Tag: BAG

Multiple BAGs

My Big Audacious Goal for the year was to send Apocalypse through querying, and I veered from that goal, deciding to self-publish January 1. I made the decision after learning that agents are receiving up to 600 queries to review annually. Or maybe in a shorter amount of time. In addition, my novels tend to 70-80k words, too short to be considered for traditional publishing.

My BAG, then, is to publish Apocalypse on January 1st, 2024. I already have a cover (from my favorite artist, Rachel Bond) and could put the whole thing together now in about an hour. I will do so soon.

But there’s the second BAG. I wrote a Kringle romance last November for NaNoWriMo and it took me a while to finish it. I let it sit for a while because I wasn’t sure I liked it. A couple weeks ago ,I looked at it and said, “Wait. I like this.” I will be self-publishing that October 1, 2023. So I will have to get that print-ready sooner. I have a cover, although I don’t like it as well as Rachel’s covers.

I also want to get a freebie set of stories for people who buy Apocalypse. I have those written; just wondering how to distribute. Does anyone have any ideas?

Photo by George Dolgikh on Pexels.com

First off, welcome to day 5 of COVID. I anticipate being done with it tomorrow when I test again, and then I will be going to work with a mask. I could say I need more rest (who doesn’t?) but truthfully I need to get back into my routine and teach.

What I want to talk about today is my lack of a Big Audacious Goal. The lack of a BAG disturbs me. I have lived with them for years, and they have pushed me forward to do things I wouldn’t have ordinarily done. Writing my first novel was a BAG, as was publishing for the first time. I find BAGs to be ways to plan, carry out, and celebrate goals.

Photo by Anna Tarazevich on Pexels.com

This year, all my goals are things I’ve done before, and I am struggling with them. Write a novel? I have three on the drawing board and I’m not getting any closer to finishing any of them. Publish more? Not at this point; I’d feel better with more readership on the current books. All goals, but not Big Audacious Goals.

I’ve called in my house expert on everything, Richard. He has suggested the BAG of doubling my online media posts with an eye to promoting myself. I like this. We’re even going to let me get an online account with Loomly to help me achieve my goal.

That was easy.