OLD POST ALERT! This is an older post and although you might find some useful tips, any technical or publishing information is likely to be out of date. Please click on Start Here on the menu bar above to find links to my most useful articles, videos and podcast. Thanks and happy writing! – Joanna Penn
After wrestling with letting go of self-censorship in 2014, I am ready to embrace the ups and downs of the creative process in 2015. As Dean Wesley Smith says, “Dare to be bad,” and something good will come out of it!
I feel as if my basic process and business model is now (finally) set, and now all I have to do is repeat it in order to develop my craft and grow the business. This is the magic of intellectual property!
Essentially, the model is: trust emergence and continue to feed the muse in order to write (which for me involves travel and research), turn those ideas into books, turn that one book into multiple products, distribute globally and reach readers through marketing, and then repeat.
Oh yes, and have a great life along the way!
That's important, as if you're not loving this, then you're better off getting a ‘real' job. No one said this was easy after all, and there are much easier ways of making a living. But if you love it, there's no better life!
I find all the aspects of being indie fun, so my focus now is more on creativity and the craft of writing to make the books better, and speeding up the various parts of the process, while still enjoying the journey. Here's how that translates into my goals for 2015.
Creating new things in the world!
This is what it's all about! I measure my life by what I create now and although this is a list of ‘production,' my focus this year will be on deepening creative practice as well. That's just not so measurable, and goals generally need to be measurable 🙂
- 6 books out in 2015. A combination of novels, novellas and non-fiction, all in ebook, print and audiobook formats. Three more ARKANE books, Deviance in the London Psychic series plus a minor character spinoff and two books in a new supernatural series. This should turn into 18+ products once each book is turned into the various formats.
- Narrate my own non-fiction audiobooks and publish them on Audible. I'm also looking at doing royalty split deals with other non-fiction authors and getting into ACX as a narrator as well as an author. Like anyone, I used to hate my voice, but after 4 years of podcasting, I am pretty used to it now and I get so many emails from people who like to listen to it. Narration of other people's non-fiction books on a royalty split deal will add another income stream as well, so I will announce availability after I get my own 4 non-fiction books done first.
- Translations: While this is not a primary focus, I do have Portuguese underway for Pentecost as Brazil is likely to be the next emerging market for digital. I also have How to Market a Book coming in German, as well as Prophecy and Desecration in Spanish, so I'm certainly carrying on, but not expanding too much. I am only one person and it showed this year! I will be doing a review of the translation stuff with sales data in Feb/March once I have a bit more historical information.
- Foreign rights. I actually want to sell more rights rather than exploit them myself. The translation stuff takes a lot more effort than expected, so I won't be doing so much of that in 2015. I have various things bubbling around foreign rights sales, and expect to get into this more in 2015.
Filling the creative well, education and creative habits
- Learn how to edit audiobooks for Audible/ACX quality in order to produce my own non-fiction audiobooks. See the interview with Simon Whistler for help on this and his great book, Audiobooks for Indies
- Go to the Robert McKee Genre & TV writing days in London, Fall 2015 for more story focus. I learned so much from McKee's STORY conference that I am keen to build on that.
- Continue to do courses by Dean Wesley Smith & Kris Rusch to improve my craft and writing business – you can find out more on them here.
- Travel more for research and fun! Traveling feeds my muse and gives me story ideas for my fiction, so I need more of it in 2015 …
I also feel that I need to change up my creative routines and habits:
- No apps or email before lunchtime. I've had over a year of not using email on my phone – but I have ended up checking other things e.g. Guardian app for news, Twitter, RSS feeds and other things. I sometimes check it in the morning when I am still in bed as I use my phone as an alarm. It's hard to resist “just checking a few things”! I have bought an old-fashioned alarm clock – shock horror, it only tells the time and has an alarm function with one ring tone! The mornings are for creativity, writing first draft stuff, walking with my husband and I'm also starting with Headspace for (once again) attempting to incorporate meditation in my life.
Community
- Continue to blog and podcast at The Creative Penn for another year, as well as continuing to share useful information on Twitter @thecreativepenn. My aim is to provide graduate level education and inspiration for the indie author community. I'm not going anywhere so I hope you'll stick around for another year 🙂
- I'm also intending to do more Q&A videos, so check out my YouTube channel here if you like vids.
- I'll continue to try and answer all my email, but I won't be answering basic questions like “how do I self-publish” and “how can I sell more books,” as I have all the free resources here to help people. If you have a more nuanced question, feel free to contact me!
- Be an active member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, co-hosting the monthly Q&A show with Orna Ross and contributing to the discussion, promoting quality in the indie community.
- Be an active member of International Thriller Writers, writing for the Big Thrill and organizing UK events
Income
The big change for me in 2015 is the shift away from online education and courses to income from books and live professional speaking, as well as affiliate income and sponsorship. Fiction is evergreen and never needs updating (and super fun!) – whereas I have found that courses constantly need updates and non-fiction needs at least annual updates. There are also pretty much zero customer service issues with fiction! (I'm not counting fan email which is a pleasure, not ‘service')
I was intending to withdraw my courses in 2015 anyway, but the EU VAT law change for digital products pushed me to do this by Dec 31 2014, so that income stream is now over. I need to replace it, as that has been a significant portion since I left the day job. I'm not writing off doing online education again, but it's not a priority.
- Ramp up diversified income streams for my books. I'm already publishing direct on Amazon, Kobo, iBooks and NOOKPress. I am just returning to publishing through Smashwords for subscription and other minor sites. I'm finally going to get into Google Play in early 2015. Financially, I want to have my first 5 figure month in 2015. That's a stretch goal but I am putting it out there 🙂
- Move into audiobook narration for my own non-fiction as well as other people's books. The royalty split options in ACX mean this is potentially a good ongoing income stream and I believe in audio as a growth market. This will be a new income stream, albeit a slow growing one.
- Continue to speak internationally for travel and income reasons. I've already been booked for PubSense in Charleston, South Carolina in March, as well as the Shetland Islands and Orkney, which must count as travel! You can find my speaking page here if you want to see me live or book me for an event.
OK, your turn! What are your creative goals for 2015? Please add a comment below and join the conversation. Let's keep each other accountable.
Top image: Flickr Creative Commons Missing rainbows by Silke Gerstenkorn, alarm clock by dull hunk, notebooks by seeminglee, piggy bank by images money
Aimee says
My list of goals is short.
Have my book professionally edited.
Focus on my blog.
Write my second book.
Make the above three happen!!!!
Joanna Penn says
Great succinct goals – which make them easy to track! All the best.
Raina says
I don’t even remember how I started to subscribe to this newsletter always intending to read it and never have, until today. Thank you. You talk about a lot of things I’ve been wanting to do and to find out how its done, especially recording audiobooks. I’ve played around with the thought to just do an audiobook without a written book. Is that my brilliant idea or has somebody already done it?!? Haha.
Anywho, I hope to read more of your stuff. Where to start though…
Joanna Penn says
Hi Raina, yes, Audible does quite a lot of audio performance only books now, and commission books specifically for audio. And of course, radioplays have always had an audience 🙂 I wish you all the best for your writing in 2015! And in terms of starting, go here first: http://www.thecreativepenn.com/resources/
Ryan Gladney says
This year, I decided to set author goals that were specific, easily trackable, and 100% within my own control. I settled on:
1. Write 500 words per day, every day.
2. Read 10 pages of literature per day, every day (not much, I know, but I tend to skimp out on reading while in the thick of a writing project).
3. Reach out to 730 (2 per day) potentially interested reviewers and request a review of my currently released novel.
Good luck with your goals as well!
Janalyn Voigt says
Hi, Joanna.
One of my goals for this year is to comment more at your site. (We’ll see how I do.)
I had just decided to sleep without a cell phone beside my bed when I read this post, so that’s goal number one, to be accomplished as soon as I can pick up an alarm clock.
I’ve been working very hard to put together my business plan for the year. I’m holding myself to a goal of writing fiction at the pace of 2,000 words a day, Monday through Friday, with part of the weekend as a buffer should I need it. I’ve scheduled for 47 weeks to allow myself time off for travel.
After gaining better clarity about my focus, I’ve ended one podcast and will start a new one at my website for writers (in lieu of so much blogging).
I’m also looking to read my own audiobooks. I’ll definitely do the nonfiction. I’m not sure about the fiction yet. I have a theater background and a natural bent toward creating character voices as I read, so I may.
Another thing I need to do is clean up my online presence, closing out old blogs and removing profiles at sites I’ve abandoned.
hayley lawson says
I have a lot planned for 2015, my first book launched in August 2014 and since then I have 4 books completed and 5 shorts. I have the writing bug now.
My writing goal is the same as Janalyn, 2000 words per day. Ive done it for the past 4 months and working full time – so I now its activable.
Write the fourth book in one of my series, and that will be a complete series.
Finish off my Scifi novelle series, which will launch in March – planning 3 books launch fingers crossed that my marketing plan works.
Translate my scifi series, into a different lanugage and audio.
Write one book a month once the other two series are complete.
Lastly work on a book with the family, my daughter has selected the title, and the husband has been working on characters. Its going to be an choose your adventure book, for adults. Kind of a fun project 😀
Evangeline Sloane says
I think you are going to need a lot of sleep, and a lot of caffeine to pull off that list. WOW!
In 2015, I am going to edit my first novel, and start growing my platform to start moving towards finally getting published one day. Wishing good luck to us all!
Jim WIlbourne says
This is an excellent list!
I would like to extend an invitation to you to email me if you’d like some help with audio book editing. I’ve done a lot of Audio Engineering (it’s my day job) and I wouldn’t mind. You’ve given me so much, I would love the chance to give back this way.
I have a list of goals here if you’re interested and have the time:
http://www.jimwilbourne.com/stuff/2014/12/28/2015-year-of-foundations
With amendments here:
http://www.jimwilbourne.com/stuff/2015/1/4/amendments-to-year-of-foundations-goals
I’m still an infant compared to all of the people I idolize in the indie publishing world, but I hope to finally show the world what I’m made of this year!
I hope you have a wonderful 2015, Joanna!
Joanna Penn says
Thanks so much, Jim – I’m just starting to look at options for doing this! Great to see that you keep goals too – all the best for 2015!
Ruth L. Snyder says
This year, I will be focusing on writing, publishing, and marketing a series of books (31 Days of . . . ) on Kindle. Each book will cover a specific topic. My first book will be Hope: Reflections to brighten the Dark Days of Life. In these books I will combine devotional thoughts, Scripture verses, quotes, and photographs I’ve taken. With my Brain Dump topics (Praise, Encouragement, Thankfulness, Prayer, Joy, Love, Peace, Comfort, Healthy Eating, Family Fun, Leadership, Time Management, Parenting) I have enough titles to publish a book a month and still have some topics left over. We’ll see how far I get!
Once I get the books published on Kindle, I’ll see about getting paperbacks printed as well. I need to decide whether I’m going to publish these as individual books or in groups.
I’m also currently learning how to do Podcasts and am figuring out what direction I want to go with those.
If I find myself with time left over (which looks highly doubtful at this point!) I may return to some of the projects I was going to work on in 2014.
I’m currently hosting a blog hop for writers. You can check it out and link in here (until the evening of January 16): http://ruthlsnyder.com/writers-blog-hop-my-writing-goals-for-2015/
Joanna Penn says
All the best with these goals, Ruth – and I hope you find podcasting suits you – it has been brilliant for me over the years 🙂
Carol Morrison says
In 2015, I will publish my first novel, THE SHAME STONE. And, unlike how I handled my memoir way back in 2003, I will have fun marketing it!
Thank you, Joanna, for your comments and inspiration.
Carol Morrison
Joanna Penn says
Yeah! Marketing is just sharing what you love with people who want to hear about it – and that’s super fun! All the best, Carol.
Jenni Ogden says
Kia ora fellow Kiwi!
Thank you Joanna for your excellent website and generous sharing of your hard-found knowledge. Good luck with your 2015 goals.
My primary writing goals for 2015 are:
(i)If the Australian agent currently considering one of my three completed fiction ms rejects it, finally give up on traditional publishing for my fiction and go indie! So much wasted time trying to get an agent/trad publisher in US and UK and now Australia, and coming so close so many times. I have so many positive, even glowing reviews from agents and editors, followed by a “but the market….” that I feel at least two of my novels are definitely worthy of publication, and the third will be after further revision. I’ve been successful with my non-fiction, traditionally published in USA and Australia, and I think that is what makes it so difficult to “let go” of the “status” afforded by traditional publication. On the positive side, all this waiting has given me a lot of time to research indie publishing, to the extent that I am now excited by the opportunities it provides.
(ii) If the agent does take me on (!!) but doesn’t think my other finished novels will sell, self-publish those.
(iii) I have, after many months of contemplation, decided which of four story ideas I want to turn into my next novel. The goal that works best for me is between 1000 and 2000 wds per day, with a goal of 10,000 wds per week, when I am not travelling.
(iv) Continue to read constantly (this doesn’t need any New Year resolution—perhaps rather I should be resolving to read less and write more…) and try to write reviews on Goodreads of every book that I give 3 or more stars to (I rarely write reviews of books I don’t like; just star them for the record). I find New Zealanders are very reluctant to write reviews—it seems to be a sort of shyness, or lack of confidence that what they say could matter— and as an author (and avid reader) I know how important reviews can be.
Joanna Penn says
Thanks for sharing Jenni – and I did sense that NZ still has a real literary snobbery – it has only lessened in the UK in the last 2 years to be honest – and is still alive and well in many quarters! Doing all that research before going indie is certainly the best way to go – I wish you all the best regardless of how you publish!
Avril Sabine says
My goals for 2015 are to publish twelve ebooks this year, a mix of novels and short stories with at least six novels. Continue to write my blog posts and start making my already published ebooks available in print.
Good luck to everyone else with their 2015 goals.
Joanna Penn says
Sounds like a great plan, Avril – all the best!
William Cook says
Hi Joanna & others – wishing you all the best for 2015 and beyond.
Great inspiring post as per usual and glad to hear your trip to NZ was a good one (being a NZer myself it’s always nice to hear visitors’ perspectives of our little country). Like you, but not quite so much :), I have lots planned as an indie author. This year is going to be a big one for me – for the first time in my short writing career, I have put together a publishing schedule. I know – Shock! Horror!
2015 publishing schedule is as follows:
March – 3 x eBooks, 1 x print + eBook
June – 3 x eBooks, 1 x print + eBook
September – 3 x eBooks, 1 x print + eBook
December – 3 x eBooks, 1 x print + eBook
I’ve looked at my progress as an author and feel that this schedule is completely achievable (knock on wood) unless I happen to lose a limb et cetera. At least two of the print titles will be full novel-length works, one of which will be the sequel to my first horror/thriller novel ‘Blood Related.’ There will be a fresh collection of short fiction (horror-based, similar to ‘Dreams of Thanatos’), a collection of non-fiction essays (related to art & literature), a collection of short ‘literary fiction’ and a new series of short horror fiction, plus some short thriller fiction also. So, lots to do, lots to write – very excited, I think this year will hopefully see my back-catalog grow and (hopefully) my readership, as a direct result.
And, of course, the blog/website (http://williamcookwriter.com) is in a constant state of evolution, so more interesting blog posts to come and more non-fiction articles to expand my writing in new directions etc. My daughter (6yrs) is also developing as a writer and is now quite happily turning on the lap-top and typing her stories in Word all on her own. I plan to help publish her stories this year as well and get her started on her journey as a young writer of promise. She does all the illustrations herself also and I must say (proud father speech here) that she is actually very good and constantly amazes me with her talent.
Anyway, I look forward to reading your posts this year and wish you all the best for 2015.
Regards
William Cook
Joanna Penn says
Hi William – brilliant goals and lovely to hear about your daughter. Blurb.com do some great options for kids and I have helped my niece and little cousins publish their books. All the best for 2015.
Shari Stauch says
Joanna, we’re all soooo looking forward to having you at the PubSense Summit in Charleston, SC this March — and wish you all success on your excellent 2015 goals!
Joanna Penn says
It’s going to be super fun 🙂
Leah says
Aw man, I seem to have the same goals over and over each year – write more, read more, write for one or two other sites/publications this year, vamp up my blog design blog and create more blog templates. I was thinking of not doing a blog post about my goals since I never seem to get them all done, but I do like the idea of accountability so I think I’m going to blog about it anyway. 🙂
Joanna Penn says
I always like to blog my goals as I can look in June/July and it gives me a kick to get stuff done! But then I am really goal-orientated and I know it’s not for everyone 🙂
LM Milford says
Hi Joanna,
As I have a ‘real’ job which is extremely busy at the moment, it’s restricting what I can do at the moment. However, my plan is to finish off my first book and prepare it for publishing through whatever means possible. It had some really good feedback last year, so this year is going to be the one where I publish.
Thanks for the great post and the can-do attitude which is really inspiring!
Joanna Penn says
I’ll look forward to the book, Lynne!
Tom Evans says
So good to do this Joanna, a great exercise
My goals are these :
1. To launch several philanthropic initiatives where my meditations are available free of charge to anyone with ADHD, OCD, PTSD, Dementia or a terminal illness
2. After writing and publishing 10 books, to write and publish the one that tells my story – and that’s how to live a charmed life with the aim of explaining how personal development and transformation does not have to be a chore (working title No Hell and Back !!)
3. To have you back as a guest on the Zone Show to talk about what you are up to
Joanna Penn says
Hi Tom – I’ll look forward to the memoir 🙂 and of course, I’m always happy to be on the show!
LM Milford says
Hi Joanna,
As I have a ‘real’ job it makes setting writing goals difficult. Usually within a couple of days of setting a goal, something comes along to derail it. So this year its a simple one – publish my book. I’ll be breaking that down intp monthly tasks to make it do-able, but I’m so close it just needs a final push to get me there.
Good luck with your goals too and thanks for the inspiring, can-do attitude.
Joanna Penn says
I know what you mean as I spent the first 3 years of this ‘career’ with a real job. I used to get up at 5am to write before work as I could do nothing afterwards. I eventually moved to working 4 days a week to make more time, and I worked every weekend to build up this site and write the first 3 books. It’s hard – but it can be done!
P.D. Workman says
Lots of us still work full time, it certainly doesn’t have to stop you from setting goals. In fact, I think you need to be more diligent about setting and working on your goals when you have that much competition for your time. You can do it! Don’t let other things derail you.
Joanna Penn says
Indeed – I wrote here about the (mixed) blessing of the day job – http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2011/01/31/writing-and-the-mixed-blessing-of-a-day-job/ Written 9 months before leaving said job 🙂
Julie Day says
To concentrate on my writing. Last year I got distracted with other things. To make the most of time during the day for writing. To earn more from my writing, so I can either break even or get more. I’m already working on another ebook whilst my previous one is being edited. And have sent 4 short stories to women’s magazines over the last 3 months. Plan to write and send more.
Joanna Penn says
ah, distractions … I know what you mean 🙂 Here’s to scheduling them at appropriate times in 2015!
Raymond Philippe says
First of all let me say thank you for the honesty and transparency that sounds throughout your blog. This post is no exception.
I’ll be focussing on a blog I recently launched and on Dutch/English & English/Dutch translations. Another important focus will be helping our son find a job in Manchester when he finishes a course he is following.
Joanna Penn says
It’s a great time for Dutch authors since Amazon.nl just launched 🙂 all the best!
Douglas Ball says
I like what you say and your positive attitude. I have read your books and follow your blog and email. Keep it up. You are gaining and so am I. One suggest———–ion. Use a bolder font for your email and blog. I can. Just barely read them with the thin grey lines.
Joanna Penn says
Thanks for your comment Douglas – no one else has mentioned having a problem with the blog font. If I get more of a consensus, I will certainly look into that.