Goal Planning

One thing that has always helped me is setting a goal. A goal is anything you want to achieve. I will be discussing 2 of the goals I'm working on. A personal goal and a writing goal. I have no special training. This is what I do. I'm not as stressed so hopefully some of the tips I have will help you. Let's begin. I've been doing this since I was little for well over 20 years.

Step 1: Decide on one goal.

Choose only one goal. You can add more goals as you're working through goal planning, but do only one goal for now. Be specific on that goal. You need to be able to measure the goal.

Have you heard of the SMART goals?

S - is for Specific (Step 1)

M - is for Measurable (Step 1)

A - is for Achievable (Step 1) (and I'll add Accountability (Step 2))

R - is for Realistic (Step 2)

T - is for Timey (Step 2)

My writing goal is to edit book 3 in my book series, Superior Species. My other goal is to get a massive tree cut down in my yard. It is leaning and needs to go.

Here is the tree:

Step 2: Breakdown your goal.

Here is where we get specific and how you can achieve it? What is your action plan?

Some tips:

1. Be realistic. You can't write 50,000 words in a day.

2. What are the outside factors? Anything that you can't control.

3. Let life happen! This is a big one. Life gets in the way, let it. But don't let it take over. It might and you might have to let it. Acknowledge it and then get back to your goals when life is less hectic.

Okay to edit my Superior Species Book 3, I need to edit 2-3 chapters a day. I edit Monday to Friday 2 chapters and on the weekend 3 chapters. Book 3 has 31 chapters. So I need less than 2 weeks for this edit.

For the tree, I called and found out it will cost $1,000 to remove my tree. My outside factor is I have to set money aside so I need to budget.

Here is where we break everything down more and add in our action plan:

Start with the most important goal. The thing you need to get done first.

For example, with my book, I started editing it in December. My plan was to let life happen and be done by January 10th, 2023. I planned on skipping days I was busy. Life will happen. It will get in the way. Let it. But don't let it take over.

I also have to admit this was the easier edit. I had an editor for this book. You'll see my editing process later.

For the tree, I'm saving $100 a paycheck. I was able to save this amount for this goal by cutting out fast food and watching what I spend. For example for meals, I check what I own and then buy the remaining ingredients. Less food waste too!

How will you make your goal? What is your action plan?

This is where I plan my whole year for writing. I break everything down. I'm not specific. I do quarterly and then breakdown to monthly. YOU decide what you want to do. If you can only handle a daily goal, do daily. Only a monthly goal, do monthly. Only one goal at a time, do that one goal. You can tell your limits when you're getting stressed. Or if there is something you can't control. My SUV had to go to the shop. I had to pay that first and then start saving again.

Not sure if you want to know my writing plan for the year. Here it is:

January 2023 Edit Superior Species Book 3

February 2023 Release Superior Species Book 3 (edit Superior Species Prequel & Book 4)

March 2023 Write Superior Species Book 8

April 2023 Release Superior Species Prequel

May 2023 Finish editing Superior Book 4

June 2023 Release Superior Species Book 4

July 2023 Edit Superior Book 5

August 2023 Release Superior Species Book 5

September 2023 Edit Ava (short story)

October 2023 Release Ava (Short story)

November 2023 Write ??? (I don't know. I plan to write it in November 2023. That is K.A. in November problem. She has this.)

December 2023 Finish Nano book...and not sure. Start to edit Superior Species Book 6?

Step 3: Work on your goals.

You have your goal so start getting it done. For writing or editing what is your limit? Find out either by writing or editing. I have a 2,500 at a session limit. I can only edit 2 chapters on a weekday and 3 chapters on a weekend because I'm busy. I found this out by testing my limits. I knew my limits when I couldn't edit or write anymore.

For my tree, I can only save so much. My limitations are bills and other things get in the way. I do plan on saving more because of taxes, increase, or etc. I'm hoping $1,200 will cover it. So in 6 months (maybe less) I can take down the tree. (I might need encouragement to call them!)

Here are my goals. All the * are when I am releasing a book. The other months are the book I am promoting. I only do weekly promotions so the numbers like HKS3 (Holiday Killing Spree Book 3) needs 5 images for the month of January 2023.

So I take the first 3 months January-March and then break those down.

Here are the goals:

1. Edit Superior Species Book 3.

2. Format Superior Species Book 3.

3. Do the cover, wrap, blurb for Superior Species Book 3.

4. Do the cover, blurb, and chapter one for Superior Species Prequel (if there is a next book, I show the preview).

5. Order Superior Species Book 3 Proof.

6. Edit SSB3 final Proof? (I'm not sure if I'll get all of this done since the book came to me on January 17th and it is 31 chapters.)

7. Get 5 images done for HKS3 for January promo.

8. Get 4 images done for SSB3 for February promo.

9. Get 8 images done for my social media for promo in Jan-Feb.

10. Release Superior Species Book 3.

11. Do the Website SEO, banner, and update website for SSB3.

12. Post a blog on SSB3. Post first chapter for SSB3.

13. Edit Superior Species Prequel.

14. Get 4 images for A Town of Murderers 2 for March promo.

15. Post first chapter for ATOMs2.

16. Get 5 images done for my social media for March promo.

17. Edit Superior Species Book 4.

18. Remove overused words in Superior Species Book 4.

19. Listen to Superior Species Book 4.

20. Run Superior Species Book 4 through 2 software.

21. Send Superior Species Book 4 to editor.

22. Write Superior Species Book 8 (77,500 words).

I broke these goals down monthly. For January 2023 is 1-9. For February 2023 is 10-21. For March 2023 is just goal 21.

Step 4: Check in.

How are you doing on your goals? Check in with yourself or your friends. Write it in the comments here. The point is to hold yourself accountable. I do a weekly check in every Wednesday. Pick a day. Do daily if you need it. I gave myself stickers for the goals I get done.

Some tips:

1. Be positive. You might not get everything done.

2. Reflect on your goal(s). Did you achieve everything? Great! Did you not? Why not? Can you adjust your goals to achieve it? If not, that's okay.

What I don't get done for this quarter (or month), I try for the next. I don't put too much pressure on myself. I can change my release plan. If I do get behind, I adjust or scrap the plan depending on how far behind I get.

You got this,

K.A.

My Latest Obsession

I am totally obsessed with the Devil by the Window by TXT (Tomorrow x Together). Have you heard it? It is awesome. There is no music video that I'm aware of right now. TXT has performed to it and danced to it. So why isn't there a video? They did do a video for another song on their CD, Sugar Rush Ride, from the same mini album, The Name Chapter: Temptation.

Track list:

• Devil by the Window.

• Sugar Rush Ride.

• Happy Fools (feat. Coi Leray)

• Tinnitus (Wanna be a rock)

• Farewell, Neverland.

I am a fan of Devil by the Window. Here it is. Check it out.

I have not gotten this CD yet. I do know I want it and I have the habit of getting what I want. Since I'm going to the store tomorrow, it might end up in my cart. I haven't bought too many K-pop albums because I want my bias' albums first. But he isn't putting stuff out yet. I like Jimin from BTS. I also like G-Dragon from Big Bang (although they are solo right now. :( ) I've also added Jung Yong-hwa from CN Blue. They have an album out recently so I have no excuse. I just do what I want. I'm also a fan of Yeonjun from TXT.

-K.A.

Superior Species Book 3: The First Fallen Chapter One

Here is a sneak peek of my first chapter for Superior Species Book 3: The First Fallen.

Ivory Ames has lost two friends because of the “Models”, supernaturally good-looking monsters in their human form. She plans the two funerals to keep her remaining friends from finding out the truth. If they learn, they will be killed.

In order to escape the “Models” that control the town, Ivory focuses on graduating college early. Her boyfriend Romero Riveras has her hesitating on her plan. He’s sweet, has been there for her, and has the most important quality—he’s human. But they live a town filled with monsters, secrets, and being human is not always a good thing, it’s downright dangerous.

Chapter 1 A Partial Truth

“Karen’s dead,” I whispered to my four friends. My heart ached, and I blinked away tears.

“Ivory, how do you know? Did the police call?” Peter Dupree asked me, his voice rose. He drew onlookers in the seating area of the Main Dining Center, The Main. He sat back in his chair and ran a hand through his thick brown hair.

I glanced around and waited for the other students to stop paying attention. When they did, I shook my head. Los Roshano Police Department was a poor excuse for a law enforcement agency. To be fair, they didn’t know they were up against monsters. When one beast was accused of murder, another used compulsion to cover it up. The detectives wouldn’t remember the killer, and the evidence they collected would disappear. The victim would never get any justice. No one could win a case under these circumstances.

“How do you know Karen’s dead?” Sally Harmony asked.

The rest of my four friends broke into a chorus of questions.

I lifted my hand to stop them from talking. The action gave me a moment to choose my next words. Leaning into the table and lowering my voice, I said, “Last night, Karen was killed because she was a rogue vampire.”

My friends’ mouths slackened, their eyes widened, and they were at a loss for words. They had a much better reaction than I had when I learned the nightmarish monsters existed.

“Are you on something? Whatever drugs you’re taking, can I have some? They must be good, since you concocted a ridiculous notion like this. Vampires don’t exist,” Peter said to me, the first to recover.

“They do. I’ve seen them. They’re everywhere,” I said.

“They’re for entertainment purposes, like in movies or in books,” Peter said.

“You don’t understand. This town is run by them, along with another two species. They’re the Models.” My friends and I had given the good-looking upperclassman, who appeared to have stepped off a runway, the nickname last year. Their exceptional genes gave them the perfect hair, chiseled chins, and toned bodies.

“The hot people are the vampires? Aren’t beasts supposed to be ugly?” Peter asked.

“They’re not because they need to entice us humans,” I answered.

“And let me guess, we also have witches, shapeshifters, and wizards to deal with?” Taylor Waltz asked, sarcastically. He dug into his chocolate and caramel pudding.

“Don’t be stupid. They’re not real.” I regretted my statement after I had said it. I didn’t know if my words were true or not, since I wasn’t an expert. A few months ago, I’d learned monsters were real. Witches, shapeshifters, wizards, and leprechauns might exist as well.

“And vampires do?” Taylor shook his head across the table from me.

I cleared my throat to explain further.

“I hate to break it to you, but it’s impossible for them to exist. A human can’t transform into a bat,” Taylor said before I could speak.

“Some things can’t be explained. I’ve seen a video where a guy turned into a werewolf,” Tad Barnes said before I could rebuttal.

“If it’s the footage I’ve seen, the guy had lycanthropy, a disease. He thought he could transform. He didn’t do it.” Taylor shifted and turned to Tad. “You’re not helping Ivory. She’s cracking under the pressure of classes, work, and our two missing friends. We need to get her some professional help soon.”

“I’m fine.” I ignored Taylor. He never learned any tact. I resisted the urge to smack him on the back of his head, the usual training method we used for when he said or did something wrong. Instead, I continued with my explanation. “This town is run by the Models. They’ve been plotting against us from the moment we accepted our scholarships.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. Nor did the one you had with the university wanting us to leave. If we break our four-year contract, we’ll owe them thousands of dollars,” Taylor said.

“What they want is way worse,” I said. An empty feeling made a pit inside my stomach, and my heart raced. I could hear the blood rushing in my ears.

“What would that be?” Peter rubbed his bare chest between the buttons on his teal dress shirt. The man had style. Only he could wear that color with orange pants.

“They brought us here to make us into one of them,” I said.

“I could become a vampire? I wouldn’t mind.” Peter checked himself in his spoon’s reflection. I imagined him thinking how cool he would be.

“No, you don’t want to be one. They’re pure evil,” I said.

“Your ideas are farfetched.” Sally smiled weak at me. She was the only remaining girl at our table besides me.

“I’m not joking.” I folded my arms. My friends were missing the point of this conversation. Karen was dead.

“Monsters don’t exist,” Sally said.

“I wish I was lying. If we went missing, who would search for us?” I paused, taking a breath. “No one cares what happens to us except us.”

“I know you’re a conspiracy theorist, but this is the strangest idea you’ve ever had.” Despite her words, Sally played with the straw in her soda. She glanced around. Was what I was saying making any sense to her?

“Can’t you see everything has been planned? This has been going on for years. Everything is linked together—the curfew, the town rulers, even the missing and dead kids.” I raked a hand through my hair. This had gone all wrong. I needed to take a step back and tell them everything from the beginning.

The bell rang, signaling afternoon classes started in ten minutes. Other students lifted their trays and shuffled to the garbage to empty them.

I didn’t have much time left. What I had to say could take hours. Tears sprang to my eyes.

“You’re not making any sense. Our two missing friends, work, and school has gotten to you. You’re stressed. You should take the afternoon off. I’ll stop by later and we can talk about Karen.” Peter wrapped an arm around me, pulling me into a tight embrace.

Being in his arms felt soothing. After a moment, I placed my hand against his chest, telling him he could let me go.

Peter complied, but he scooted his chair closer so our arms brushed.

I wiped my tears. Where should I start in the whole fiasco my life had become?

“We should go somewhere nice for Easter. The last time we went to Albuquerque, we had fun,” Taylor said. The holiday was three days away.

“I’m not saying you’re an idiot, but you do say moronic things sometimes.” Peter hit Taylor on the back of his head, hard enough to make a sound.

“What did I say wrong?” Poor Taylor rubbed the spot.

Peter glared, not justifying an answer. He must not want Taylor to remind me that Parker was gone and get me upset again. I wasn’t crazy.

“Let me start from the beginning. Do you remember when I was hurt?” I asked.

“What time?” Peter asked.

The eating area thinned as more students headed to class. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the vampire, Onyx.

Her face was no longer expressionless. I used to compare her to a doll. Now she had a wide grin. With her superior hearing, she must’ve heard everything. She would tell the town officials that my friends and I had learned they were monsters. We would be murdered.

Breathing became difficult and my hands shook. We had to leave now. I stood, and my chair fell back, clattering to floor.

Onyx disappeared when I blinked.

“Are you okay? You’re shaking,” Sally said to me. She took my hand and gave it a squeeze. “Sit back down, we’ll discuss this.”

I would never be fine. Scratch that, my friends and I would never be the same again. I yelled, “We need to go now. The town rulers are coming.” My warning came too late.

Five vampires appeared in the eating area. They formed a line and hissed, baring their pointed canines like an animal protecting their young. Each vamp grabbed one of my friends. Their teeth sank into the flesh at the neck. Blood gushed everywhere.

I was left standing against Onyx.

She ran at me, and I yanked myself out from my horrific daydream.

I gripped the sides of the sink in the girl’s bathroom, letting the fear fade away. Once it vanished, I sighed and wiped the steam off the mirror. Every scenario in the hundreds I’d come up with, including this one, ended with Onyx killing me. My friends would be murdered in the process, casualties of my stupidity.

My life had become a soap opera. It didn’t have the cheating step-mother or the steamy hot sex between everyone. Instead, I had monsters, real monsters, and there was nothing I could do to get away from them. Well not for the next four years. No, eight years. Peter planned to be a doctor and received a longer scholarship. No way would I sacrifice him to the beasts.

“Ivory Ames get it together,” I muttered to myself. I adjusted my purple towel and stared at my reflection in the mirror. My blue eyes were red from crying the whole night. Each time my tears had run out, I planned inside my head a new way to tell my friends the truth, but whenever I did, we died, and I ended up crying again. At least now, I had no tears left.

I was a mess. My friends couldn’t see me like this. Peter would want to know what troubled me, and I would spill everything to him. Avoiding him for the day was my best option. The most believable excuse was studying. My Introduction to Fine Arts class had a test soon. I was a little preoccupied last night with murdering my best friend to study.

I changed into my clothes and walked back my dorm room. An idea popped into my head. A partial truth was better than nothing. If my friends could see Karen was dead, they wouldn’t search for her, and I wouldn’t have to live with the guilt anymore. I didn’t have to tell them the town’s secret.

The problem with this plan was I didn’t have her body, and I didn’t know if vampires turned to dust or their age at the time they changed. The only way this could work was for me to speak to someone. This was the one phone call I didn’t want to make.

Get the rest of the book https://mybook.to/SSB3

https://mybook.to/SSB3E - ebook

-K.A.