Welcome to 2015! (Goodbye 2014!)

Okay, so I've been the worst blogger on the planet since about July. Maybe I made it to August. Ha! Anyway, I've decided to try to make a bit of a comeback in 2015. Sometimes I have things to say, and sometimes I don't.

I'm not really sure what the protocol is for goals and such, because I don't really make new goals in January. I constantly evaluate where I'm spending my time, and if it's the best use of it.

I also teach elementary school, and a lot of my goals begin in August. My "year" runs from August to June, and then I pretty much live a completely different life for the summer. Oh my heck! That's why I completely fell off the blogging bandwagon. *lightbulb moment*

But I do have some goals this year for my writing. I'll admit 2014 was a rough year for me. Heck, a lot of 2013 was too. Not personally. We're healthy for the most part. I have a teenager now, so that about sums that up.

But as far as my writing goes, I didn't write a single new word in any manuscript until October of last year. So for 10 months (TEN months!), I didn't do much. I was doing some self-publishing, which I love, so I rationalize that I was still working toward my goals.

And I think I was.

But I wasn't writing. And the writing is what I love.

So I started a new book in October. It was a project I liked, but I'm not super-passionate about. I've semi-abandoned it, but I think it might be something I come back to later.

In November, I began a new book, and it really took hold of me. In November and December, I wrote two books. Two whole books! Just over 100,000 words. In two months.

I found the love of writing again, and I realized that sometimes publishing sucks, but writing is always great.

So I've deviated from the whole goals portion of this. Anyway, I do have some self-publishing plans. I have some submission plans. But mostly I have writing plans, because those are the things I can actually control.

I have plans to write another novel-in-verse this year. Probably in February.

I have plans to write two more books that go with the two I wrote at the end of last year. I just started one a couple of days ago, and I'm going to write another in March.

I have plans to revise and edit in April.

I have plans to complete a "30 ideas in 30 days" challenge. This is where I write down a new idea for a new book everyday for 30 days. Sometimes they're terrible. But sometimes they're not (My self-published book SOMETHING ABOUT LOVE came from my 30 days file).

I think those plans will help me move forward in 2015. I know plans get derailed sometimes, but that's what I've got right now.

What plans do you have this year?

My 2014 Goals, Inspired by Ali Cross

Okay, so it's the beginning of a new year. A new calendar year. I've decided to write a few goals down (mostly because I read this post by my good friend Ali Cross, spent at least 30 minutes feeling like a loser, and then decided to make my own--much less impressive--list), and I also decided to share them with all of you. Lucky ducks!

(I actually do a lot of goal-setting in August, when the new school year begins. I live my life from August - July most of the time.)

But anyway, here are some of my publishing and life goals for 2014:
Life: Continue my physical wellness pursuits. I've lost 20 pounds, which is a direct result of my healthy eating and gym attendance. I'm going to continue doing that.

Publishing: Successfully finish edits on RIFT, a YA time travel I'm currently revising for my agent.

Life: Renew my teaching certificate. I kinda have to if I want to keep my job, so...

Publishing: Draft 2 new books. I have one started, but the second? I think I'm going to have to pull up my 30-ideas-in-30-days file and see what I've got in there...

Life: Master 10 recipes for my pressure cooker. I've made a few things now--pot roast and pulled pork--and I think I've got the pulled pork down. It was delicious. The pot roast... not so much. Needs some more work there.

Publishing: Edit/polish 4 already-written novels and prepare them for either submission or self-publishing. Don't be impressed. All 4 novels have been through quite a bit of revision already. Maybe one more round? Maybe two...

So those are the goals. I think they're pretty do-able. I also have a couple of marketing strategies. I've been sort of, I don't know, burned out (?) on marketing in the past several months. I'm honestly just not sure what works and what doesn't, and I'd rather spend my time writing. Thus--

Marketing Strategy #1: Write and publish more books. 

That's it. I'm not worried about posting on Facebook or twitter or tumblr a certain amount of time or every day. I'm looking to be more spontaneous and authentic.

So I'm going to spend my time writing, polishing, and publishing more books. Right now, I only have one scheduled (ELEVATED, February 18), but I may put out another one in the fall.

Marketing Strategy #2: Post entire works and excerpts on Wattpad.

Possession is already there, and I'm going to be uploading part of both SURRENDER and ELEVATED, as well as a new fantasy.

Marketing Strategy #3: Use my established newsletter.

I checked, and yeah. Not a good year in 2013. I think I sent 4 newsletters--the last one in June. So I'm going to try to be better about doing the newsletter thing, but I'm not going to go crazy. I'm thinking quarterly is a good start. I've already done the redesign, and the first newsletter went out yesterday.

And that's it. I hope to have a couple of books out this year, maybe some news of a deal (fingers crossed!), and most of all, a renewed enthusiasm to be an author in 2014!

Did you post goals for 2014? I'd love to go visit your blog and see them, so link me up in the comments!

Can You Believe It's March??

I mean, seriously. March, where did you come from? I feel like time is moving simultaneously warpish and sluggish. It makes no sense, and my brain is getting all swirled up.

Anyway, SURRENDER will be in out in exactly three months. THREE MONTHS. Can you believe that? It feels like POSSESSION just hit shelves. {{{Just one example of the warp-speed movement of time.

I had some goals last month to finish some books, and it didn't happen. So I'm going to go public here and say that I will finish the two books this month. I'm (almost) sure I can do it. I have about 20K to go in one, and about 20K in another. That's less than NaNo wordcounts, so yeah. I *think* I can.

March is always a good month for X-Men. Yesterday, I watched the first three. When I type that, I feel sort of nauseous, but it's true. Gotta love downtime on the weekend.

So, can you believe it's March? What are your writing goals this month? Seen any good movies lately?