I can’t quite believe that this website has reached its fourth year!

I vividly remember sitting down and excitedly pressing publish on my first blog post in 2016. I was keen to get writing again, and was bursting with ideas as I sat at my parents’ September-sun soaked dining table. I imagined a space for the things I truly valued, far removed from my old Blogspot site, which I had abandoned after the content felt forced and contrived.

I like to think I’ve kept up with my promise to myself to stay genuine and true to myself.

Over the last four years I’ve found joy in sharing poetry, lists of my favourite things, and experiences of local events. I’ve built up a repertoire of theatre reviews that caught the eye of editors, and, in more recent days, penned a rebuttal that went viral by my standards.

I’ve stayed connected with my local blogging community, the Southampton Bloggers, and met countless new people. I like to think I’ve given a small platform for small businesses, books and big days out that deserve it. I hope I’ve helped other people find a few new favourite things, too.

Sometimes my writing goes down very well, and sometimes posts go unnoticed – but I’ve always published only what I feel proud of, trying to steer clear of the space fillers (hence why some months are full of content, and others go empty!)

This year, I haven’t got a giveaway or fancy discount code to share with you to celebrate and say thank you. In all honesty, my blog’s anniversary almost passed me by without me noticing. 2020 has obviously been a year of ups and downs, and unfortunately this micro milestone has hit me square between eyes which are currently a little prone to tears, in between the good days. 

Obviously, 2020 has been a challenge. That’s an understatement – but in this instance I’m talking specifically about writing. I’ve done my best over the last six months, sporadically reviewing the odd online theatre show, penning thought pieces, and submitting poetry (and learning from the rejections).

One of the many, many lessons I’ve learned over the last few months is that whatever happens, I will always come back to writing. Never mind if I can’t churn out regular posts; if my ideas feel claggy in my head; if I can’t focus; if I have so much to say I don’t know where to start; if I need to put my wellbeing ahead of productivity; if I want a lazy weekend; if I spend weeks away from the keyboard; if it feels like I have nothing to say, or nothing to add to the conversation.

I will always come back to writing.

And, by default, I will always come back to this website – the platform I use to share my words.

So, if you’ve got this far in this somewhat self-indulgent blog post, I want to say a huge thank you.

Whether you’ve read one or ten blog posts, said hello on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, shared a poem or an essay you liked, invited me to a press event, or hired me for a spot of freelance writing. Thank you!

This website has brought me so many amazing opportunities, and so many wonderful connections with brilliant people, and I am endlessly grateful for that.

While I will always try and write for myself, I usually have you, my reader, on my mind as I type.

I can’t wait to see what happens next! I hope you’ll join me for the journey.

Read my latest posts:

• 10 things from September 2022
• A garden of one’s own
• What I’ve loved lately: April/May 2022
• What I’ve loved lately: March 2022
• Looking back and moving forward