I didn’t come anywhere near some of my writing goals for The Year of the Book Part 2. I simply had a lot going on and didn’t put as much time into my goals as I would have liked. Still, I did manage to accomplish some great things as a creator and author.
So, even though I didn’t write a million words, publish three books, or attend three author events, I still feel accomplished. And a lot of it is laying the groundwork for what I intend to do in 2025.
It’s a lesson in not dwelling on the things you didn’t get done, but relishing in the positive things that still happened.
My Major Accomplishments for 2024
You don’t need to win a Nobel Prize to feel accomplished. Sometimes, even the smallest things can make you feel good about yourself and where you’re going. As long as you’re working toward your life’s goals, that’s all that really matters.
Money, fame, glory…they all pale in comparison to looking at yourself in the mirror and liking the person you see. As long as you can do that, then you know you’re on the right track.
There is no such thing as an accomplishment that is too small to appreciate. They are all worth celebrating, especially if they contribute to getting you to where you want to be in life.
Completed the Reedsy Masterclass
In February, I completed the Reedsy masterclass for How to Write a Novel. It was probably the best three months I spent working on improving my writing. The course was detailed, and Tom Bromley did an incredible job helping me understand how to put together a good book.
In fact, the course itself prompted me to think about publishing a remastered version of Kingmaker once the series is complete.
Not only did I learn more about putting a novel together, but it was a testament to taking myself seriously as an author. And the lessons I learned throughout the course will remain with me forever.
Yeah, I guess you can say that I had a very positive experience.
Wrapping Up Shadows of Atlantic City
Although I wanted to publish Shadows of Atlantic City by June, at least I finished writing and am working on the final edits. A lot of things came up throughout the year, and I didn’t get to spend as much time on the book as I would have liked. Nonetheless, it’s a couple of weeks away from being published.
The idea was to have Shadows completely written by the end of the Reedsy masterclass. Unfortunately, a lot of things derailed my efforts and it kept getting put on the back burner. However, it’s easily one of the best books I’ve ever written, and I am extremely excited to see it in print.
As long as the house doesn’t catch fire or my daughter wrecks yet another car, it should be out sometime in January.
Most of Fury Is Written
While I was waiting for the beta readers to give me their opinion of the first draft of Shadows, I continued working on Fury. It’s the second book in the Witcham series, and it’s a lot longer than Kingmaker. That’s because there is so much going on in the book, including expanding characters and internal relationships.
I’d say Fury is about two weeks away from being done. Then, it’ll be off to the beta readers while I work on the next book I would like to publish. I would love to have VII completely written on Wattpad instead of merely a partial storyline.
With any luck, Fury will be published by June. Of course, that really depends on how the story is processed by the beta readers and how much editing it’ll need.
Attended Read Between the Stars
In October, I attended Read Between the Stars, my first book event as an author. It was small, but I met a lot of authors and potential readers during the four-hour event. And it led me to volunteer to be a part of the masterclass panel on January 11th for Worldbuilding 101.
I went in with the idea of having an experience and meeting some people in real life. I sold a few copies of my books, but the memories were worth more to me than sales.
It was such a great experience that I plan on looking for a lot more similar events in 2025.
Monetized the YouTube Channel
After six years of making videos for blogging, freelancing, and self-publishing, the WriterSanctuary YouTube channel was finally fully monetized with ad revenue. It only makes $3.35 per day at the moment, but it’s better than nothing at all.
Plus, upgrading to the YouTube Partner Program gives me all kinds of new things such as adding the store shelf to videos, which I’ll go over in a moment.
I doubt I’ll make enough to retire on from YouTube ads. Channels like mine don’t have the insane viewership as entertainment niches. Still, the money will go a long way to buy some of the things I want to review.
Maintained a Publishing Schedule for WriterSanctuary
Although this one might sound a bit small, keeping a routine schedule for WriterSanctuary’s blog has been monumental for me. I haven’t had the blog on a regular schedule in years, and I’m starting to get some of the traffic I had before Google pulled the rug out from under me back in January 2024.
I would like to see if I can maintain the schedule throughout the entire year of 2025. And as long as I can manage my time better, I shouldn’t have a problem.
In fact, I’ve spent a lot of time coming up with a content strategy that works for my situation and the topics I’d like to cover in the coming months. All that’s left to do is write the posts and publish them.
Interviewed 15 Authors
I added live author interviews to the channel in 2024, and it’s been working out relatively well. The author interviews played a big role in getting enough hours on the channel to monetize it with ads.
I’ve met a lot of amazing authors throughout the year, and I’m looking forward to having more on the show in 2025.
Of course, that means I need to do more promotion to attract more authors. Now that I have the premium version of Buffer, though, I can schedule posts on social media to see if I can get a few more signed up each month.
Started the Merch Store
After threatening to set it up for the past three years, I finally have the merch store for WriterSanctuary. At the moment, I have a couple of coffee mugs and whiskey tumblers, but I plan on adding a lot more once I sit down to get creative.
For one thing, I’d love to have a fleece throw for the couch with the cover of Kingmaker on it.
The best part is that I can add my books to the store and cut Amazon out of the sale entirely. This means I would nearly double the money per copy sold as opposed to what I get from KDP.
Any Victory is Still a Victory
Not all of your victories have to be Earth-shapingly significant. Any victory, regardless of size, is still a victory. It’s all in the eye of the beholder. You might not see any of the above as being significant. But for me, they are a testament to what I can do despite the chaos.
Would I like to have a $3 million home? Sure…who wouldn’t? But that’s not what success means to me.
In my case, it’s all about doing what I can to be the best version of myself every day. Each year, things get progressively better and I open new doors for where I want to be in life. It’s not about the cars or the houses. It’s about taking those steps and challenging myself to become more than I am.
Everyone grows at their own pace. And there are some people out there who will fall ass-backward into success. But for me, I’d rather look back at a career that I’m proud of and wake in the morning knowing who I am and where I’m going.
Anyway, my point is that you should relish in all of your accomplishments no matter how small. Celebrating ALL of your wins works to improve your levels of self-confidence. And it’s that confidence that will take you places you didn’t even know were accessible.
Next Year is Gonna Be a Great One!
Did I accomplish any of my goals for 2024? Nope. Did I still have a great year? Absolutely. And the things I accomplished fuel what I strive for in the coming year. I don’t know what 2025 will bring, but I do know that I’m going to continue working on the man I want to be.
Keep a positive attitude and refrain from dwelling on the negative. You never know what doors will open while you walk along the path of life.