By Kendra Leah, @Writing2Day
It’s that time of year again. The start of a 2014. The traditional time for making resolutions. I’m keeping one of my resolutions right now by writing this post.
Looking back at 2013, I can’t help but feel how fortunate I was to have spent the entire year writing, and available to be at all of my son’s activities. Going into 2013, I knew what the agenda was: write the manuscript for The History of Grand Teton National Park. It was a year long process which ended in December so I really didn’t feel the need for a specific writing plan, other than to research and write this manuscript. Fait accompli!
It seems like a whirlwind since I decided to hop into a full-time writing career towards the end of 2012 and within a month a publisher came knocking on my door to see if I would be interested in writing this manuscript. I had other writing plans, but when a publisher comes knocking you welcome them in with open arms. How often are they the ones seeking you out?
Prior writing plans to finish up my 30 year old novel were put on hold for another year. That goal has just been moved into 2014’s plan. Another resolution for 2014 is to not become distracted. This resolution was tested just yesterday as I received a call asking me to temporarily manage a store for a couple of months. I found myself thinking about it and gave myself a kick in the head when I realized what I was doing. I know it sounded lame to the person asking when I told them, “No. I have told myself I am going to concentrate on my writing this year.” I could just about hear the eyes roll through the phone and off my back.
So where do I go in 2014 now that the manuscript is finished? The book will be published sometime this spring. The writing is done but the focus now switches to marketing – marketing of the book and of myself as an author and freelance writer. I’m working on a marketing plan and have started a separate calendar to keep me on track. The calendar has also been useful for implementing part of my writing plan (which still needs to be thoroughly thought out).
Snapshot of 2014’s Writing & Marketing Plan
- Do NOT allow yourself to be distracted!
- Write at least 500 words – EVERY DAY!
- Update website. (Done… for now.)
- Add Pinterest to social marketing. (Done)
- Small daily updates on social media outlets.
- Weekly blog post on whatever I feel like blogging about at the moment.
- Weekly book blog for The Closet Entrepreneur. (This was put on hold while I was working towards the deadline on my book.)
- Make a decision on whether to pursue finishing up the manuscript for the 30 year old novel. I’ve changed so much as a person that I’m just not sure if I’m feeling that book anymore.
- Develop the stories for a few different book ideas running around in my head.
- Decide which one of those ideas to go with for my next manuscript.
- Complete and implement the marketing plan for The History of Grand Teton National Park, along with other marketing strategies.
- Complete and implement my writing plan for 2014.
So there’s the start of my plan for 2014 in a nutshell. I’d love to hear from others how you structure the coming writing year and what your goals are. Please feel free to share below.
