Ryan M. Patrick

This is it, the start of the new year! I have a lot of writing goals for the year, and this is where it all begins.

Writing

The Europan Deception

I’ll be editing this one hardcore in January and February. I had 15 beta readers’ worth of feedback and I’ll be incorporating a lot of it, and I’m also planning to drop the prologue and first chapter and rewrite the latter. One of the biggest things I learned from my first two books is that the “sample” on Amazon – usually the first 10% – matters a ton, as much as the cover and blurb. I need to nail it or I’m not going to get sales and borrows. Hoping to get to about Chapter 45 (out of 76) and start figuring out a cover, and maybe starting to plot out my pre-launch campaign. (Goals 1, 3, and 5).

Crush Depth

As per my end of December 2024 update, I’m going to heavily modify a subplot which means I need to go back to Chapter 1. Hoping to get through Chapter 14 by the end of January. It’s for the best – trust me. (Goal 7).

Memento Vivere

Working on this in the background while most of my focus is on Crush Depth. I’m hoping to get through about Chapter 16 (out of 46). It’s much lower priority than Crush Depth though because the path to success in the current publishing market is series – and Crush Depth is the sequel to Lag Delay. (Goal 12).

The Apophis Contingency

The sequel to The Europan Deception. I’ll be outlining it this month, hoping to get halfway to three-quarters of the way done. (Goal 13).

Short Stories

I’ll be starting my “quantum computer” short story, hoping to get about half of it finished this month. (Goal 18).

Reading

This month, I’m hoping to read:

• Raising the Past by Jeremy Robinson
• Mathias Sandorf by Jules Verne
• The Bourne Sacrifice by Brian Freeman
• Kronos by Jeremy Robinson

Video Games

I’ll be playing Myst IV: Revelation and maybe starting Assassin’s Creed: Mirage, while continuing to play Black Ops 6 with my buddies.

Let’s see how this first month of the new year goes!