Aisha Urooj's Blog - Posts Tagged "goals"

This is an update on my current writing pursuits. As you know, I just finished the second book in the love and friendship trilogy, Eleanor’s Travels. I thought that after I completed this book, I would either:

1. Complete the sequel to my dark comedy novella, Divine Error. I was already halfway done.

2. Start on the final book for the YA trilogy. I have the first few chapters ready.

So, what am I working on now? I am working on 3. A brand new project because inspiration struck and refuses to let go 😅 So, all my other projects are on hold while I work on this new book.

So far, this is what I know. It will be a standalone, epic, love, fantasy novel based on a mythical creature (I won’t reveal what yet). It will also be my longest project to date. I hope that it will be 90k in length, but as I have mentioned before, underwriting is my weak point… so wish me luck 😔

The good news.. if all goes well, it will be ready in a few months. I will excited to share it with all of you. I have already work on the book cover, and it is so pretty 😍🥰

I also think I won’t do pre-order this time, and I will publish it straightaway. I am a small fish author in the large ocean of literary works, and my pre-order rates are just depressing at this moment lol 🐟🌊

Thank you for stopping by, and following me on my writing journey.

I thought I end the year by talking about my latest project, one that I hope would be ready by February.

I am 53k into my 90k YA fantasy book. This is in a way most alarming to me 😆 I hadn’t expected this rapid pace, but I am sure it will be slower now that I am stuck. The ending is done, it is just the middle part and the action packed climax that I have to write. I am still not sure that would be enough for my total word count goal.

I still won’t reveal the cover or the premise of the story. I will drop the book on you when it is complete 😁 I will, however, share with you one little tidbit. In my newest project, I like the male protagonist better than my female lead.

This is rare because I love all my characters equally in all my books, regardless of gender, even if it is a minor character. But he is a complex being, equal parts frustrating, tragic, and oh so charming ❤ I can’t wait for you to meet him.

I end this blog post by wishing you the very best in the coming year. My hope is to improve my writing, my books and share with you all my triumphs and challenges. I hope that you will continue to follow me on my writing journey. Thank you for reading 😊

If you have been following my blog, you know that I share the good and, er, not-so-good aspects of being an Indie author. You might remember that my last marketing effort wasn’t successful.

But like any worthwhile endeavor, be it writing, business, or career, persistence is key. That, and quickly forgetting about past failures 😆 Optimism amnesia, it is!

So, was I successful in my latest effort?

Maybe 😬

Depends on what I look at.

I used paid newsletters (again), combined with a discounted book. If you didn’t know, on Amazon the royalty rate for a book below $1 is only 35% (or 33 cents). It is slightly better at other retailers (maybe 60 or 70 cents).

Why would I list a normally $4.99 book to less than $1? (What is this madness, you might say) I want to reach readers who will give my book a chance at the lower price point. The hope is that they will like my writing enough to give my other books a chance, too.

How did I do?

I will start with the good.

I got a shiny new #1 Bestseller banner on Amazon (that I will etch eternally in my mind, remembering it fondly during the harder days as a writer).

The other good: reaching international readers in Australia, New Zealand, UK 🥰

The not so good: The expensive pricetag 😭

I made back 18% of what I spend (so far). I remind myself that being an Indie author is a looooong commitment. The adage is: It is a marathon, not a sprint.

The sale is still ongoing for a few more days, if you like to grab a copy of Eleanor’s Travels for only $0.99: http://books2read.com/ELT

In other news, I am currently running along to release my latest fantasy romance book, Sleeping Beauty No More on July 17th, 2021.

Thank you for reading today’s blog. I hope that you have a great day! 😊

Hi everyone,

As you know, my newest fantasy romance, Sleeping Beauty no more, released on 17th July. What you might not know, the time it takes me to recover from the intense writing schedule (and emotional rollercoaster) of each new book release 😆

I think that two full length novels, and a novella, is a respectable number of writing projects in a year (though I know some authors that can write twice as much 😬)

But I think that for my sanity, and in order not to burn out, I will not be setting strict deadlines for new projects, even if deadlines help me write faster. I will release them as I complete them (and let you know, of course!)

So, what do I have planned?

I will finally work on the sequel for Divine Error. For those who were waiting, I apologize for the delay. I know I said I would work on the novella at the start of the year, but I got distracted writing, The Stone Mermaid and Sleeping Beauty no more. (I am immensely grateful for the sudden inspiration. I enjoyed writing them both.)

I just chose a narrator for The Stone Mermaid. If all goes well, the audiobook will release sometime in October. I am excited 😃 the narrator did a fantastic audition and has a great voice!

The other project that is in progress is the final book of the love and friendship trilogy, Ellie’s Fate 😭 I can’t wait to write the conclusion of Ellie’s and Cassie’s story. The two characters have become so dear to me.

I have another fantasy book planned in the fantasy romance series. I have a theme I want to explore (and already a cover and title 😆), but the plot is very fuzzy right now. It will be a Ice Queen retelling in a dystopian setting. I hope to push my writing abilities in this project.

Thank you for being a part of my writing journey. I hope that you have a great day today!

Best wishes 😊

The word ‘Brainstorming’ is an apt word, because it really feels like a storm is brewing in my brain, lol. So I am thinking about my newest project (and trying not to melt in the heat or overheat my thinking box 😆).

As you know, my new book will be a ice queen retelling in an dystopian setting. For the first part, I am researching the original fairytale. There is an interesting backstory about how the writer came up with the character… which gave me a idea for a scene in my book (yay!).

As for the dystopian setting, I am a little stumped. This is a new writing territory for me (and a little out of my comfort zone). But that is good, yes? How can I learn if I don’t push myself creatively?

I loved the Hunger games, and the complex, intriguing setting of the different districts. For my book, I am thinking of two distinct factions/groups/tribes and the rest caught up in their war. I have a tragic, origin story in place of how the divide/animosity started. I just hope it will be a revelation/shock to my readers when they reach that point in the story.

So much plotting! 😁

I am also working (or trying very hard to) on the sequel for Divine Error. The heat is really messing with my writing. Normally, I dedicate 1 to 2 hours in a day for writing. Nowadays, I am lucky if I can manage 15 minutes. The weather is set to cool starting tonight. It is hard when I want to write, but can’t. I feel like I will burst, lol.

On other less distressing news, the audiobook for The Stone Mermaid is under production. The narrator is working diligently on the project, and I can’t wait for you to hear the final product.

That is it for today. I pray for better weather, and for you to have a great day. Thank you for reading!

I think I realized something… these past few weeks I was suffering from marketing/writing/everything else burnout. I was just in denial of how much it was affecting me. I delayed the release of The Nine Muses until November, and now I am just doing things to get my creativity back (mainly, staring into space lol 🙃)

Another (perhaps) more productive method is reading, especially outside of my usual genre. I came across a facebook post by the author herself, marketing (like I do!) her book, Swipe Right for Murder. The book has one of those enticing premises that you want to start reading right away, and I did… finishing the book in a day and a half 😆



Here is what the book is about:

DATING IS TOUGH. ESPECIALLY IF THE GUY YOU LIKE MIGHT BE A SERIAL KILLER.

After a devastating heartbreak and a string of short-lived, failed relationships, college student Georgie Itoyama has now decided to approach dating in the same way that she approaches everything else: methodically, logically, and efficiently.

Georgie downloads countless dating apps, determined to find the love of her life as easily as she orders jeans online. And while her love-at-first-sight aspirations don’t exactly come true, she does find someone she likes. Quite a lot.

There’s only one problem. Girls are going missing at Georgie’s university, and all the signs are pointing to . . . him?

But that’s ridiculous. What are the chances that she’s dating an actual serial killer?

Then she matches with Nate. Mysterious, intelligent, and oddly fixated on solving the local disappearances. As Georgie’s relationships deepen with each of her guys, she unwittingly finds herself caught up in the mess that is murder, intrigue, and the nightmare of online dating.

I want to thank Polly for getting me out of the miserable slump I was in, and make me think about something other than my burnout. Also, I totally missed the murderer. I only caught on moments before the reveal (I blame it on a certain bias/statistic regarding serial killers). So, bravo 😅 You got me!

The characters were very likable with believable and genuine relationships and interactions. The only thing that could have been clearer was the layout of the cabin (the image of the layout was a jumbled mess in my head and that took away from some of the suspense). All in all, a sweet, entertaining book that I highly recommend to you all.

I hope that you are well. Remember to take good care of yourselves… I am trying to follow my own advice too 😋

A reminder (if you haven’t already): The Stone Mermaid 🧜‍♀️ is only $0.99 until this Monday. It will go back to $3.99 after that, so grab a copy now. Books2read.com/SM

Thank you for reading!

2021 was... something. I hope you made the most of a tough year (it was for me). This year, I hope is better and healthier for all of us. To start off 2022, I set a few writing goals for myself.

I will release 3 books this year. I am excited, nervous, both at the same time... but challenges are good. (Right? 😅)

Here is a brief summary of what I have planned:

Ellie’s Fate

This will be the final book of the trilogy about two best friends, Ellie and Cassie. I feel a bit emotional as My Dear Ellie was my debut novel. Release around June. Preorder is available here: Books2read.com/EF

Queen of Frost and Ice

A dystopian, snow queen retelling. I am excited about this one. It will be a cross between Snow queen and a dystopian novel like Hunger games, Divergent, Red Queen series etc. Release around September. Preorder is available here: Mybook.to/QoFI

Prequel to The Stone Mermaid

I have the title and cover ready, but I will reveal it closer to release date (suspense!). 

Hint about the cover: 🐙🔱🧜‍♀️

This will be the prequel to my mermaid novel, focusing on the ancient war. More Ursula, Vladimir, Siren Queen, and Brutus! 

Release date: sometime in 2022 😁