Nikki Moyes

Happy (belated) New Year!

I feel like the whole world was waiting for 1st January to roll around so we could magically get back to normal, but this year feels like it will be a continuation of 2020 but with a glimmer of hope in the second half of the year once more people are vaccinated.

I’m lucky to live in Australia where we’ve recently been ranked 8th in our Covid response. There has been no community transmission where I live although I had family and friends go through the long hard lockdown in Melbourne. Despite having it easy, watching world events has really messed with my creativity in the last year, so I didn’t achieve what I wanted. I’m hoping this year will be more productive.

So what are my goals for 2021?

Writing:

I wanted to publish Book 2 of the Suri Series in 2020, but I still have six chapters to finish the first draft. (See what I mean about having no creativity last year?) So step one, finish draft of ‘The Challenger’.

Step two, put it aside while I work out all the plot holes and complete the draft of the prequel book ‘The Destroyer’ (currently half drafted).

Step three, decide which one will be publication ready first and plan to have it ready by the end of 2021.

Finally, write a short story or one of my kids’ book ideas because it’s nice to have something with quick rewards. It takes me a really long time to write a full novel!

Keep an eye out for a book called ‘Dear Mum’ edited by Samuel Johnson before Mothers’ Day (the Australian date). I have a letter appearing in that to match the one I did for ‘Dear Dad’. See, I did write something last year! Go me!

‘If I Wake’ turns five years old in August, I’m currently 210 copies away for making 5,000 sales of my first book (combined ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audio). To celebrate five years an a published author, I’ll be working on hitting that 5,000 sales target so keep an eye out for a promotion this year.

Last year I turned my two short stories into teeny tiny paperbacks. They both relate to the Suri Series but can be read as stand alones.

Reading:

I read 44 books in 2020 and am aiming for 40 this year. I’m still trying to work my way through my massive to-be-read pile so I plan to include the following in this year’s total:

• 6 books that have been on my tbr pile since 2016 (currently 12 books)
• 6 books that have been on my tbr pile since 2017 (currently 70 books)
• 4 audiobooks (currently 7 on my phone)
• 1 non-fiction book (I have a whole shelf full that I haven’t read yet)
• 2 books that aren’t YA fiction (what I normally read)
• 2 classics from the BBC 100 Must Read Books (I’ve been working my way through this list over the last couple of years)
• Finally, I will attempt to read more books than I buy this year….

What are your goals this year and how good are you at sticking to your goals?