Well, it's that time of year again, where I start looking at what I did this year, and what I want to accomplish next year. I'm working on a series of posts about goals on my personal blog, The Muse, so I'm going to skip that discussion here. But I thought I'd do a brief recap since part of our Dreamweaver blog is geared to share experiences.
QUERIES/SUBMISSIONS:
Thank every being that is powerful and divine I no longer have to deal with this. My agent (bless her a hundred times over) now holds the bulk of this responsibility. Sure I have to input. Sure I have to provide the content for her to work with. But wowee, this is the best darn part of having an agent for me -- I only have to write these damnable things and open myself to blood-letting rejections for contests or in preparation for a face-to-face pitch.
That said, I'll share a little bit of insight on what was shopped this year.
--My Templar book1 went on submissions, and sold.
--My historical project has met the brick wall of currently not in market demand. Sad, as I am particularly in love with that series, but so be it.
--I submitted a brand-spanking new project to my agent, in a brand-spanking new subgenre that will go out sometime early in 2011.
--I revisited a previously completed paranormal project and it is currently under review.
SALES:
I had two sales this year, the Templar series and A Christmas To Believe In to the Wild Rose Press.
PROMOTIONS:
Where I've shed the nightmare of queries, I've inherited the nightmare of promotions. This year I've blogged my little heart out, tried to network as much as time can allow. I purchased some advertising opportunities (after extensive consulting with fellow authors -- more time), that will happen in 2011. I've made book trailers for three books/projects. (Go check 'em out!)
WORKS COMPLETED:
Hee. This is always my favorite part because what I have done in a particular year is never obvious by an end-of-year recap. Where I only show that I sold two books, I have written six and 3/4 books, plotted in detail double that, revised one, started a side-project, and handled edits on two. Shew!
So what am I looking at in 2011?
Well, of those manuscripts completed, two already sold, another two are contracted, and I already discussed the others. Which leaves me looking at finalizing the Templar series in 2011, starting a new historical project, finishing the side-project, completing another project for TWRP with Dyann, and writing the follow up to the brand-spanking new project. All told, I'm looking to complete seven full length manuscripts in 2011. If the project currently under review gets the go-ahead, that will also mean revisions on the second book already written.
I anticipate a year of heavy editing as well. I'll have edits for Templar1, possibly edits for Templar2. Edits for the TWRP project.
My special project is in a field completely unrelated to romance. That requires some intensive market studying and research there as well. But I hope to break into the market and embed myself professionally there too. If it goes, I'll have to change out one of my planned writing projects to write a sequel.
RELEASES:
I will see the release of Waiting For Yes. That's all I know concretely at this time. Though I anticipate an additional Christmas release, and the release of Templar1.
PROMOTIONS:
The bane of my existence will only intensify. Each book sold will require a trailer -- not necessarily a demand but something I've committed myself to maintaining. Blogging has to keep up, and I must maintain my attempts to network.
I'll also be traveling this year, presenting a workshop at the NOLA STARS conference in March, and hopefully attending two other events that I haven't quite nailed out yet off my list of possibilities.
2011 is promising to be a busy year. While on the surface it may seem impossibly busy, it's really not much more than what 2009 or 2010 has presented. It's just a readjustment of priorities and a matter of trading out some of the things I was doing, for some of the things I must now do.
To accomplish these things I've developed a very tedious schedule and a whole set of individual goal lists.
As I mentioned before though, and will continue to mention on The Muse, being a writer is a job. It isn't just a lark. And while some might believe that getting published is the end of the ladder, an accomplishment that makes life easier... oh heck no. The only time it becomes easy is when a writer attains the status of King, Koontz, Roberts etc. Authors who are household names and folks who don't even read the genre know them. I'm not saying their work is any less difficult than mine, necessarily, but one thing is for certain... they can be counted on to sell just on name alone, and promotions definitly isn't something the author has to invest a lot of time with. Submissions/queries/sales neither. They have their own share of heavy demands. But when one attains that level, the job of being an author falls more in line with the perception of having a 'cush job'. I'm absolutely certain the reality is different.
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