July IWSG Post, A Day Early But Dragging Behind!

I just noticed we were posting a day early instead of tomorrow on the 4th. The last few days have been crazy busy and I'm just getting a chance to sit down and post something. 

First off, I'm in a pretty good place. The insecurities are there, but I think they are under control for the moment. Saturday I released a new book into the world. It was my best to date as far as preorders go. Now, if only a good handful of those will turn into reviews. That's always a challenge. I was feeling nervous, okay, terrified really, about the release until earlier today. 

Why? 

Spice level of the romance. It's pretty spicy. Clean, but the kissing is intense. :) My first romance was definitely sweet and had some meatier substance to it with the examination of Kerri's illness. This one is completely different. That scares me a little, but it also makes me feel good that the characters aren't the same. They are unique, as is their story. Now that I've come to terms with that, I'm ready to move on to the next story. (Oh, Landscape Love will be on sale for 0.99 until July 5th. Just click on the link in the left sidebar)

I've been reading Eleena's story. It's still not finished but only needs another 5000 words or so. Basically, it needs the ending. Then I can start the revision process to clean and polish it up. It's not in bad shape either. That's got me pretty excited. I might be able to get it out in time for Christmas.

So, for today, I'm just going to set new goals. I'll need you to keep me accountable!

End of 2018 Goals:

1. Finish draft of Eleena's story (no later than the end of July)

2. Do clean up revisions on Eleena (need a good name for this one) and get to beta readers by end of September

3. Draft Jennifer's story by end of August/ mid-September. This might be a stretch, but I have an outline and several scenes sketched out already. Since it will only be around 50K it's totally possible. 

4. I'd love to get both of these stories back from beta readers and published by the end of the year. 

5. If I finish everything above--get Selena's story drafted for a spring 2019 release and get back to book 3 of Talia's series. 

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time. Be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post.

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!  Our Twitter hashtag is #IWSG

July 3 question - What are your ultimate writing goals, and how have they changed over time (if at all)?

My ultimate writing goal is to continue improving my writing skills as I share the characters and stories in my head. I want to be able to connect with people on an emotional level with all of my stories by digging deeper and writing with honesty. 

It's never been about money, so that hasn't changed, but now I don't care so much about finding an agent and big publisher. I'm comfortable with the self-publishing because it's about sharing my heart along with my characters.