The optional question this month:
What are your favorite and least favorite questions people ask you about your writing?
I guess my least favorite is people asking me if I've paid someone to publish my books. My favorite is when they ask me when my next book will be out. Nothing like a fan eager to read my books to make my day, week, and year.
2019 saw a lot of writers facing declining sales. The ebook market flooded with more books than there were readers to buy them. Marketing continued to be frustrating and ever-changing. What works with one book may miss totally with the next.
On the upside for me, I wrote four complete novels in 2018, completing the final edits for The Alien and the Engineer on Christmas Eve. I also outline the next three novels I'll be writing in 2019 and have started a longer outline for my next epic fantasy series. My first romance novel was published by New Concepts publishing in 2007. The Alien and the Engineer is the 26th novel of mine published by NCP.
A few things I'm looking forward to in 2019.
My new Old Farmer's Almanac Planner. I'll share lots of its wisdom with you starting today.
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." Unknown
Next week, the new show, The Passage, based on the book by Justin Cronin premiers on TV. Even though the third book in that series was an incredible let down, the show looks pretty good.
Of course, later in the year, we'll have the last season of Game of Thrones and End Game for the Avengers.
I recently watched three seasons of The Travelers on Netflix. I had started it a while ago but stopped for some reason after a few episodes. I'm really glad I dove back into it. The last episode of season 3 has one of the greatest twists in a series ever.
Happy New Year to you all. May 2019 be filled with joy, contentment, and adventure.
"It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness." Charles Spurgeon
What are you looking forward to in 2019? Did you meet your 2018 goals? Do certain questions from readers bother you?
32 comments:
Happy New Year to you Susan, hope all your dreams and writing are successful this year,
Loved the post.
Yvonne.
Happy New Year!
Reading your article has lighten my spirit. It is so encouraging to me. I also like the wisdom that you shared from the Farmer's Almanac Planner. I'm looking forward to reading more of your wisdom thoughts.
Have a great year.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G
Happy New Year! Asking if you paid someone to publish your book sounds like a really weird question.
26 novels sure is impressive!
You are incredibly productive with your writing. That is a really odd question to get from people.
You are so productive!
I read The Passage years ago - making a note about the show. I'll look into The Travelers, too. We re-watched the first season of GoT over the holidays - still so, so good!
Why would someone ask if you'd paid to publish? That's so rude and a slant on your talent.
Congrats on your progress last year! What a great backlist you've built up. With all the vagaries of marketing, the best thing is to keep writing and getting work out there, and you're doing that in spades.
Twenty-six books by just that one publisher? Whoa...
Happy New Year Susan. Some people do ask weird questions.
I agree, that would not be a favorite question to answer if you paid someone to publish your books. I know I can sometimes be blunt with the questions I ask, but I don't think I would ever ask that of a writer.
Good work you did in 2018! Very productive. I have to say I bought less e-books last year because I discovered our library and its digital books available to check out and am utilizing that more these days.
I did 95% of my goals for 2018. I'm still trying to formulate 2019 goals but have a hazy idea of what I want to try to accomplish.
Happy New Year!
betty
You had a wonderful writing month last year. I wish you the same and even more success this year!
I don't think marketing will ever be easy for any of us. ^^;;
Wow! I'm impressed with how many projects you have planned. I'll have to check out The Travelers.
Four? That's impressive! I don't know how you could find the time for that :)
Love the Farmers Almanac saying, and now I absolutely must watch season 3 of Travelers. Thanks! And Happy New Year :)
Great that you have so many ready to go and more ready to write, way to be indeed. The paid question is weird. Endgame should be grand indeed.
Four completed novels in one year? That's amazing. I think if I manage that in my entire lifetime, I will be doing well!
Looking forward to the end of Game of Thrones and most definitely Endgame.
Happy 2019!
We enjoyed The Traveler, I don't know why we stopped. We'll get back to it.
AFter some months of health problems, I write once again, but I write for the joy of it. No plans. Best to all of you!
You've written a ton this year! Congrats to you. Outlining is key!
Congratulations on all you've done, i hope 2019 holds more of the same!
Seems like the only people who would ask you if you paid someone to publish your book are authors would couldn't drum up any interest in their books. Four novels is pretty awesome. Good luck in 2019!
You had a great year! Hope 2019 brings you all the joy and success!
You wrote four novels in 2018...yikes! It's clear you're not a procrastinator. I hope you have magical success in 2019. I'm slowing down, minimizing, de-cluttering (my mind as well as my space), and it feels pretty good. I'm still going to write though, maybe more than before, but keeping the pace relaxed.
Happy New Year and Happy IWSG. Sounds like 2018 was a good year for you.
I'm watching The Travelers on Netflix, so I'm way behind you. I'm not sure if I'm into it yet, but I'm going to give it a few more tries.
Wow. Science Fiction and Fantasy Romance. Sounds like you cover the whole waterfront. Obviously it works for you. The closest I get to that are occasional comments about my Geriatric Adolescence stories. To some folks the notion of 70 year olds hoping to make a new connection sounds like Fantasy Romance.
All the best for 2019
My theme for 2019 is double for my trouble. But let's not stop there. I hereby invoke double times infinity plus one.
Congrats on your fabulous year. I hope 2019 is just as great or better.
Congrats on all of your hard work and writing in 2018! Happy New Year!
You seem really productive. Good job, and have a great 2019!
www.ficklemillennial.blogspot.com
I’ve never been asked by anyone if I paid to have my books published. How rude! LOL. It looks like you had a great year, Susan. Well done! Have a great year!
Congrats on completing four novels last year!
Thanks for reminding me about The Passage, I saw a preview for it in the fall and wanted to see it. I am also looking forward to Avengers: End Game.
That's awesome you completed four novels! Happy 2019! I didn't complete all I wanted last year, but it did teach me to be easier on myself. So I hope to keep that in mind this year.
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