Since we’re coming up on the mid-year mark, I’ve decided to reassess the goals that I made in January and see how I’m doing with them. It’s also time to delete some goals and add in a few new ones that cropped up in the last month or two. Let’s go back to January!
The Year I Don't Compete
I declared 2018 the Year I Don't Compete and so far that main goal is going really well. I haven't been paying close attention to what other authors are doing. I haven't been competing. In fact, I have pushed even farther out of the rat race because I am pulling a ton of stuff from sale on the major vendors and selling direct. More on that below.
Writing Goals
I will publish three books this year. Instead of them being 1 cozy and 2 sci-fi, it'll be the opposite. The second Cozy will be a hefty novella at 40k words.
I will write in a new series. Doing it! All is going well here.
I will participate in NaNoWriMo in November again, and Camp NaNoWriMo in April. I still plan to do NaNoWriMo in November but I skipped Camp in April due to spring break, Easter, and loads of other things including edits on FUKUSHA MODEL EIGHT.
Advertising, Marketing, Blog, and Social Media Goals
I will start a niche website Love Japanese Fiction. I have decided to scrap the niche website. I plan to redirect that URL to Pinterest.
I will continue to advertise and spend money on both promotions and ads. I'm doing fine with ads though I've cut back on AMS and Facebook. I will be concentrating on Google Adwords and Pinterest for the rest of 2018.
I will be raising my prices on some books. I will be doing the last of my price raises tomorrow on the Hikoboshi Series. Everything else is in line with my pricing goals.
I will be using Kindle Unlimited strategically and only when it’s truly working for me. Right now, with all the KU drama going on, I'm becoming more and more anti-KU and anti-Amazon. I have FEELINGS about this topic, but none of them are appropriate for polite company. Ahem. Right now, I don't foresee using KU at all in the coming months or year.
I will spend less time on social media. I'm spending less time on social media so that goal is going well. I'm enjoying pinning and working on Pinterest instead.
I will blog more. I will do at least one discussion post per month. I'm blogging more and I love it. I realize that I'm not an author who blogs. I'm more of a blogger who writes. I've been blogging since 2005. It's in my blood and it's where I'm happy. I need to work on making more discussion posts.
I will develop a new method of income. My new method of income is coming along with the start of me selling my books direct. More on that in July when SUMMER HAIKUS and FACE TIME are both out of KU. I will be pulling them from Amazon and selling them direct exclusively. I'll be doing the same with all my Kami No Sekai short stories as well (except for the box set). Then I also plan to do exclusive boxsets on my website and launch new series on my website as well.
Personal Goals
My personal goals are not doing as well.
I will read more. I will listen to 30+ audiobooks. I am reading more and listening to audiobooks which is great.
I will walk 1000 miles in 2018. I will lift weights twice a week – Tues and Thurs. FAIL. I will not be walking 1000 miles this year. This goal was sidelined early in the year when I got the flu and two sinus infections in a row. I'm also not lifting weights yet. I just haven't found the time for it. I need to.
I will finish the shawl I’m knitting and knit another one. I will meditate more. I am knitting but I'm not meditating. I should really be meditating but I've been napping instead. Does that count?
New Goals
I will be taking a break this year from the Hikoboshi Series. I plan to write the last two books of this series next year. The series itself has not done well, and I need to take a break from it. I promise all 25 readers who are enjoying this series, I will finish it.
I will be focusing more on Pinterest. I'm interested in driving more traffic to my blog and Pinterest is the way to do it. Plus, it's fun and more productive than Tumblr.
I will be writing the first 3 books of my new series because I can and want to. Because this is the Year I Don't Compete and I still want to have fun, I have given myself permission to do what I want so my main new goals for the year are…
To have fun blogging and have fun writing what I want.
Because these are my two main passions: blogging and writing.
And I'm going to make them both my focus for the rest of the year.
As for everything else, reading and knitting are the most important goals after that.
Okay! Time to get back to work!
