind. Here’s wishing you a wonderful new year!!