Whenever one year ends, blogs are filled with posts about the past and what they’ve learned over the past 12 months. Posts filled with contemplative thoughts about their journey thus far and what they’ve learned during the past 360-ish days.

I’ve done that kind of post before, and while this will be a bit contemplative over the soon to be dearly departed 2012, I’m also going to focus on the future – the wide-open space of 2013.

The past year has been a wild one. I moved to a small town in Canada for my new job and learned some new writing skills to go along with it, I also travelled across North America to find stories for it. My job then changed, and I along with it. I also became rather ill, but got better in time to spend some time with my new niece.

I went to a science conference as a moderator of a session and met a large number of people who reminded me of why I got into writing in the first place and are a constant inspiration to improve my craft.

There was a girl (but isn’t there always?), but like all good things, it came to an end far too soon.  I also got an article published in a book of the best science writing of the year and spent more time writing my novel “The Black.”

Oh, and I grew a goatee and moustache for Movember and decided to keep it after asking my blog readers and friends on Twitter what I should do.

But what about 2013?

Well, I will be attending that same science conference as a moderator again (this time about first-person narrative storytelling) and could not be more excited. For something at the end of January, I already expect that it will be one of the highlights of the year.

But I am also working on something – a new project.

In the new year, I will give more details, but for now: it’s about science communicated simply. It will utilize video and has an artistic component. Obviously, the artistic component is one that I will need help with, as my illustration capabilities are only slightly above stick-figures. If you know of any artists or illustrators that would be interested in helping me with this neat little project and would like more information, please have them contact me either via Twitter (@davidmanly), the comments section below or by email.

I will have another post about the project in the next week or so, but I’d be happy to discuss this with any artists or illustrators interested before then.

Hope you all have a very safe and happy new year!