Welcome, one and all to my first round-up post of the year! Today, we’re going to look at 2019 as a whole. No, I won’t be posting links to all the posts that went live. That would be silly. There is a lot to look at though. So, let’s dive in, starting with the site itself.
Matt Doyle Media In 2019
This was a good year for me. My goal had been to get a 20% rise in traffic, and I actually ended up with around 30%, so I’m happy. The year saw a shift in content too, which I suspect may have something to do with it. Basically, I branched out a bit more, then found a few post types that were popular.
With more review copies dropping through my door, I increased the number of series and films I reviewed. I also took on some episodic reviews for a couple of anime, which seemed to be popular. There were more comic and manga reviews too, as well as game reviews, which always seem to do well.
Honestly, I’m enjoying it. I’m at a point now where I’m essentially covering what I want to cover, and that’s it. It makes things a lot more fun. But what were my most popular posts? Let’s look at the top ten.
10: Beauty and the Beast Girl [Yuri/Monster Girls – Manga Review]
9: Film Review: My Friend Dahmer
8: MEN+MONSTERS by Aero Zero [Comic Review – Bara / Gay Monsters / Erotica]
7: The Sonic Movie Trailer Is Fake! Paramount And SEGA Tricked Us!
6: Magical Sempai Episode 6 [Anime Episode Review]
5: Pit Fighters 1 by Rick Griffin [Book Review – Furry / LGBTQ]
2: Manga vs. Anime: Attack on Titan / Shingeki no Kyojin
1: A&H Club Volume 1 by Rick Griffin [Graphic Novel Review – Furry / Lesbian / Drama]
So, what can I garner from that? Well, it’s a good mix of old and new posts. Primarily though, three types of posts do particularly well: anime, furry and LGBTQ. All of which warms my heart, so yay!
Writing In 2019
Where do I begin with this one? Well, it has been a good year. In terms of fiction, I released a new book, won two awards, and sold a few short stories. I also started work on a bunch of other books and a visual novel. When it comes to non-fiction, I’ve started taking on a few freelance jobs too, which is really cool.
Thus far, writing alone isn’t enough to make a living for me, but it’s improving. That, I’m really happy with.
At Home In 2019
And this is where it all goes wrong.
2018 was a terrible year for me in my personal life, and 2019 was pretty similar. My child that was suffering with mental health issues in 2018 has improved greatly. That’s awesome, obviously. Another of my kids took a tumble in that regard though, thanks to one of her teachers. It’s messy and has left her with depression and anxiety. She’s also being tested for autism. That all adds up, both for her and for us as parents.
To make matters worse, my physical health is failing. I’m living switching between stiffness and pain right now, and need to use a stick to walk most of the time. That on top of my daughter’s issues has left me a little fragile when it comes to my own mental health too.
It’s a tough spot to be in, and I honestly don’t see an end in sight yet.
I’m struggling.
But what else can I do? Right now, my only option is to keep on doing what we’re doing and hope that 2020 sees an improvement.
Looking Ahead
So, what can you expect in 2020? In short, more of everything. I want to keep on improving my writing here and do more of the posts that people want to read. So, that’s my aim. This week, that means anime, manga, and even a gaming post, along with the usual book spotlights.
You can also look forward to some development posts as I work on various projects. It won’t likely be this week, but I do want to share some of the character art for the visual novel, for example.
In terms of goals, I want to actually keep up with my episodic reviews this time. I’ll finish Fire Force this week and keep on top of all the ones I do. Which starts with Beastars, and will also include Star Trek: Picard. My hope is to continue to grow my stats too. I’m going to keep with a goal of 20% growth, so keep your fingers crossed for me!
Schedule This Week
This is the current schedule for this week. The posts are subject to change.
Mon: 2019 Round-Up, A Fluid State (Book Spotlight), FF Crossword Challenge
Tue: Lord of Thundertown (Book Spotlight), Life Minus Me (Books Spotlight)
Wed: Sonic the Hedgehog 24 (Comic Review), Fire Force 22-24 (Anime Episode Review)
Thu: SNES Controllers (Gaming Article), Beastars 1 (Anime Episode Review)
Fri: The King’s Physician (Book Spotlight)
Finally
I want to thank everyone who stops by the site. Honestly, it still shocks me that so many people do. Whether you read, like, comment or all of the above, that you care about what I’m writing is amazing. So, thank you. Here’s to a good 2020.
Hope things are better in 2020 for you & your family.
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Thank you. Believe me, so do I.
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