#GutCheck July Goals Updated

Woot! Woot! It was a good month, but not in the ways I originally thought it would be. For starters, I totally edited my list mid-month. that doesn’t mean I didn’t get a ton accomplished. it just means that after working, and re-working my goal list I found other ways to do what I originally plan. So, let’s check in with my monthly goals for July.

July Goals:

-Edit The Alpha’s Dream

-Format The Alpha’s Dream for Barnes and Noble and Smashwords

-New Premise/Outline

-Begin work on Second Release…again

 

So, the nitty gritty. I accomplished most of this exactly as stated here. The Alpha’s Dream has been edited, by me again. However. I need a real editor. I love my book, but I also know my book. I’m just not sure that I’ve polished it as well as it could be.  The formatting for Smashwords is nearly complete. Anyone whose gone through this process knows how particular Smashwords is about their formatting. I don’t want any vetting errors once I get it done. So, I’m taking my time. The Barnes and Noble edit, is not even in the works.

Here is why.

Originally, I was going to remove The Alpha’s Dream from KDP Select. It was my plan to then release it on other platforms, starting first with B&N and Smashwords. After some consideration, I decided not to remove it. For three more months, The Alpha’s Dream will be an Amazon exclusive. I plan to release it on other platforms eventually, but I think I’m going to wait a bit. Amazon has been good to me. I love watching those page reads climb.

Back to the list. New premise and outline is created. I actually have two great premises that I am really proud of in the fleshed. I’m excited to start working on them, but I went back to my original premise for my second release.

I thought about it. I wrote those great new premises. I was so thrilled to sit down and write on them. And then, my original second release started to call me. I knew it should come next. I wanted it to come next and I didn’t want to abandon it. A stubborn hero was not going to get the best of me. So, I buckled down. Decided to be a professional and get back to work on my originally premise. I even wrote a blog post about it here.

Overall, I would say it has been a great month for my work. In addition to doing what I planned, I also added a few things. Namely, taking my brand more seriously, narrowing my blog focus (again), and re committing myself to  a weekly work count goal.

I am swimming against the current, but I’m still swimming.

How’d you do on your July goals? Why don’t you let me know below.

Joy

 

#MarchMadness

Woot! I’m ready for all March has to offer. At this point, I’m about six weeks from my first release and in a frenzy to get things done well. Don’t worry. I’m still mostly optimistic that it will all get done. Mostly, because I am working my behind off to make sure it does. The struggle is real, but so is the hustle.

So February Goals were good, and I got a ton of things down on my personal goal lists as well as my author lists. I think I’m on pace to do pretty well this month too, but I’ll need your help with a few. Namely my ARC Reviewer sign-up. If you want to be involved, follow the link and get your free reads!

On to business. I have several things on my lists for the month of March. Let me share them with you now, along with the ones that were migrated from February.

March To-Do Goals:

-Send The Alpha’s Dream off to the Editor

–Build my ARC Reviewer Lists

-Send of First Newsletter

-Execute Phase 1 of Marketing Plan

Migrated Goals:

-Finish Second Novella

-Write/Edit 2 Shifter Shorts

Ultimate goal for March is to successfully complete everything on the lists. I want a clean slate coming into April. Hold me to that one! What are you working on this month? Comment below.

Joy.

February Gut Check: A GoalDigging Update

Whooo! Just like that January has come and gone. My head is still spinning. I’m not sure I didn’t lose my mind a little mid-month, but whatever. I ‘m technically still functioning.

Anyway, first order of business #BlackHistoryMonth is finally here! In a lot of ways, I feel like I wait all year for Black History Month.  I just love being inundated with my heritage in a way that embodies its strentghs, and the struggles. Give me every Harriet Tubman three-line poem in the church play. Bring me the babies dressed as Marion Anderson, and Madame C.J. Walker. Please beloveds, link me to the Facebook live of your baby impersonating George Washington Carver, and Martin, and Malcolm and all of them. I’m here for all of that and every beautiful brown story in between. Its presence is a critical part to American History, and the more often we honor that the better. Love it.

In honor of those who’ve come and gone before me, I’m working hella hard to  claim my space as an author. We’ve talked extensively about my views on goals, setting and executing. Today, I’m forcing accountability on myself and addressing my goal list head on. This is a gut check, a reflection on what goals I did and didn’t reach for the month of January.

As you all know, I’m on a tight schedule. Baby love  number three will be here in four months! Yeah, you know I’m losing it. Time is of the essence and I have to get tons of things done before the little precious arrives. So, here is the update.

Five things I was supposed to accomplish in January:

-Establish my blog

-Set up Author Media Accounts

-Write two Novellas

-Edit two Novellas

-Prepare for Second Drafts

Five Things I actually accomplished in January:

-Established my blog (Hey boo!👋🏾😘)

-Set up my Author Media Accounts (Like,Follow,Subscribe💻💻)

😫 That’s a sad list. I have a ton of reasons for why I slacked off on finishing the writing I intended to do, but excuses don’t get shit done. I’m in the get shit done phase of my life for the rest of my life. Point. Blank. Period. (Do people even say that anymore?) It doesn’t matter. My point is made.

To catch up, I’m working extra hours, because migrated goals are just that. I still have five things to do this month (February) in order to keep on my rigorous schedule and my failure to complete January tasks just added three more. Time to get organized, and get productive. Maybe I should post my timeline for accountability sake! Only if you promise to comment encouraging things and keep me on track!?! Or, I can just self-motivate and execute. These are my goals. Let me show you how serious about them I am. Comment below with your migrated goals and we can help each other get them done.

Joy.