No, I’m not quitting. It is wild to think another year has passed as I consider everything I accomplished. There were tough months, and there was the return of conventions (which was a great boost to my self-esteem). I had to pivot on Buried Colony again but have found This is Not a Drill is selling pretty well as my first children’s picture book. On top of all this, I taught myself how to successfully get an audiobook into Audible, which was quite an undertaking. Overall, I met most of my goals from January, so let’s look back on the…
2021 YEAR IN REVIEW
First Name Basis (10th Anniversary and Audiobook versions)
It’s amazing to think that my first novel came out 10 years ago in May. I enjoyed making the 10th Anniversary edition of First Name Basis, which includes character sketches by Robin Childs and the portions of the Fluxion Trilogy appendix that help explain the references in First Name Basis. In creating this version, I also recorded the Audiobook version that is now live on Audible. It was a lot of work, and I had to take a break for a few months between starting and finishing this project, but now I know it can be done and will be moving on to other books in my back catalog as I convert them to their own Audiobook versions.
This is Not a Drill
While I wanted to publish Buried Colony this September, I still have one more major edit to accomplish based on some critical feedback I received earlier this year. As a result, my first children’s picture book, This is Not a Drill, moved up in my schedule to fill its spot. This primer on tools and tool safety is already proving to be a hit at the conventions I attended and is a great gift for the kid (or adult who acts like a kid) in your life.
Stop Screaming! A Beginner’s Guide to Homemade Ice Cream
In July, I finally sat down and wrote the first draft of an ice cream cookbook titled Stop Screaming! With all of these delicious recipes now captured, I have begun testing the bases and mix-ins to ensure that they can be recreated the way they are currently worded. I’ve definitely learned a lot about this process and have loved putting on my “scientist hat” as I test different techniques. Additionally, I commissioned the cover for this book from Michael Olson Art. Look for this book to be released in 2023!
Autocomplete
Since the pandemic (and a toddler) has made it difficult to prepare some of the ideas I want to explore for future NaNoWriMo events, I decided to be a rebel this year and write 10 short stories using Google autocomplete results as prompts. I decided to frame these short stories as if an AI wrote them because it’s hilarious to see what happens when data gets corrupted and read the stories that result.
Blog Posts
While I had a post this year that repeated a topic I already covered, there was still plenty of new things that I could write about every month:
- January: 2021 Has All the Fun
These were my best-laid plans. I actually accomplished most of them, despite some burnout mid-year. - February: Traditional Publishing is Bizarre
There are a lot of systems in place in traditional publishing that don’t make sense to me. - March: The Benefits of Fanfiction
Using created worlds as a springboard into your own original content is a great way to start. - April: Why you shouldn’t ignore creative burnout
I pushed myself too hard and realized I wouldn’t create my best art until I had recovered from burnout. - May: Why self-publishing isn’t “free”
To succeed in self-publishing, you’ll have to invest in a few things so readers will want to come back for more. - June: The right way to ask for reviews
Since I constantly get requests for reviews, I thought it was about time that I reiterate how to do it correctly. - July: Why I like Self-Publishing
I’m a control freak, but I also enjoy self-publishing’s freedom as a creative writer. - August: Commissioning Art for Your Book
It can be tricky to navigate sometimes, but getting art commissioned for your book helps make it “pop!” - September: How an iPhone, a comforter, and a Christmas tree helped me record my first audiobook
With this simple setup, I created noise-free audio files that Audible eventually accepted. - October: What it takes to produce an audiobook
Recording the audio for my audiobook was just the first step. Next, I needed to make sure it met Audible’s standards. - November: Audible isn’t the only way to distribute an audiobook
Sure, most people ask if your book is on Audible. However, there are other ways to sell it than through this Amazon subsidiary.
2021 was a rough year, but I managed to get to the end of it with the help of my friends, family, and therapist. I have a pretty good plan for what I want to do next year, so hopefully, I won’t have to pivot anymore (Buried Colony will come out, I promise).