Writing Goals for 2018

Resolutions are a funny thing. You want to make them because you want to improve your life, but as we all know, we rarely tend to complete them. That's why I try to stick to only making professional goals for the New Year, rather than personal ones. In most cases personal goals often depend on the thoughts and actions of others, which no one else can control. Professional writing goals, however, are completely in my hands.

This year, the first goal is to start publishing quarterly. I don't know what form that will take, though I doubt it will be four full novels in a year. And it may not all be self-published in the same way as previous works, either. I am still keeping that option at the top of the list, but I'm exploring all types publication options, including Wattpad, Kindle Scout, literary journals, and of course the crown jewel of traditional publishing.  I want to make sure that I'm producing enough work because that's the only way I can achieve any of my other goals.

The next goal is a perpetual one for every writer: building a bigger audience. I've found this goal to be the most difficult to meet because I can get book sales, I can get reviews, but it's not often that I see a pattern to tell me there's a returning reader. I know that's because I tend to write in different genres and not everyone who likes one will like another. The goal here is really to create more than just a few works a year--it's to provide readers with other things that they want. What that is for my specific audience I'm still figuring out. But I know that I have to get the structure, tools, and marketing in place to attract more people to what I write. Easier said than done.

The third writing goal I have 2018 is directly linked to the second: getting more patrons on Patreon. I know that without some reason for a reader to feel loyal to my work, this isn't likely to happen. That's why building a relationship with an audience is so important. Patreon works for people because people believe in the artists they support. So, personal branding is going to have to be a priority this year, even though I often feel my personal message falls a little flat. That's all right. I can jazz it up.

These are pretty big goals, so I think my list will end here. I know it's going to take a lot of work and some time to see any results, but I'm sure going to try my best to make 2018 my best writing year yet.

2013: What I've Gained and What I've Lost

Facebook can give you your year in review with the highlights from the things you posted. A have to tell you, mine kinda sucked. Because I don't put every success and failure on my status updates (trust me, I would be unfriended with all the whining), there wasn't much to show for this year. In an effort to be a little more grateful for what I have, I've decided that the best way to do my year in review on this blog is to break it down in terms of what I have gained over the past twelve months and what I have lost.

What I've Lost in 2013
*The will to work for pennies. Clients looking for a masterpiece written for just $5 will have to find another sucker.

*Inhibitions about sharing my writing with people I know. While I've always been glad to share my work with strangers, it's another thing to be vulnerable enough to hand it over to friends. Family--I'm still working on the courage to get to that point.

*The idea that dreams fade. These dreams I keep in my pocket aren't fading away--they are just evolving to fit into my life the way it is rather than the way I want it to be.

*10 pounds. Hey, losing isn't always a bad thing. ;-)

What I've Gained in 2013
*Perspective on my career. I can't possibly keep my head down and quiet, yet still find success.

*The will to try. Convincing me to do something out of the ordinary isn't my strongest suit. But I've definitely been trying to try more often.

*Knowledge that freelancing is not as easy as it used to be. I don't think that it was ever easy, but it has been more lucrative in the past. If I have to bow out to concentrate on my writing career, I'm okay with that.

*The vision to see that nothing is impossible--I just haven't found the right path yet.

After the year in review, the next logical step is to talk about all the New Year's resolutions I want to make. Most resolutions are pointless because by Valentine's Day you have given up, and who needs the double disappointment of eating chocolate alone in your room and knowing that you have failed? Okay, so I'm assuming everyone spends that holiday celebrating the same way I do... Anyway, resolutions are not for me. I'm going to set some personal and professionals goals, but they are scaled to my current situation and completely attainable as long as I put in the work. Now if I could just get someone to pay me a salary for being my fabulous self, I would be all set for 2014. ;-)