2014 was a rough year, but I managed to reach most of my goals. I took some chances and many of them didn't pan out. Countless rejections and many hours of revisions threatened to take me down. I refused to give in. What I did accomplish was to set the stage for a fantastic 2015.
1. The Dice & Debauchery series. This was an unplanned project. I wrote the first book on a whim and the publisher loved it. This Friday, Loose Corset (D&D #1) will be released from Ellora's Cave. I have two tours planned and ready to go. I do not have release dates for the second two books in this series which have been written and submitted to my publisher, but they will be out at some point this year. My goal: promote and expand my audience.
2. Of Blood and Sorrow. I spent over six months last year revising this urban fantasy novel. I queried it to five publishers that I was interested in. All of them rejected it. I'm excited to self-publish this story. I already have an awesome cover. I'm in the last stage of polishing it up. This will be my first indie published novel. My goal: to publish it by mid-February or mid-March.
3. Super Famous. This superhero novel took a backseat last year to my D&D series. I have all the critiques back from my CPs and betas. It's ready to be revised and polished. I'll likely not get to it until late spring or the summer, though. My goal: revise and self-publish in October.
4. New urban fantasy novel. I have this awesome new shiny idea. I want to write it. I want to write it now. Maybe I'll get a chance to start by the spring. My goal: write the first draft and start to revise it.
5. Short stories. I really want to participate in Write 1 / Sub 1, but I'm uncertain if I'll have the time. If I can manage to write one flash fiction piece a month and submit it somewhere, I'll be happy. I also have to write a new story for the next Untethered Realms anthology. I'm going to stick with what I did last year. I was short-listed on pro venues five times last year, but rejected. So close! My goal: Write six short stories and submit them.
6. Blogging. I had trouble sticking to a strict schedule last year. I have a three day a week schedule. If I do any more, I fall out of balance with my writing and home life. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are my days. Of course with touring, it will be a little different, but that's expected. My goal: keep to a three day a week blog schedule.
7. Reading. I managed to achieve last year's goal of 100 books. Woo-hoo! I'm setting the same goal for this year. My goal: read 100 books.
What are your goals for 2015?
* * * * *
Speaking of starting the new year on the right foot,
check out Angela Brown's gorgeous new covers
for Neverlove and They All Fall Down.
Speaking of starting the new year on the right foot,
check out Angela Brown's gorgeous new covers
for Neverlove and They All Fall Down.
Duty or love... there can be only one. |
A love worth fighting for... These are awesome reads. I highly recommend them. And Angela has a new book out from Evernight Teen Publishing, Beacon. |
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ReplyDeleteThose are some great goals. So exciting that you're self-publishing this year! I'm self-publishing for the first time in March, too. Best of luck! :)
ReplyDeleteSo many books and projects!! Write1Sub1 might be tough, but I bet you can still do it.
ReplyDeleteSet a blogging schedule that works for YOU, Christine.
OMG, that is some schedule! Wow! But I have no doubts that you'll do well, and last year seems to be the year of rejections, this year you'll see all that turn around! :)
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, may all your dreams come true!
Hi Christine, my you've been busy, so many achievements, and I love your positive attitude toward failures too!
ReplyDeleteIts better to have tried and failed, than to have not tried at all, and anyway, that was last year!
Great goals...good luck!
Have a happy year.
Wow! You accomplished a lot writing-wise and read so many books. That's awesome. Keep my Follower News in mind as you release your books.
ReplyDeleteLove the Blood & Sorrow cover.
ReplyDeleteYou have awesome goals this year. They make my "stop eating so many donuts" goal looks kind of lame...
If you need help with promoting anything, don't hesitate to ask!
Thank you, everyone! :)
ReplyDeleteBest of luck, Emma!
Alex, I know. I need to stick with it!
Yolanda and Maria, thanks!
Natalie, I'll keep that in mind.
M.J., I need to stop eating so many cookies, but then if I told people that out loud, I'd have to admit to how many cookies I eat!
You're going to have an amazing 2015! Love that CS Lewis quote.
ReplyDeleteWow, Christine. You have a lot going on but I hope you are able to reach all of your goals! I, too, have a hard time sticking to a strict blogging schedule. I try to blog every Monday and this is the only day my life affords me. I see a lot of bloggers posting three times a week. I am super jealous of you guys! Maybe once I have reached some of my other goals, I can bump it up to twice but for now, it's Mondays for me.
ReplyDeleteI love how your series was unplanned. Sometimes, it's the manuscripts we think will never get published which end up in the right hands=) Congrats!!
Those are great goals and again congrats on the D&D series. That's pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteAngela's covers are fantastic!
(ps did you know captcha is on?)
You accomplished a lot last year! And I wish you all the best with meeting your goals for 2015. I'm looking forward to all you have to off us this year. :)
ReplyDeleteC. S. Lewis is a writer after my heart. Once you see yourself as too old to do anything, you are.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year.
I know you'll make those goals. You're so energetic.
ReplyDeleteExciting about the book release.
That's a lot of goals! I wish I had that many book ideas. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteWow it looks like you've been. Crazy busy and intend to be even more so. Here's hoping you achieve your goals, best of luck.
ReplyDeleteyou've done so much and you should be proud! Congrats on all the hard work :)
ReplyDeleteJulie, Chrys, Lee, thanks!
ReplyDeleteGina, 3 days a week is sometimes difficult. I want to keep up with everyone else's blogs too. If only I didn't need sleep!
Southpaw, yes, I know it's there and it torments me that I can't do a thing about it!
Susan, Sarah, Joss, and Prerna, thank you!
WOW!
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited for you and all your projects!
I can't wait to read them!
Best of luck with everything!
I'm happy to help you spread the word!
Those are gorgeous covers!
HMG
Angela has an amazing cover!! And total wow on your new and soon to be published books!! Can't wait to see the success unfold.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with those goals. You have some great one.
ReplyDeleteWow this is going to be a great year for you. Best of luck and can't wait to read your new stuff.
ReplyDeleteSounds like it's going to be an awesome (and busy!) year - woot!Woot! Go get them :)
ReplyDeleteBusy, busy. I hope all your dreams, tasks, come true. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from Shout with Emaginette
Hi Christine - you're always doing things and writing .. I don't know how you do it - but good luck for the year ahead ... and the main thing is you're getting your work out there ..
ReplyDeleteCheers and have a very happy 2015 .. Hilary
Hard work never goes to waste. You never know what opportunities will arise from it. Here's to a great 2015!
ReplyDeleteIt's great to see you overcome some of 2014's disappointments. That's what is so wonderful about this group, we keep moving on. Never surrender to the bad stuff and good stuff will happen. I'm inspired by you, Christine. Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteHeather, thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteTammy, Angela's cover are amazing.
Louisa, TBM, thank you!
Tonja and Anna, totally busy, but worth it!
Hilary, cheers to you too!
Sherry, thanks!
Jolene, I'm wowed by the persistence of the writing community. Their support and encouragement keep me going. :)
You got so much done, Christine! Good for you. And good for you for not letting those pesky rejections get you down. I've never even submitted to a publisher. Congrats on your new books and Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteChristine, seems like 2014 was challenging for a lot of people, myself included. But you're right. You have to take chances. 2015 will be much better I believe, so keep rolling the dice!
ReplyDeleteWe have the same reading goal for the new year,100 books. But I'm way behind you on the blogging goal, shooting for three posts per month, including the months I'm a ghost (all summer). I hope to write those posts in advance. This year has to be easier than last year. :-)
ReplyDeleteBest,
Deb@ http://debioneille.blogspot.com
Gwen, thank you! It's taken years (decades!) for me to develop skin thick enough to keep going after rejections.
ReplyDeleteStephen, thanks! I have a handful of dice to roll this year. :)
Debi, good luck with your goals!
You had a great 2014 and accomplished a lot- plus read 100 books? I need to take a page out of your book! ;) Here's to an even better 2015!
ReplyDeleteFrom my perspective, you had a great 2014! Much more productive than mine. ;) I think you did really well. And here's to an even better 2015!
ReplyDeleteYou have accomplished quite a bit! Ellory's Queen--that's great! Yes, promoting is the hard part, at least for me. I'd rather just write!
ReplyDelete