Earlier this year I laid out these writing goals, so I’m using this time between Christmas and the new year, to reflect on how I’ve done with them.
1.Submit Best Friends Perfect to publishers.
I submitted this to Wilde City Press (WCP) and they have given me a contract for the series of three books. The first in the series will be published in spring 2014. I’m currently working on edits with the WCP editor on book one, and I’m really enjoying spending time with these characters again.
2.Continue to develop this website, including: blogging two weekly; adding videos of me reading extracts from Best Friends Perfect; adding a writers resources links, (this is an idea I’ve completely stolen from Jo Myles, as a way to curate interesting web resources for me to read later, but also so other writers can read them too).
I added the writers resources page. I have ended up blogging about once a week, sometimes more often. I tried a schedule of blog posts and it didn’t work, as other things I wanted to blog about came up. I will have a more flexible approach to blogging in 2014, including: books I’ve enjoyed; writing tips; thoughts on writing events/groups I’ve attended; things related to gay culture. I have enjoyed blogging, but do find it hard to pick topics which appeal to both readers, and other authors. I saw another author’s website and it said: writing for readers, blogging for writers. I’d love to hear from you, readers and writers about which blog topics you liked from me during 2013, and which didn’t work so well, so I can try to be a bit more targeted. Otherwise I can continue with my various musings based on the above categories...
I’ve added samples of all my stories, as well as buy links for those which are published. I didn’t do the videos, but have got a video of me reading from And Then That Happened at the Feminist Library, which I’d like to upload to the site, but I think it’s a bit long at the moment.
Somehow, I’ve also added a ‘subscribe by email’ on the right of the website, and linked my blog posts to my Twitter account which I opened in 2013, and facebook with my new Liam Livings facebook profile. Because I have twitter on my phone I tend to do more posts with that than facebook. If you haven't subscribed to the blog by email, it's really easy to do so, just enter your email address into the box on the right hand side of the blog and each new post will be emailed straight to your inbox every time there's new content.
3.Do some guest blogging on other authors’ sites. (I know it’s a bit vague, but I didn’t want to say “10 authors’ sites”, as I don’t actually yet know ten authors who I’d be able to approach, so I kept it vague)
I’ve been on Becky Black’s site, Elin Gregory’s, The Romaniacs, Charlie Cochrane’s and RJ Scott’s sites, as well as many other review sites for the Christmas Serendipity blog tour.
4.Help plan and attend 2013 UK Meet
I loved helping to plan this event, and really enjoyed attending it. This time I was on a few panels, which I enjoyed – once I got over being shy. It was lovely to meet people I’d met virtually, and I also got some great beta reader volunteers to widen my net.
I also started to attend the RNA’s London Chapter meetings, a local writing group, and the Festival of Romance. I’ve joined the RNA now I have contracts with traditional publishers.
5.Finish first draft of The Second Book (TSB)
I did this, and it’s now called And Then That Happened. I’m going through beta feedback at the moment, and will submit it to a publisher in early 2014.
In 2013 I wrote 200,000 new words on stories: And Then That Happened, Guardian Angel for Nanowrimo, Frangipani Kisses short story, Prince & Frog short story which will be part of the Best Friends Perfect series & Christmas Serendipity novella which was published earlier in December.
I’ve also written about 20,000 words of blogs, so that’s a not a bad word total for 2013.
Next time, my writing goals for 2014.
Until then,
Liam Livings xx
1.Submit Best Friends Perfect to publishers.
I submitted this to Wilde City Press (WCP) and they have given me a contract for the series of three books. The first in the series will be published in spring 2014. I’m currently working on edits with the WCP editor on book one, and I’m really enjoying spending time with these characters again.
2.Continue to develop this website, including: blogging two weekly; adding videos of me reading extracts from Best Friends Perfect; adding a writers resources links, (this is an idea I’ve completely stolen from Jo Myles, as a way to curate interesting web resources for me to read later, but also so other writers can read them too).
I added the writers resources page. I have ended up blogging about once a week, sometimes more often. I tried a schedule of blog posts and it didn’t work, as other things I wanted to blog about came up. I will have a more flexible approach to blogging in 2014, including: books I’ve enjoyed; writing tips; thoughts on writing events/groups I’ve attended; things related to gay culture. I have enjoyed blogging, but do find it hard to pick topics which appeal to both readers, and other authors. I saw another author’s website and it said: writing for readers, blogging for writers. I’d love to hear from you, readers and writers about which blog topics you liked from me during 2013, and which didn’t work so well, so I can try to be a bit more targeted. Otherwise I can continue with my various musings based on the above categories...
I’ve added samples of all my stories, as well as buy links for those which are published. I didn’t do the videos, but have got a video of me reading from And Then That Happened at the Feminist Library, which I’d like to upload to the site, but I think it’s a bit long at the moment.
Somehow, I’ve also added a ‘subscribe by email’ on the right of the website, and linked my blog posts to my Twitter account which I opened in 2013, and facebook with my new Liam Livings facebook profile. Because I have twitter on my phone I tend to do more posts with that than facebook. If you haven't subscribed to the blog by email, it's really easy to do so, just enter your email address into the box on the right hand side of the blog and each new post will be emailed straight to your inbox every time there's new content.
3.Do some guest blogging on other authors’ sites. (I know it’s a bit vague, but I didn’t want to say “10 authors’ sites”, as I don’t actually yet know ten authors who I’d be able to approach, so I kept it vague)
I’ve been on Becky Black’s site, Elin Gregory’s, The Romaniacs, Charlie Cochrane’s and RJ Scott’s sites, as well as many other review sites for the Christmas Serendipity blog tour.
4.Help plan and attend 2013 UK Meet
I loved helping to plan this event, and really enjoyed attending it. This time I was on a few panels, which I enjoyed – once I got over being shy. It was lovely to meet people I’d met virtually, and I also got some great beta reader volunteers to widen my net.
I also started to attend the RNA’s London Chapter meetings, a local writing group, and the Festival of Romance. I’ve joined the RNA now I have contracts with traditional publishers.
5.Finish first draft of The Second Book (TSB)
I did this, and it’s now called And Then That Happened. I’m going through beta feedback at the moment, and will submit it to a publisher in early 2014.
In 2013 I wrote 200,000 new words on stories: And Then That Happened, Guardian Angel for Nanowrimo, Frangipani Kisses short story, Prince & Frog short story which will be part of the Best Friends Perfect series & Christmas Serendipity novella which was published earlier in December.
I’ve also written about 20,000 words of blogs, so that’s a not a bad word total for 2013.
Next time, my writing goals for 2014.
Until then,
Liam Livings xx
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