Looking back at 2020 / Gearing Up for 2021

2020 has been a challenging year. What seemed typical at the beginning quickly became a year unlike any we’d ever seen. Yet, 2020 had its high points. Though I’m not a fan of setting unrealistic goals I can’t achieve, I do like to plot out the year ahead, rather like the books I write. I had a clear plan of what I wanted to achieve with regard to my writing as 2020 began. I’m pleased to say I achieved those goals.

Having recently acquired the rights to (some) of my backlist titles from my publisher, I was eager, at the start of 2020, to begin the process of republishing my first 7 titles under my own name. My goal was to rerelease my first title in January and release one book per month, concluding with my new release, An Intoxicating Interlude [The Rabourn Theater Series # 4]. Though I faced a number of roadblocks (having to fight harder for the rights to my more recent titles, having to inquire separately about the digital rights versus paperback) I managed to rerelease the first title in February, and I got into a rhythm where I was releasing one book per month, or at least, one every other month. Each title needed a new cover, the books needed to be proofread for mistakes that were missed the first time around, and there was formatting, uploading and advertising to be done–oodles of work that cut into my writing time for new stories. Yet, in the most ironic way, the pandemic helped me out a bit there, because with commuting off the table, I had at least an hour to an hour and a half of time back in my day. Never one to waste time, I put it to good use. During a year when I’d set the bar high, this surprising bit of luck was especially helpful.

I know I’m not alone when I say that, as an author, I often find myself looking for the secret formula that is the key to profitable marketing. I’ve sat with my fellow authors at meetings and conferences mulling this problem over, only to walk away with the inevitable conclusion that there is in fact no secret formula, that what works for one author probably won’t work for another, that even the most successful author has no guarantee of future success. As pre-published authors, I think we all believe, to a certain extent, that marketing will be “easy,” or at the very least, that we’ll have a greater chance of earning enough money from our book titles to live on year to year than we will of getting struck by lightning. In reality, there is little in this business we can control. Having a better appreciation for this than I did when I started out, I tried some new things in 2020 including marketing courses and Amazon Ads. Though I did have a slight increase in sales this year, ultimately, neither of these things helped me. In 2021, I’ll be focusing more on tweeting, seeking book reviews from credible reviewers, and adding to my newsletter list the good old fashioned way.

To date, I’ve been a writer who publishes one book a year. Though our industry encourages us to write a lot more, especially if we intend to achieve any level of “success,” this is what I’ve been able to manage in the midst of working full time, managing the responsibilities of life and leaving at least a little bit of time for leisure and recharging. As writers, it’s especially important to allow time to recharge to avoid creative burnout. Frankly, it’s just part of living a healthy life. I want my books to be a reflection of my best work and I greatly appreciate that my readers are willing to wait a little longer for my stories than the industry standard suggests. Personally, I’m not a fan of being instantly gratified. You need not look further than the latest list of movies and TV shows, or, simply bring to mind your own personal favorites to be reminded that good things don’t come around every five minutes. They are, in fact, worth waiting for.

I’ll be honest, though. I have a number of ideas for future stories that I want to write and while those ideas sit in limbo, I worry that by the time I finally sit down to write and develop them, I’ll have lost my inspiration or worse, I’ll forget key aspects of my stories altogether. Seeing as how life is only getting busier year by year, I recently decided to do something that I’ve dreamed of doing for a long time–I began outlining some of my future stories while continuing to work on my current story at the same time. For years, I’ve heard that it’s “nearly impossible” to have your head in two books at the same time, books that you’re writing, that is. But, the way I saw it, I’ve read as many as three books at a time while also writing my own book and following the numerous storylines of at least two soap operas. Yes, someone else was doing the majority of the writing here but honestly, if I could keep one books’ characters’ motivations straight in my head, why not two? I gave it a try. And, I should have tried it years ago. As a plotter, I love outlining because it enables me to write what’s in my head quickly, without having to stop and develop pesky details. Outlining one book while editing another, my confidence is boosted and I get to exercise two different skill sets–writing and editing–keeping both skills fresh. A win-win, IMO, not to mention I’m getting my wonderful ideas down while they’re fresh in my mind and just as great as they can be.

So, what do I hope to accomplish in 2021? With the hard work of republishing my backlist behind me, I’d like to get back to the task of actual writing which, for me, means completing the final story in the Rabourn Theater Series, An Enchanting Song. At the same time, I’ll be outlining my Shores of Avalon Series, a new 5-book organized crime romance series which I hope to begin drafting “soon.” If I can get that under my belt, I’ll be starting The Dragon Lords Series, another 5 book organized crime romance series which I’ve got outlined and ready to be drafted. I’ll also continue outlining the many, many series ideas I have buried under my mattress. As for marketing, I think it’d be really, really nice to get back to doing in-person author events at actual bookstores next year, don’t you?

What do YOU hope to accomplish in 2021? If you’re a writer, like me, I’m willing to bet you have a good idea of what you want to accomplish whether you’ve formulated an actual plan, think that plan is doable, or otherwise. Rather than make one specific resolution, I recommend listing all of the things you’d like to accomplish in the New Year and breaking them down into small, achievable increments. Success looks a lot different when you bullet point your wishes as small, attainable goals. It feels better, too! Wishing you all great things in 2021!