It’s the first Wednesday of the month when all IWSGers
post about their writing insecurities and/or offer encouragement to others. If the
IWSG is new to you, please visit the IWSG Sign-up tab here. A big thank you to
our December co-hosts:
We've made the IWSG Day more fun and interactive by
asking a question each writer can answer, so here goes:
In terms of your writing career, where do you see yourself five years from now, and what’s your plan to get there?
Now on to today's post:
Forward
Planning for 2017
It feels like only a few months have gone by since it was
January, however, the reality is eleven months have swept by since the start of
2016.
This time of year is great for assessment—looking at what
worked, didn't work, and charting a path forward. Some of the questions I ask myself every
December are:
What have I achieved this year?
I look at what I've published and list the books I plan
to write the following year. My son tells me I take on too many projects and I
ought to cut back. Sensibly though, I'd say 3-4 books is a good target for the
average writer and more for those who are writing machines.
What things didn't I complete?
Inevitably, I have some carryovers because I'm an
overachiever. These get first pick as it pertains to new mountains to climb,
and keep me focused on where I'm going in the New Year.
What can I do differently on my writing journey in the
coming year?
Life and work become overwhelming at times and scheduling
too much can cause burnout. To avoid this, I look back at what did not get done
and scale back or decide how I can achieve greater efficiency.
Did I create SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant,
Time-Based) goals?
It's all well and good to throw a list of things together,
but without a plan projects can and do go awry. It is the wise writer who plots
the steps he/she will take and puts a time frame in place to achieve his/her
goals.
What questions do you ask yourself at this time of year?
Have you started planning your publication schedule for 2017? Any exciting
plans or new direction on the horizon?
We have a special treat!
Audio book narrator Michael Burnette is graciously giving away five copies of his book - The Independent Author's Guide to Audiobook Production: A Professional Narrator's Secrets for Success on ACX.
This is perfect for authors who want to turn their books into audio.
See Rafflecopter for entries – open until December 13.
