New Year, New Goals

Half my family got sick at Christmas, I worked a long day in healthcare on the 27th, and yesterday was spent on the application process for state-approved medical marijuana. Those three factors combined to allow the end of 2017 to sneak up on me, and it wasn’t until I looked at my phone’s calendar this afternoon that I realized how close we are to closing out the year. My mind is in a constant state of goal-setting, but I figured I better reflect on this year and make some big goals for the new one that’s happening in two days. Naturally, the bulk of my goals are book-related.

As far as 2017, in terms of writing, it was a hell of a year. My book deadline was April Fool’s Day (self-chosen), and after I submitted the manuscript, things were quiet until the edits were finished and it was time for final proofs and indexing. Writing lesson number one for 2017: I’m not good at indexing and really don’t like doing it. Lesson number two: seeing final proofs is equal parts exhilarating and disappointing— exhilarating for obvious reasons, and disappointing for reasons I still can’t quite pinpoint. Maybe because it marked the end of something, even while marking the beginning?

My book was printed later than first expected, which made me crazy, but when the publisher did finally release it, the pile of emotions that came with the initial delivery of authors’ copies was a lot better than I anticipated. I’d thought I’d be all over the emotional map, but when the books arrived, I was mostly just really happy. Lesson number three: receiving a delivery of first-run authors’ copies is pretty awesome.

Marketing-wise, it’s been a pretty good month since my book was released. I was mentioned by Out Magazine, Aaptiv, reviewer Amos Lassen, and author Larry Franklin. Getting attention for my book is more of a battle than I expected, but hopefully my publisher’s marketing department will start drumming up more press for me. I anticipate being on a podcast, on television, and on a few more websites in January, and I really hope each bit of publicity leads to more. My books can’t sell if people don’t know about them.

I’ll make a list of 2018 goals writing tonight, but I already know that the overarching theme will be to get the word out to as many people as possible that my book exists. After that, it’s up to them if they read it— but at least they’ll know about it and have the option. Perhaps it’s time to get out a megaphone and start walking the streets with my message.

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