Reflections and Goals

A YEAR IN REVIEW, A YEAR AHEAD

In light of how 2020 is unfolding, 2019 was a breeze!

While living in the midst of last year, however, I felt the challenge of trying to meet my goals while responding to the needs of my aging parents and in-laws. Consequently, I juggled more balls than usual and occasionally dropped one or two. Okay, maybe five…or ten…or twenty!

In the end, I accomplished my priorities (which is always family!) and most of my goals! YAY 😊!!!

This annual report was one of the expectations I let drop into the heap for a little while. Now that The Turning Point is in the hands of BETA readers, I can bounce this report back into play and check it off my to-do list.

Below are compilations from a few categories (Reading, Writing, Marketing, and Sales) that I monitor every year. Annual comparisons help me gauge if I’m heading in the right direction. Stats can also indicate important trends.

READING:

Reading and writing go hand in hand. Although I spend the bulk of my workdays writing, I try to sustain my passion for reading by opening a book every night. Besides the entertainment factor, I learn so much about craft from other authors.

I participate as a reader/reviewer on Goodreads. Here are some stats for 2019:

My review of The Girl in Red by Christina Henry received 130 likes! Here’s a link if you are interested: Ash’s Review of The Girl in Red

Favorite Fiction Novel in 2019: Dracul by Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker

Reading Goals for 2020:

• Reach or exceed my Goodreads reading goal of 15 books
• Increase my Goodreads community of friends to 650
• Become more active in the Reading Groups to which I belong
• Increase engagement in the reviews I post

WRITING:

Improving craft is a process that never ends! I’m a lifelong learner and getting better is what drives me.

Ratings are one indicator of an author’s level of craft. Here are the stats for The One and Only (Book #1) followed by The Tether (Book#2):

*Data captured on 4/2020

*Data captured on 4/2020

Writing Goals for 2020:

• Complete and publish the third installment of The ELI Chronicles (The Turning Point)
• Start Book #1 of a new series!
• Complete 2 tutorials
• Participate in 3 critiques
• Increase Goodreads “Author Followers” to 125
• Continue to share the importance of reviews with readers

MARKETING:

Marketing takes time away from writing, but without consistent efforts over the long-term, readers may not come across my books! As a self-publisher, promoting my author’s brand is huge.

I’ve marketed my books in a variety of ways. Here are some stats:

Electronic platforms, such as social media, extend an author’s “reach” (by having books visible to potential readers/purchasers).

Marketing Goals for 2020:

• Try to stimulate book club interest
• Participate in author opportunities via Goodreads
• Sustain a comprehensive approach to marketing my books, including catalog listings
• Improve website traffic

SALES:

If an author is writing as a profession (a job), sales matter! Here are tables which show where most of my sales are occurring!

Sales Goals for 2020:

• Continue advertising with Amazon to achieve book visibility with potential buyers.
• Continue to increase sales at Ingram through catalog listings and contacts with local libraries and bookstores.
• Work with local bookstores to market my books while promoting their business.

If anything, I hope these statistics illustrate the many aspects of being an author! Like any profession, we have to multi-task to make progress on all fronts.

I’d love to answer any questions you might have or to simply read your comments!

As always, your support means so much to me!