Author Recap of 2017 and Goals for 2018

It is about this time each year when I begin to reflect on my past year’s accomplishments as an author. I have been a self-published writer for four and a half years as of this month – originally published in May of 2013. A lot has happened in that time. As of this writing, I have twenty-six books in print, in four different genres.

As I have stated in my recaps in the past, I like to set goals for the upcoming year rather than making New Year’s resolutions. Some of these goals I achieve, some I set aside and some roll-over to become renewed goals because they were just so ‘darn good’ in the first place.

Marketing is always a challenge for an indie-author, and I tried many new things this year, which I would like to share. Some worked. Some did not. I try to keep in mind that in 2015 (the most recent year they have stats) Bowker, the folks who issue ISBN numbers, stated there were over 700,000 books self-published. It is hard to stand out in such a huge crowd. Marketing your books is like Dory’s advice in the Pixar film, ‘just keep swimming.’

Baring the Bones of Proofreading and Editing

October of 2015 I opened up shop as Affordable Proofreading & Editing Service, LLC. Why did I do this? I was already a published author in my own right. I certainly did not have a wealth of time on my hands. I hold down an 8-5 job and am caregiver to my elderly father - and still must find time to write. What was my motivation to give up what little free time I did have?

I’ll tell you what… The need to see polished work in the self-publishing field. Manuscripts that are of a better quality assist all of us in sales, not just the author of the particular book.

Thinks about this…

A reader sees an ad on social media, be it Facebook, Google+, Twitter, wherever… They are intrigued by the cover and click on the link… The blurb for the book sounds interesting and the price is reasonable… (Anything 99 cents to $3.99 is reasonable.) They think, ‘heck, that’s only the cost of a fancy coffee.’

Affordable Proofreading & Editing Service, LLC

Are you thinking about publishing your first book in 2017?

Have you had less than stellar reviews on your indie or traditionally published book?

Let me be your second set of eyes.

I love assisting in making an author's work shine.

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Reflections on 2016 and Goals for 2017

Here I am with another year under my belt. I was first published in May of 2013 so, this marks the end of three and a half years of self-publishing and marketing. It just seems easier to reflect on past achievements around this time of year when most people are making New Year’s resolutions. I prefer to set goals. Some I manage to meet, some I set aside, and some roll-over to become renewed goals because they were just so ‘darn good’ in the first place.

I would like to state one large, general observation I made this past year – almost an epiphany. ‘I am only in competition with myself.’ I need not make comparisons of my goals to others goals or achievements made by other authors. If I don’t get something published on my timeline, it doesn’t matter. It is ‘my’ timeline. Life raises its ugly head sometimes and it demands that deadlines and goals be set aside. With that said, I feel very accomplished at the close of this year. I have twenty-two books in print and four more written, waiting to be polished and published.