I love the New Year. Do you? Are you sad when Christmas ends (or are you glad to get back to normal?) I like the New Year because it feels like a fresh start. I take stock on the year that passed and come up with new goals and objectives for that start.
How about you? Do you get ideas, plans, or wishes that circle through your head (or even make it to paper or a computer document) of things you want to do?
Taking Stock
Taking stock of the elapsed year is important, not only in writing goals but personal ones too. (I still have not shed those few pounds in 2023 and the holidays added a couple more, so that definitely goes on the list!) But there were a few things I did finish.
As I look back on my projects, seems I completed more nonfiction projects than fiction. Most of the non-fiction I write is under K. B. Oliver and is France travel related. I updated my road trip book and published a travel journal, and posted twice monthly.
In 2024, my focus is fiction and will stay that way! Last year in fiction, I finished Custom Made (Book 2, Brenner Falls) then took a deliberate break to
create better systems for my author business. It wasn’t meant to take as long as it did, and I really missed writing fiction!
Still in the fiction category, I researched a couple of areas I hope to grow. You may know that in addition to distributing my novels across many platforms, I also sell eBooks directly from my website. This is a growing trend among authors who want to have more control (than Amazon provides) in their business by offering this alternative. One day, I’d like to also offer paperbacks and audiobooks on my author store, but I’m still learning about the steps this would involve. I’ll keep you posted on that.
Another area is audiobooks. Currently, I have a couple of AI-narrated books on Google and one on Apple, but I have a lot more to do. Honestly, I don’t have audiobooks yet because it’s expensive to produce one with a human narrator. But AI has come a long way (and sounds less robotic) and I wonder—if I can assure the quality—if this can be a good way to create cost-effective audiobooks.
2024 Plans
In 2024, I plan to focus on these objectives (Lord willing!)
Complete the current book, book 3, (Amber’s story) in the Brenner Falls Romance Series.
Complete book 4 (Kelsey’s story) in the Brenner Falls series.
Write a Christmas or fall novella, part of the Brenner Falls series.
Non-fiction: A travel book on Provence, France (following a trip there this summer)
Maybe… another novel idea will grow as I visit Provence this summer to research the travel book!
Maybe do a spiritual nonfiction book (to join Mental Habits for Believers in the nonfiction category!)
Keep researching direct distribution of my books, both fiction and nonfiction in hopes of providing paperbacks on my author store by the end of the year.
Do you have any ideas to suggest? What do you think of my plans? Are you excited about any of them?
And Personally?
I’d like to
- Drink more water
- Learn to listen to God better
- Get more fit (I exercise daily, but could stand to increase the time a bit more!)
- Learn basic Italian
- Restart piano (after almost a decade)
- Learn to cook more Mediterranean recipes (yum!)
Yes, that’s a lot. But if I can at least dabble at most, I’m ahead!
I’d also like to keep doing better in social media and keeping in touch with all of you! I welcome your comments, ideas, and suggestions. I hope you’ll reach out and say hello either in comments or by email. contact@kyle-hunter.com.
I hope your own goals and priorities will be a joyful blessing (and not a pressure!) as you seek God’s path for 2024!
Kyle