April 2023 Reflection

Is it just me or is 2023 going by REALLY fast? Just a few days ago it was April and I felt like I had plenty of year left. Now it’s May and suddenly the graduation, promotion, and wedding we have coming up in our family feel REALLY CLOSE. It’s SHOCKING. 

Still, flipping that calendar means it’s time to take a look at what I accomplished last month and how things are coming along. Let’s get to it!

If you’ve been following along with the blog then you already know that for 2023 I’ve left myself a big BLANK page of year long goals. The idea was to add to it as things took my focus and watch the page fill. I’m LOVING this strategy. What was a blank page on January 1 is now looking beautifully full and is making me feel quite accomplished. 

That’s not to say that I didn’t have deadlines or goals for the months. I absolutely did! Those appear at the top of the pages for each individual month as a sort of checklist. In April there were actually 6 things (2 that never got done in March). 

So, what did I accomplish?

First, I focused on the Kingdom of Fraun hardcover release, which I had a tiny bit left to proofread before calling it finished. I finished that and launched the sale of the book on April 11th. If you’re looking to get caught up on the ENTIRE FRAUN SERIES, this is the way to go. 

Then, I turned my attention to the short stories, which also needed a final proofread. I did a cover reveal and dove in. The proofread went surprisingly well, and I was able to finish that in plenty of time to launch the preorders for that title as well. In fact, if you’re following me on Facebook (linked in the sidebar) you can snag the EPIC FRAUN BUNDLE for an amazing deal. It’s pinned on the facebook page and there’s only about 10 left so I’d suggest you hurry! 

• Facebook

I did take a little detour into the idea journal this month as well. It’s the second month in a row that I’ve been seized by an idea that I needed to write down. Neither month netted more than 2k words, but it’s a good sign that new ideas are ready to flow out again. 

Actually, I also did some brainstorming on what may help me finish the Apocalypse Project instead of leaving that one stalled like it is now. We shall see. 

Anyway, after that progress April looked like this. 

163 words per day and just over a chapter edited per day isn’t too bad, if I do say so myself. 

On the reading front, April turned out to be the lowest page and total book count for a single month in 2023. This is not a factor of the quality of books I was reading, just a reflection of my time and focus. 

I read 11 books in April, bringing my 2023 total to 51. April accounted for 3,640 pages (breaking down to about 121 pages per day). The oldest book I read this month was published in 1962 and the newest was an advanced reader copy of a title releasing in 2023. 

• 1 Middle Grade
• 5 Young Adult
• 5 Adult

• 2 Science Fiction
• 5 Fantasy
• 1 Romance
• 2 Mystery/Thriller
• 1 Horror

The age category/genre breakdown looks like this:

• 5 Independently Published (that’s 45%)

• 5 ebooks
• 6 audiobooks
• 0 paperback
• 0 hardcovers 

The format breakdown looks like this:

No books received a 1 or 2-star ratings. 2 3-star (niche but good). 7 4-star (recommended if you read that genre). 2 5-star genre-crossing amazing reads. 

So, in conclusion:

• Published the Kingdom of Fraun hardcover special edition. 
• Started preorders for Tin’s Tale and Other Stories of Fraun (coming May 16).
• Started putting ideas in the idea journal again.
• Brainstormed a way that might work for getting the Apocalypse Project moving again.

Really, this blank page strategy is a lifesaver. So far 2023 has proven to be a year when I have multiple plates spinning and could easily have sidelined myself by worrying about one or two of those plates. Instead, I’ve allowed myself to focus on one thing and work at it. It’s made me happier and more productive! Here’s hoping that continues into May!