Skip this, please. Normally I just write here because I like talking with you, although admittedly it’s been a while since you got a word in. But this time, I’m simply noodling about the last year and yet once more, if I cannot count quality, I can’t half measure numbers, and I appear to need to.
So this is what I did in 2025 and I do not for one pixel of an instant think it could be interesting. But some bits did surprise me as I looked back so if you don’t mind seeing this as a note to myself and popping off to read something more useful, I’d be grateful.
2025
Elections won: 1
I was re-elected to the role of Deputy Chair of the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain. You can imagine how much that means to me, except you should double that. This was in fact the first time I have ever been in an election. That’s despite being re-elected: this was the first time the post I was going for contested.
Words written: 800,876 plus whatever this is
Videos produced: 137
Podcasts produced: approximately 100
Interviewed on podcasts: 1
Interviewed on TV: 1
Interviewed on radio: approximately 25
Workshops run: 14
Webinars/online sessions: 3
Writing Sprint Zoom sessions: approximately 45
Books written: 1
Theatre programme articles written: 2
Self Distract blogs written: 50
Patreon tip articles written: 52
Writing retreats in Paris: 1
Countries visited: 5
UK schools visited: 1
Overseas schools visited: 1
TV awards judged: 2
Magazines and publications produced: 6
Scripts read: 481
Books read: 82
A reason for concentrating on numbers might be that it’s now 1 year since my mom died. I’m not handling it well, but then I don’t suppose anyone does.
On the anniversary, I drove over to her old flat. I don’t know why. I don’t even know what I did when I was there. But there is a lot of construction work going on around the block where she lived and I was amused at how I’m sure it would have been the major topic of conversation for a long time.
Anyway, since I appear to hide in numbers like this a lot, I do note that this year I wrote 95,438 more words than in 2024. It’d be good to hit the million in 2026, although that’s good in no earthly useful sense.
Or maybe 2026 will finally be the year when focus on what I write instead of how much I type.
It does seem unlikely.