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By the time you read this post we will be a few weeks into 2017. Ah, the beauty of backlogging blog posts!

Goal 1: Read 50 Books

Outcome: Goal Obliterated

I wanted to recap my year by exclaiming my biggest accomplishment. I read 182 books in 2016!!!!!!!!! Yes. 182. Like a motherfucking boss! I’d never done the Goodreads Challenge before, so I was nervous about signing up. How could I possibly find the time to read? I signed up for 50 and figured if I read a bunch of books in January and February then it wouldn’t be too difficult to knock out the rest during the year. Well, LOL, I was right about that. I exceeded my goal and then some.

One thing I hated while publishing my first book was my inability to read. I was so busy promoting, networking, and writing I had no time for reading. 2014 was an exhausting year, and 2015 was just as crazy as I published three short stories. Short stories are not easy to write. It may seem like it, but trust me, they’re not. When you have insight into the behind-the-scenes aspects of self-publishing you quickly find out the “mundane” things you perceived as easy before becoming an author, actually involve a shit-ton of work.

I also made a discovery. When I cannot read, I am one cranky chick. I get stabby. It’s not pretty.

How did I go about solving my reading issue? Giving myself two months to pack in as many books as possible. That was one solution, but I also discovered that when I write, I need to read. It helps my creative process, and it’s relaxing. So I’d read during my commute to work, I’d read on the way home, and I’d read before bed. Squeezing in reading time throughout my day helped me achieve a good balance and it also helped me kick my Goodreads Challenge’s ass. I think 50 is a safe enough number and I’ll try to do it again in 2017. Will I surpass 182? I have a lot of research to do so it’s possible.

Goal 2: Publish an M/M romance

Outcome: Done

I started penning Complexity in August of 2015 during a business trip to Utah. I wrote half of the story on my flights. I took a break to read a highly anticipated release I was jonesin’ for, and boy was that a mistake for me. The book I read was by an author I adore, but it absolutely messed with my writing mojo. I was afraid people would make comparisons (aren’t most authors afraid of this?) “That Harper is totally biting X author’s style.” Yeah … no. DO NOT WANT.

After whining to my editor and crying drunkenly over phone calls and texts with author friends and my cover artist, I scrapped everything I had written and left the story alone. I was super depressed about it. It was the first time I let an outside force influence my writing. I took a break from the story to focus on my characters. I kept reading more books in the M/M genre hoping that it would help recapture my voice. Taking a step back from the manuscript was smart. It took some time, but I got my mojo back.

I think also worrying about how readers would perceive my story added to my anxiety. I was fully aware I’d lose some readership because a lot of M/F readers aren’t into crossing over into M/M romance and vice versa. There are some individuals who will read a story regardless of the protagonist’s sexuality, but I went into Complexity with eyes wide open. I couldn’t let others dictate what’s acceptable to write. When I have a vision, I’m going to see it through. In the process, I gained new readers. Yep! I gained readers who have since asked me if I intend to write more in the genre. That meant so much to me. So, so, so much. Manny wasn’t a well liked character, but I knew that’d be the case going in. People either loved him or hated him. A lot of that had to do with narrative. The story was written with Manny’s voice in mind, and that within itself was a potential turn off. LOL I don’t like to follow rules. One thing I can’t ever see myself doing is caving into pressure of how I should write characters because of the romance formula. I go where my muse takes me and hope people are on board to take the journey with me.

In conclusion, I gained new readers. I gained new author friends who were awesome during my research process. My confidence got a boost because a really cool thing happened from me publishing Complexity. I’ll talk more about that later. Maybe. Okay, I’m lying, I won’t talk about it at all. The suspense will just have to slowly kill you. Or not. Don’t die. Really, don’t, but I promise in the long run it will be worth the wait. Pinky swear.

Goal 3: Find My People

Outcome: A work in progress but it’s been very positive thus far

I entered this journey with a boatload of authors friends I knew prior to self-pubbing. I was either a fan of their work or had met them through my stint as an admin/PA for two indie authors. So I thought, what better way to gain insight into the book world than to tell people your plans and hope for the best. Many were eager to share their knowledge, read ARCs of my work, and spread the word about lil ole me via their social media channels. I can tell you that two years into this journey I don’t correspond with half of the authors I previously read and/or shot the shit with. This business changes people.

Just when you think you’ve found your tribe, you’re sorely mistaken. I had some rude awakenings in 2016. I understand why some people become standoffish in this business. People will use you if you let them. People will be petty if you let them. People will be hurtful if you let them. I won’t let them. The election also contributed to the thinning of the herd. When author buds/bloggers you held in high regard support an oppressive regime, there is no nice way to say “So um, yeah, you don’t think people of color, immigrants, LGBTQIA folks, and women should have basic human rights? Perhaps we shouldn’t be friends.” You just unfriend/unfollow, and in some cases, block and move on. There’s no differing of opinions or debating the issue. You move on. Full stop.

From the ashes of dead friendships, I found pieces of a tribe. I attended the Liberty States Fiction Writers Conference in March and met some of the nicest authors ever. It’s crazy when you fangirl over people whose books you have on your Kindle, and you finally get to meet them in person. I legit squealed! Some of those authors have been doing this publishing thing for some years. They were/are kind enough to share their knowledge. We’re still friends online, and I can easily send a message and ask for advice when I’m freaking out. They take the time out of their hectic writing schedules to respond. They support me. Both as a new indie author and as a woman of color author. I can’t wait to attend the 2017 conference in March and give all the hugs for being genuine champions for diverse voices. In 2016 I also joined the NYC Chapter of RWA, and I’m slowly adding more people to my tribe. Joining RWA has been amazing for me as a writer which brings me to my next goal/accomplishment.

Goal 4: Complete NaNoWriMo (someday)

Outcome: Crushed it

I had no intention of signing up for NaNoWriMo. I didn’t think I was ready. I didn’t think I had the mental capacity, but my RWA chapter helped me with that. Super duper shout-out to Alexis Daria and Kate McMurray. I planned to release two short stories at the end of the 2016, but LOL, that plan was quickly scrapped once I decided to do NaNoWriMo after our chapter meeting. NaNo was the most amazing experience ever. Well it was, until November 9th. The day after the election sucked out every single drop of my writing mojo. I could barely write 80 words a day when prior to the election I was completing between 2000-2300 words daily. I wasn’t about to give up, but writing was a struggle. How could I create a happily ever after for my characters when my future was uncertain? Good thing I don’t like losing. I was determined to cross the finish line, and I did it! The thing about NaNoWriMo is you have to write a story you want to write not a story you have to write. It makes the process go by so much faster when you’re giddy over your project and there’s no pressure to make sure you hit deadlines outside of the 30 days. I hit a little over 50,000 words, but my manuscript isn’t finished. I’ll finish the second half during CampNaNo in April. This project is near and dear to me, and I can’t wait to share it with the world.

That’s about it for my 2016. The year was filled with unexpected mishaps, but I managed to recover. I can only hope that 2017 brings many more wonderful things. My plans are yuge. Yuge, I say. It’s going to be my year.

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2016: The Rundown