End of the Year Celebrations + all our favorite things

My 2023 "did-do"; Best of Books, Marketing, & More; a quick poll; my 2023 favorites

Dec 19, 2023

Greetings readers and writers!

I’ve talked in the past about the idea of a “did-do” list rather than a to-do list. Honestly, that’s saved me in these final weeks of 2023. So this penultimate issue of the year is a motley assortment of loves and small celebrations: of your favorites and mine, some of my small accomplishments (hope you’ll share yours too), and a quick poll to help me plan for the year to come.

My Did-Do List of 2023

Grew my subscriber list by 50%! (That’s all your doing! THANK YOU!!)
Had an essay accepted to and published in Stone Soup
Gave a Podcast interview with Get Your Book Seen and Sold
Was accepted into and attended the Viable Paradise workshop
Read and gave feedback on around 2000 pages of writing as part of workshops, manuscript reviews, and writing groups (whew!)
Taught four classes this year with the Metrowest Writer’s Guild, Grub Street, and University of Denver
Published 22 issues of this newsletter, including 5 interviews (one more to go!)
Threw lots of tiny pots (and a few bigger ones)
Completing my long-distance rewatch of White Collar with my HS bestie
Chipping away at drafting a new novel
Wrote two short stories (with several others in various states of unfinishedness) and even sent one out!

What accomplishments (of any size!) are you celebrating from this year?

Best of Books, Marketing & More 2023:

Links You Loved in 2023

Ask the Publicists: What’s the One Thing I Can Do For My Book? {LitHub}
The Key Book Publishing Paths {Jane Friedman} *she just updated it for 2024!
How Do I Know If My Agent is the Problem? { Agents and Books}
Places That Publishing Book Reviews {Raegen Pietrucha}
Save The Cat Story Beat Mapper {Save the Cat}

Coming soon: our last Book Marketing Now interview of the year with science-fiction and fantasy indie author Colin Alexander, on self-publishing his hot-off-the-presses release, A Planet of Wrath and Tears, the fourth book in his Leif the Lucky series.

What You Liked Best About Books, Marketing, & More: A Poll!

Please share any other thoughts in the comments or reply to this email! Thanks for all your support this year.

What I Liked Best in 2023

Book: Unseen Academicals* by Terry Pratchett
Savory Recipe: Taco Polenta Bake
Sweet Recipe: Butternut Bakery’s GF Banana Bread (add chocolate chips!)
Snack: Trader Joe’s Organic Corn Chips
Song: “A Little Love” by Julia Pratt

Album: Proof of Life by Joy Oladokun
Iced tea: Brooklyn Tea Afropunk Blend
Hot tea: Elderberry Lemon Balm Immune + Stress Tea
Cozy gear: Cozy Boucle Hoodie (I have the zip-up one!)
TV Shows: Great British Baking Show; The Expanse (again); Good Omens; Quantum Leap (reboot, though big fan of the OG)
Board Games: Azul and Earth
Organizational tool: Honestly, my plain ol’ planner
Inspirational Tool: The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi
Pretty things: All the gorgeous jewelry to be found at Zinnia

Hope you get time with loved ones (and some good books) as the year comes to a close. Stay tuned for our last Book Marketing Now interview and all the fresh content to come in 2024.

~Allison

Keep Writing, Keep Connecting! Substack | Facebook | Website | BlueSky
*Bookshop.org affiliate links. Proceeds go to a rotating list of book-related charities
**Header image photo by Cristian Escobar on Unsplash

Books, Marketing, & More