2014 Wrap Up
I’m going to just say it up front: I know this is a weird time for a New Year’s blog. I realize that this is going up the day after Christmas, so many of you will be like “Whoa, Drew, what’s the rush? Take your time with each holiday. It was only one day ago.” And I would have preferred to do that, but see time kind of screwed me this year. These blogs go up on Fridays, which means I could either post this today, or wait until January 2nd, at which point everyone will be so sick of the new year lists and resolutions that you’ll be like “Fuck all man, get on with it already. The holiday was two days ago.” So yeah, I decided to be the head of the New Year’s train rather than ride on the caboose.
I’ll be honest, up until I sat down to start writing this blog, I’d been feeling like I sort of pissed away 2014. But, once I actually started writing down and cataloguing what I’d accomplished this year, I was a little impressed with how much my bumbling ass managed to accidently accomplish in a single year’s time. And yes, we’re reviewing them here, because I want to do a victory lap.
I released three books, with one of them being written right before your eyes for what I suspect to be the first time ever. I left digital novelists, which was a bitter-sweet accomplishment, as I’ll always have a fond spot for the site and people who got me started in the web-serial world that would become my career. I launched a new site though, and one under my own name and complete control, which I’ve managed to not break so far. I also started a site for other writers just breaking into the web-serial world, StarterSerials.com, which is currently hosting over ten web-serials and has traffic gaining every month (Proud of you guys!). I made friends with a bunch of great people who also write superhero books, and together we founded the Pen and Cape Society; which has already released an anthology and done a multi-site story event. I had my first audiobook made, then had a company buy the audio rights to another one for the first time. I had my first book released through traditional publishing. I promoted Corpies from a Bonus only story to a site feature, and managed to make it work in the schedule. I wrote hundreds of thousands of words for Super Powereds & Corpies, as well as three entire other novels. I finally got the fuck out of Houston.
Okay, so that was a bit longer of a victory lap than I probably needed, but here’s the thing about all those accomplishments: As of next Thursday at 12:01 AM, they’re all ancient history. Life is a lot like a sales manager: it doesn’t give a shit about last month; it wants to know how your numbers look for this one. Thus, it is time to bid 2014 adieu. It was a hell of a party, and I had a lot of good times, but the kegs are floated and the food is gone, so I’m afraid we must set our sights on a new horizon; one with vodka fountains in the front yard and neon lights visible from a block away: 2015 is here and it looks like it might just be one hell of a rager.
As many of you will doubtlessly remember from my groundbreaking, internet shaking New Year’s blog last year, I don’t actually believe in setting New Year’s Resolutions. There’s nothing wrong with them in theory, and I encourage you to go for it if that’s what helps you self-improve, but I tend to prefer things that are a little more tangible. Thus, I set New Year’s Goals instead. They are something definite that I look at and say “Yes, I did that” or “No, I’m a goddamn failure and I’m going to drink myself into oblivion.” You know, whatever is appropriate.
2015 Goals
1. Publish Year 3 on E-book: I did the math, and if I keep even close to the expected word count for SP Year 3 then it will wrap sometime in late summer. I want to have it ready to go out of the gate as the last chapter posts, and it is definitely one of my goals to make that happen.
2. Write & Publish NPCs #2: While I don’t normally like to write too many sequels, the response this book got means it would be nuts of me not to keep the story going, especially since I went in knowing it had the potential to be a series. I’ve been a bit stalled on it for the past few months, but earlier in December I finally had an idea for how to start things off right, and the outline has been flowing from there.
3. Finish Corpies: Or at least, finish Corpies: Book 1. I love that story, but I do not want to find myself dealing with 250,000 word books I’m trying to turn into shippable paperbacks again.
4. Do a Signing: This will largely depend on if any indie book stores pick up my works, or how much general interest there is in the DFW area, but I’d love to actually put together a book signing for those who’ve requested one. Rest assured, it’s on my to-do list, but as an indie guy I can’t justify using a business’s space unless they’re dedicated to selling the products or I can demonstrate enough demand. It’s a work in progress, but it is a work.
5. Get Back To Being Able To Run 5 Miles: This was a goal I had already hit, but unfortunately fucking up my leg a while back put me on rest for longer than I would have liked, and now I’m back to the point of working up to it. Getting old blows.
6. Get a Movie Deal: Fuck it, may as well put it on the list to try for. Yachts and champagne hot tubs don’t buy themselves, after all.
If you folks have any goals of your own, feel free to put them in the comments below. Let’s make ourselves and 2015 the best they can be!