After 2012 I am a firm believer in setting goals, tracking progress, and keeping everything in front of you every day. Why? If you read the last two posts you don’t need to ask that question. My progress over this year has been nothing short of amazing and if I keep on track 2013 will be filled with more amazing.

My biggest challenge going into 2013 will be not wasting time. Yes, even through I wrote a lot I also wasted a large amount of time. I will not do that in 2013 if I can prevent myself from it. Yes I will still read and review those books that I read. I will still watch movies and review them from time to time (in fact I should have a few coming out for you soon). I don’t consider those a waste of time. Those fuel my fire to get out there and do well.

I’ve said this before; I’ll never be the best author in the world. I’d be surprised if I ever became a best seller. I’d be even more surprised if I became rich at this. I’d be content with a small, part-time income and I know that’s an achievable goal. I also know that this won’t happen overnight. I doubt it’ll happen next year. If I’m lucky I’ll make enough money to go buy a sushi dinner for the wife and my favorite daughter (after the expense of publishing the books that is). My first goal is to write entertaining books. That’s about it. If I can accomplish that, then I’m doing well.

So what are my goals for 2013? Well…

Write 500,000 words (gotta push the limit, right?)
Complete 5 novels (those two partials and 3 new novels)
Publish 5 already completed, edited novels.
Publish at least 5 new short stories.
Publish 3 new novellas (in the same series as the two from 2012)

So far, that’s it. Anything beyond that will be gravy. I already have a cover artist I plan to work with. I know which books I want to release next year. I have a vague idea what I want the covers to look like. I’m working on getting those books edited and ready to go. It’s just a matter of going through the edit, layout, format stages. That’s not a quick process, but I’ve done it once. I already know what to do. Each time I’ll get better at it and if I goof something up, I can always make corrections and get the new version out there. I’m not afraid to make a mistake like I did last time.

So what books do I want to get out there next year?

V&A Shipping

Billy Barbarian

Paradise Palms

Of Gnomes and Dwarves: Book 1

Astel (re-release)

All of these books have been written. All but Of Gnomes and Dwarves has been edited by at least three different people that I trust. I have those edits. I will apply those edits. I will be making sure these books are the best I can make them and they will get out into the wild.

What 5 books do I want to write next year?

V&A Shipping II (already ¾ of the way complete)

To Fall From the Sky (already ½ of the way complete)

Of Gnomes and Dwarves Book 2 (already written [badly], will be 100% rewritten)

Astel II

Billy Barbarian II

These will all be books only (ebook and print). I’m not counting Golden West Season I and Season II into the mix just yet. Yes, once I complete Season I, I will make sure that gets a cover and becomes a book, but the reason I’m not counting it is because It’s serialized. Perhaps I should count it and say I’ll put out 6 books, but for now, I’ll leave that on the side. Makes me sound too ambitious and that scares me a little.

This whole process scares me. Not just a little, but a lot. I’ve put a lot into my writing and I’ve already seen poor reviews from works that I enjoyed writing (see Emperor’s Fist on Amazon). Those kind of reviews sting. But then I’ve also had some great feedback from other stories. Astel I’ve heard nothing but good things about from those that have read it. I know I’ve got something there, I was just a little hurried and sloppy in the release of the book. I wanted so badly to have a book out that I rushed it. I’m not going to do that with any of these titles.

I’ve got a basic plan laid out. What I don’t currently have is a schedule. I need to take care of that. I need to get these books out. I need to plan out promotion and blog tours and podcast interviews and write up press releases and get ebooks and print books to reviewers. All of these things take time, they take money, and they take commitment. If I don’t write up a schedule I know I’ll fall behind, I’ll let things slip, and I won’t accomplish as much as I’d like to next year. If I’m going to do all this in one year then I need to stop with the wasting of time, right?

I knew you’d agree with me. So I’m off to stop wasting time. I’m going to grab the bull by the horns and hold on for dear life. It’s going to be a wild ride. 2013 will be filled with so many unexpected things and I’m more excited than scared. I’ll still be posting to my blog daily so you can follow along with all the fun.

Speaking of fun, I’m going to go have some.

Until Tomorrow!

WOO WOO!