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Here we are again! The year rushes by and we stand at the end wondering what we achieved in the last 12 months!
This is one of the reasons I love blogging β the passing of time is actually trackable. We all change, our goals change, but at least by writing out what we want to achieve and then measuring that, we can keep ourselves heading in the right direction!
Here's what I set out to do this year as documented on 1 Jan 2014, and what I managed to achieve:
(1a) Stick with Plan A: Write more books and attract more readers
I didn't quite create as many new books as I intended, but here's what I did publish in 2014
- Public Speaking for Authors, creatives and other introverts. In ebook and print formats.
- Day of the Vikings. ARKANE #5. In ebook, print and audiobook formats. I'm also giving this away for free on JFPenn.com at the moment if you want to try it.
- Delirium, London Psychic Book 2. In ebook, print and audiobook formats.
- Business for Authors: How to be an Author Entrepreneur. In ebook, print and audiobook formats.
- Updated Second Edition of How to Market a Book
- I also finished Gates of Hell, it's on pre-order right now, publishing 5 Jan in ebook formats and coming soon in print and audiobook.
I have done quite a bit of research and networking on the screenplay side of things, but I will be leaving that until 2016 as well. I want to write a screenplay but because it's such a new skill, I'll be waiting until I am more settled with my fiction production process.
(1b) Become a better writer
The focus on the craft is ongoing of course, but this year I have done a couple of things to invest in becoming a better writer:
- Masterclass at Thrillerfest with David Morrell – a fantastic full day on thriller writing specifically.
- 4 day STORY conference with Robert McKee
- Courses with Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Rusch on productivity, which has included ‘getting out of my own way.' Necessary for someone who still has problems with self-censorship.
- And I have found the right editor, Jen Blood, who both gets my writing style and kicks my ass when I need it. Jen also happens to write great thrillers π Working with Jen has enabled me to learn more about effective story structure and improve my craft.
(2) Exploit more rights and focus on global territories
I do now have an agent specifically for foreign rights but this year I went into joint venture deals with translators. You can read all the articles and interviews here.
As part of 50:50% royalty split, I published the following books. Desecration-Verletzung was published by Ullstein-Midnight for digital rights and we retain print and audiobook rights.
- GERMAN: Pentecost, Ein ARKANE thriller in ebook and print; Desecration-Verletzung in ebook and print
- SPANISH: PentecostΓ©s in ebook and print
- ITALIAN: Profanazione in ebook and print
If you read any of these languages and would like a review copy, please contact me π
In terms of audiobook rights, ACX expanded into the UK in April 2014 and so all my fiction is now available in audio format, and I will be getting into the non-fiction in 2015.
This has added a great new income stream to the business, and I urge you to consider audiobooks if you haven't done so already.
So even though I ‘only' wrote 4 new individual books, I actually produced 19 new products for my author business, each bringing in a new income stream. This is the magic of publishing and intellectual property rights, and if the penny hasn't dropped for you on this yet, read this post.
(3) Professional speaking
My aim was to develop my speaking in 2014 and take it further than before. Things have definitely shifted as because of demand, I have had to decline a number of events. I love to help people but events have to serve one of two other purposes now: revenue or expenses paid international travel, and preferably both of these!
In 2014, I have spoken internationally in New York on a Thrillerfest panel, Toronto at Kobo HQ, Stockholm, Sweden for an event on self-publishing, Frankfurt Book Fair and Auckland, New Zealand. I've also spoken at a number of events in the UK, plus I've also run my own full day events on book marketing as well as how to make a living from your writing, which I hope to repeat in 2015.
(4) Focus more on creative entrepreneurship on the blog, podcast and YouTube channel
I've definitely shifted focus this year, posting regularly on the creative entrepreneurship side of things, to go alongside my own development and the writing of Business for Authors book.
You can find a roundup of the entrepreneurial posts here.
I decided to remove guest posts in April, and am really happy with that decision because it focuses the blog on my personal take on the fast-changing indie world, and I continue to share other people's thoughts through the podcast and interviews.
The Creative Penn podcast hit 200 episodes, you can listen to the round-up episode here. I have two corporate sponsors in 99 Designs and Kobo Writing Life, but now you, the listener, can also sponsor the show through Patreon. Thanks to all the patrons of the show, listed here.
In terms of collaboration, I was part of The Twelve, a thriller writer's collective, and in March 2014, we made the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists, selling over 100,000 copies of our boxset, Deadly Dozen. Very cool π
I was also in a couple of other box-sets β The Indie PowerPack, Thrill Ride and Dark Trinity β and will continue to look for collaboration opportunities in 2015.
Overall, I feel that 2014 has been a pivotal year in my creative career and I've stepped up a rung on the ladder in terms of my professionalism as an author, and in my maturity as a writer and creative entrepreneur. I am certain this is what I want to do with my life – it's now about developing my craft and developing my business over time. And of course, loving the journey!
I'm ready to step it up again in 2015 – I hope you will join me!
Paul Teague says
Wow, what a year, you have so many exciting things going on!
That productivity level is through the roof π
I don’t know if this is any use to you, but I am moving digital product sakes towards Paddle.com and Clickbank.com, both of which behave in the same way as Amazon does for e-books (ie they handle the VAT so you don’t have to, the sales count as B2B).
Articles of explanation here:
http://blog.paddle.com/digital-content-vat-regulation-2015/
http://www.jvfocus.com/threads/new-eu-vat-legislation-january-1st-2015-are-you-ready-for-it.1137/
In 2014 I managed to get my first YA trilogy written at 156k words, and figured out how to process it for Createspace, make it available on Kindle and get some nice covers produced.
I also wrote 2 x non-fiction books (50k words) which are on currently pre-order.
The biggest discovery last year – as somebody completely new to the game – is that I can even do it in the first place.
Have a great 2015 and thank you for providing all the fab information on your blog.
Paul
Joanna Penn says
Congrats Paul – the discovery of being able to do it is magic! I still remember making my first $50 online and realizing the potential of scalability and global online business. Thanks for the links on the VAT stuff – I was going to withdraw the courses mid 2015 anyway so this was just a combination of events thing. Happy 2015!
Anita says
2014 finished off great in respects to completing many of my personal and professional goals.
I am a stay-at-home mom, and keep my commercial photography business running part-time, http://www.AnitaZvonar.com . I thankfully also made time to get my first two children’s books self-published. Sharing Is Love- My Brother and Me, and, Sharing Is Love- My Sister and Me. http://www.BabicBooks.com . They were inspired by my two young boys of course. Got my website up and running! The self publishing industry is an entirely new industry for me, but I have enjoyed this new creative adventure. I have loved meeting authors, connecting with amazingly supportive mommy bloggers (three awesome book reviews and book giveaways of my publications). I attended two networking conferences in Toronto (Blissdom 2015 and Mompreneur Conference 2015), where I met so many inspirational people (and won some great prizes too…. Bonus!).
I also improved my social media skills, gained many followers and now love twitter. I am already planning my 2015 conferences and excited about accomplishing my future goals. I finished off the year continuing to learn by reading Joanna’s book ‘How To Market A Book’.
Perhaps I am most happy to have kept pushing myself to keep learning and growing…and finding inspiration all around me. Super excited for my third book that I have just began researching.
I am turning 40 in 2015 and embracing it on many levels!
Finally, by posting this comment I am also learning to pat myself on the back for my accomplishments instead of being so darn hard on myself for ‘not getting enough done”.
Live, love and learn to everyone in 2015!
Anita
Joanna Penn says
Congrats on all your achievements, Anita, and with 2 kids, you’re doing so well!
I am (happily) childfree and I think I’m busy!
I also turn 40 in 2015, so thinking bigger in terms of the future as well – I’ll be posting about that in March π
Anita says
Super…I look forward to your postings in March! When do you turn 40…..I am September 1. Nuts! I did not realize you have written so many books…..good for you! Take care!
Jim WIlbourne says
I think I did pretty well last year.
I’m super new to the indie publishing game. So new that I still haven’t published anything yet, but I’m pulling everything in line to do so!
If you’re curious, here’s my breakdown of my year:
http://www.jimwilbourne.com/stuff/2014/12/14/year-of-creation-in-review
(one of those successes is actually getting a website started)
Thanks for all the valuable content in 2014!
I recently finished “How to Market a Book” and I found it incredibly helpful!
Joanna Penn says
Get publishing, Jim!
Derek says
Hi Joanna,
Thanks for all your awesome work with the podcast, this blog, and the books. You’re both inspirational and informative, a rare combination.
My dream has always been to be an author but I kept making excuses for why it was impossible for me to achieve it, then, in 2014, your podcast and that of the Self-Publishing Podcast guys’, made me realise that’s what all those ‘reasons’ were, just excuses. It turned me around. I published two books in the last half of 2014 and I’m working on several more that I hope to get out this year. I’m taking your advice and doing everything I can to produce more work while also studying how to market it once it’s out.
Making a living from my writing used to be my dream (as Dean Wesley Smith defines it), now it’s the intended outcome of my goals, and that’s the biggest change of all.
Joanna Penn says
Congrats on taking steps towards your dream Derek π We all have those excuses at the beginning, and it takes effort to break through them – and then there are always challenges, but at least you’re on the way. All the best for your 2015 writing ambitions!