Happy New Year! I don't know about you, but I'm coming into 2021 with high hopes and big plans! If you follow me on social media, you know that my giant and I are currently in the middle of a BIG move. We're headed to Seattle for the year.
I'm super excited but it's bittersweet. Leaving everyone behind to move over 2,000 miles away is SCARY! But we're looking forward to this new adventure.
I thought now would be the perfect time to set out my goals for this year and review those I set last year. We'll start with last year.
2020 was a hell of a year. I made a lot of progress on some things and no so much on others.
Writing
I did publish Kill for You and FALL and FLAME. I started working on Bleed for You and FEAR, but they aren't finished yet. I really found myself struggling to get into these darker stories.
That said, I didn't slack on writing. I launched a new penname in January for sweet & steamy curvy romance and published 20 titles. Why a new penname? Because these are feel-good safe romance books and what I typically write is neither feel-good nor safe!
Learning
I learned AMS ads! After taking Bryan Cohen's 5-Day Amazon Ad Challenge, I took the plunge and joined Amazon Ad School. I have learned SO MUCH!
I joined Masterclass...but I haven't finished my first class yet. I simply didn't have time to fit it into my schedule.
As time has allowed, I've been compiling everything I've learned about self-publishing. I still have a long way to go, but I did make progress. Yet again, I found that I simply didn't have time to fit it into my schedule.
Lifestyle
I didn't lose 50 pounds. I did lose 20 pounds...and then gained most of it back. The simple fact of the matter is that I spent all of 2020 working 2 full-time jobs plus mandatory overtime. Cooking wasn't a big priority as it should have been. SS and I did get more active this year and did a lot more hiking.
I tackled my closet...precisely two weeks ago when I had to pack. But it was done by the end of the year, so it counts!
Leisure
According to Goodreads, I read 25 books. According to my Kindle, I read 104 books. I found myself doing a lot of comfort reading this year, which consists of rereading my favorite books. Since they're already shelved on Goodreads and I didn't go back to update them with new dates, GR didn't count them.
Because of COVID, the last two goals were not possible this year. However, I did spend more time chatting with friends and making new internet friends.
Engagement
I did not grow my reader group, but I was much more active in it. I did, however, start growing my penname reader group. It's very active!
I worked on cross-promotion by hosting 2 multi-author giveaways, participating in a couple of others, and by finally setting up a newsletter swap system. It's gone well!
I think I was more social in 2020. Midway through the year, I had to hire a PA to help take some of the load off because my penname really took off and I simply couldn't juggle everything any longer. He is amazing!
Things that were not on the goal list originally: launching the new penname, quitting my job to become a full-time writer, and completing my office. I did all three!
All in all, I'm proud of how much I accomplished in 2020. It was NOT easy, especially with so much going on in the world. But I stuck to it and managed to make a dent in most goals.
Here's what's up for 2021
Writing - I want to publish Bleed for You, Die for You, and FEAR this year. I would also like to start publishing the Royalty Novellas, but I don't know if it'll be possible since I'm now juggling two pennames.
Learning - I am determined to conquer Facebook Ads this year. It's honestly pissing me off that I can't seem to crack the code. I'm an Aquarius. Nothing motivates me quite like failure. I also want to complete my first masterclass, and actually finish compiling everything I've learned to share with others.
Lifestyle - I will lose that extra weight again this year, and I will keep it off. Since I won't be working full-time and writing full-time, I'll have more time to cook...which I am really looking forward to doing! I also want to take up a new hobby...I think it's actually going to be learning Photoshop and Graphic Design.
Engagement - Growing my reader group and cross-promoting are still goals for this year. I also want to dip my toes into video content. I'm not at all comfortable on camera so this counts as my "Do one thing that scares you" thing.
Leisure - I want to read 100 more books this year, though I think it will be a more equitable mix of old favorites and new finds than 2020 was. I also want to explore Seattle and the hiking options this year since it's an entirely new place for us. Since I spent so much time working last year, I didn't get days off. This year, I plan to relax more!
Other - We'll be renting our first year in Washington simply because we don't know a whole lot about the area. But we made a goal to decide by the end of the year if we're going to put down roots and buy our house or if we want to give it a little more time. I would also like to continue growing our savings this year. I'd also like to attend at least one signing but I'm not committing to anything until after COVID vaccinations have been given on a broad scale.
I'm really excited about the year ahead! What are your goals?