Ah, the last newsletter of 2024!

Let’s take a look back at the year of… Can I say “dumpster fire?” Let’s dive in!

2024 Science Wrap-Up

This may be one of my most disappointing years in terms of science writing/communication in general (though I think 2020 wins the award for “the worst.” Pandemic woes, am I right?). I think my readers know that at this point, we know it’s not due to lack of enthusiasm or passion, it’s because of me being in the final months of my PhD.

I didn’t put out as many blog posts this year (4 out of the planned 12… ouch), but I think the one I’m proudest of is the “Dragon Feathers” post.

Please go check it out!

I also was able to have

In terms of PhD life, I finished the draft of my paper :) It’s been a rough year for science in-the-lab. I found out that an entire figure’s worth of data (over 120+ images to remake and re-analyze) had to be completely redone. August was rough.

For general science communication, I participated in Science and Sorcery’s “Playing for Palestine” series! So proud and honored of being a part of that fundraiser!

2024 The Year I Discover a Possible Job Option?

I took a Adobe Illustrator workshop this fall to learn how to make and it turns out I’m shockingly good at it? Making science figures is fun, and weirdly similar to making DnD maps. We’re seriously considering becoming a part-time science writer and figure-maker freelancer once I’m out of my PhD.

2024 Game Wrap-up

Time to get personal! I tried out a few new games this year:

For video games, I played “Echoes of Wisdom.” If you’re a family member, you’ll know that I got that game only a few days ago, so how can that be game of the year? Well, it’s because I finally touched my video game counsel two days ago to play my new game! Do I think it’s my favorite game of all time? Nah. 2D Zelda games aren’t my usual style; 3D games are my jam. But is it delightfully chaotic? Oh yes. Very much!

For Table Top Role Playing Games, I had time to try two new games: Daggerheart, the Dungeons and Dragons inspired game by Critical Role, and Honey Heist, a 1-page and 1-dice role playing game that I redressed to be about baby dragons.

Honey Heist was so much fun. I don’t think this is a game I’ll be playing often, as it has too little rules/structure for my liking, but having baby dragons try to pull off a gold heist led to one of the funniest games I’ve run.

Daggerheart was in “beta testing,” meaning you play the game to find issues/mistakes/strengths, and send the feedback to the company so they can improve it. The beta version of Daggerheart is waaaaaaaay too loosy-goosy in terms of what you can/can’t do (to the point where certain characters are untouchable gods at level 3), but it sounds like the official version is going to fix most of the glitches! I also hope the official game fixes Daggerheart’s identity crisis: Are we a high-magic world? Low magic? Is this a power-fantasy type of game? Are we a strategy game or not?

2024 Writing Wrap-Up

Clearly, I wasn’t as prolific in my writing as I have been. But what I did write, I’d say was of decent quality.

I was super happy how my blog post, “My Problem With Essek” came out both in terms of prose and structure. The only problem was that I did ultimately choose a topic (at least on the surface) that was much more niche than I would’ve liked. The overall thesis was very broad, but how I packaged it made it very, very niche (if that makes sense).

2024 was also the year I choose to officially choose to start writing an actual book. Once I hit chapter 7 back in April, I realized the story, characters, and setting was officially locked in and I was “too deep to pull out,” as they say. And it’s been a fun respite to do in parallel the PhD writing.

I’ll be discussing the “making of my book” starting in January. If you’d like a say in what behind-the-scenes content I cover in my newsletter, please fill out the form below (if you haven’t already): https://forms.gle/kPWZKuD8nJh75VbHA

I’m sad to say that I didn’t finish my D&D adventure in time for 2024’s end. Cue huge sigh. My friends, this was meant to be done in November, much like my science paper. BUT, my family did give me two TTRPG game writing books over Christmas, which gave me a huge confidence boost to finish up the last of these edits!

(And I guarantee this won’t be the only Science TTRPG adventure I write. I just need the time. There’s a whole game I want to write that covers the science of paint-making!)

Map of 2024

2024 was also an unusual map year for me. I only made 2… but we can’t deny that the map I made for my Daggerheart game (of a pirate island) is SO COOL!

2024 Book Wrap-up

I thought that I didn’t read much during this year, but looking back through Libby, I was shocked to see that I’d been a far more diligent reader than I’d given myself credit for.

(I’m still in the midst of reading “The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi,” so unfortunately, I can’t count this book in my wrap-up)

Diana Wynne Jones wins “best author.” Her “Howl’s Moving Castle” would’ve been my top read of the year had I not also read her “Dark Lord of Derkholm” novel. Holy crap, I’ve never laughed so hard reading a fantasy. Epic fantasy dealing with tourism was brilliant. “Dark Lord of Derkholm” is the level of kookiness that I strive for in my D&D games.

Side note: reading Howl’s Moving Castle was the main reason I ended up choosing to go all in on my book. It showed me— or reminded me— that I can write a goofy, whimsical book poking fun at the fantasy tropes and there will be an audience for that kind of book.

That’s All For Now!

That’s all I got! I’d love to stop and chat, but I have a chapter of my thesis to pump out today! I’m making myself another round of tea and then locking in for the rest of the day. See ya next year!

-Becca