Yes. From the headline I suspect you've guessed that this week's column will contain a certain amount of self-reflection; I'll try not to be too indulgent.

It's heartening to mark these little milestones; lessons may be learnt. I'm frankly at a loss as to what those might be... but let's press ahead in case some occur. Mainly I'm reminded that if you keep doing something small for long enough it will add up to something bigger.

For much of my time writing for The Sun I lived on top of the Minden hill in Te Puna, just around from the lookout in a tiny cottage. It was freezing in winter, what with most of the windows having fallen out and with wooden surrounds too rotten to replace. Eventually it was only held together by industrial quantities of polythene sheeting and gaffer tape.

I lived there as the house fell down around me, braving the cold and lack of first-world comforts for two reasons: it had pretty much the best view in all of Tauranga; and I had an agreement with the landlord that if I didn't bother him he wouldn't put up the rent. For 20 years I paid $80 a week.

Every day I'd drive down the hill and back again. Well, most days. It's 3km down to the bottle store – and now also to the wonderful Te Puna Deli – and three back. Which meant driving 6km on that hill roughly, I would guess, 300 times a year. Obviously I often travelled further, but let's just consider the hill.

London

It's not a long drive but, as I mention, things add up. Six kilometres 300 times a year is 1800km.

After 20 years that 1800km becomes 36,000km.

Which means I drove the distance, just on that small road, to London. And back. As I said at the start: if you keep doing something long enough – however small – it adds up.

I write 700 words each week. A thousand columns at seven hundred words a pop makes 700,000 words.

To place that in context, it's the same count as the entire ‘Lord of The Rings' trilogy, plus ‘To Kill A Mockingbird' and half of ‘Wuthering Heights'.

After all that can I offer any advice? Here's a little for those thinking about writing a column, and let's face it, with blogs, vlogs and every other damn thing there are many many places you can do it, whether you create a space yourself or find a pre-existing one.

Stay interested. If you lose interest in your subject matter, stop.

Tauranga, and its music and cultural scene are actively in my mind most days; I try and listen to everything released locally; I keep my eyes and ears open.

Writing

I reckon it also helps to be a 'student of the game” as far as writing itself goes. I'm currently reading a book about grammar and another on punctuation; I realise what a sad dork that makes me sound. But I'm actively enjoying both of them: check out these groovy colons and semi-colons! I reread Chuck Palahniuk's ‘Consider This' and other books on writing by authors I admire.

I may be a slow learner but I try to be always learning. Here's another thing. If you're offering opinions in public, be prepared to expose yourself.

Some may be good at standing back objectively but writers I most enjoy reading, whether Hunter Thompson or Bill Bryson, are not afraid to brave possible opprobrium by revealing their genuine selves through thoughts, words or actions.

That's how I approach it. Cool indifference and ironic disdain may be safer but I reckon you've got to show yourself and let it hang out a bit. If that means receiving occasional insulting letters or emails, so be it.

Let me finish by thanking everyone who has been in touch over the years, even with the rudest of thoughts. More please! If I neglected to answer, my apologies for being a lousy correspondent. Most of all though, thank you all for reading.

It is a pleasure and a privilege and an unpredictable ride – thank you for joining me.