Goals for 2014

Each year, I take a look at where I’ve been and where I want to be.

This past year, I focused on writing more, and getting more stories out there. As a result, for the first time, I’m starting to see a decent return on that investment. It could be bigger, but I’m fine with the size of things now.

I also focused on learning more about covers and branding, and re-evaluated (several times) what this blog means to me and how best to use it.

Not a bad start.

Here’s what I plan on doing in 2014:

Get print versions of Shining Armor, Lady Fair, The Baker’s Wife (each individual part) and the first part of The Lord’s Tale formatted and ready for sale.
Finish the Trial of the Ornic series. (This may or may not happen. We’ll see. But it’s worth a shot.)
Learn how to write short stories.
Become more proficient with fonts and font effects in GIMP.
Find someone I can trade proofing with.
Learn how to do vector art in Inkscape.
Work on my drawing skills, to the point where I can create decent, manga-style characters in various postures. (Possibly the hardest goal of all.)
Read one book a week, AT LEAST. (Short stories don’t count, except as collections.)
Remember that rules only exist if they’re useful.

Most importantly, this blog will return to being my writing journal. Sigyn Publishing’s blog and mailing list will be the place to find out about upcoming stories. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll reference them here, but this blog is now going to be more of a “behind the scenes” look, instead of where I really push what I’ve created. That should solve my hesitance regarding promotion, without completely ignoring it.

And who knows? Maybe someday Sigyn Publishing will be more than I ever dreamed. We’ll see.

In the meantime, may the coming year be better for you than the last.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Related link: Dean Smith’s advice to writers for 2014 (I’m proving to myself the truth of this now. More on that later.)