Pull It Together

I hope that by now, you have given your writing business a good look and decided what you need to do to move it forward in the New Year. If you’ve been freelancing for twelve months or more (and this includes marketing your self-published work), you know that writers, like any small business owner, are busy 24 – 7.

If you need to reference the first two posts, go to our archives for December 9, “The End is Nigh” which kicked off my three week plan. December 15, “Writing Goals and Objectives” discusses creating measurable objectives.

Every month—at a minimum—I write for this blog, write copy for two other blogs, write lesson plans and handouts for my creative writing classes, edit one or more manuscripts for authors, create flyers and other types of ad copy for my businesses and clients’, create worksheets and evaluation forms for Shadow Hunters Book Club, and make revisions to my current WIP for my critique group. Remember, I said at a minimum.

Writers are some of the most diversified professionals on the planet, and our work will continue to grow as businesses outsource more and more of their work and need people who can type with all ten fingers, not just their thumbs.

Here are a few of the things I’ve done to help me meet my goals for the New Year.

1.  Signed on for Kelly Stone’s free 90-Day Writing Challenge beginning January 2, 2014. http://www.AuthorKellyLStone.com

2.  Signed up for Charles McInnis’s excellent two self-publishing classes through ESILL at less than $100 for both. Their full schedule will be out very soon. I’m teaching two classes by the way.

3.  Initiated use of author, Jamie Raintree’s, free spreadsheet for writers to track word count on five major projects and keep me on target.  http://www.jamieraintree.com/

4.   Created my own 12-month timeline to keep all my plates in the air, me organized and ahead of the game, and reduce last-minute deadlines, which I loathe.

5.   Met with two major clients and mapped out with them the first ninety days of the year after hearing their goals for the year.

6.  Contacted a client that I have completed 1/3 of the job and not received a payment yet, determined the alternatives for payment, and settled on a deal that meets both of our needs.

Sounds pretty sophisticated doesn’t it? Did you notice my out-of-pocket cost has been negligible? I’ve invested about twenty hours of pencil/pc time. Granted, I tend to be an organization junkie,

because it decreases my stress. The thing I like best about all of these, they are each within my power to make happen.

Not to worry if you haven’t started yet! Any day is a good day to begin. Here it is in a nutshell:

• Brainstorm what you want to accomplish in writing for 2014 
• Review last year’s successes and failures
• Whittle the list, deleting and retaining and adding to create a list of 2 – 5 major goals 
• Look at the big picture and organize by importance 
• Narrow the list to no more than 3 major goals 
• Set a timeline for each, putting it all on one page 
• Give yourself the freedom to take advantage of windfalls and adjust the timeline.

 So, I’ve imagined my writing year, prepped, and I’m ready to hit the ground running, well, more like limping in my case. I can’t see the finish line. It’s too far in the distance. Hang On!

 

One  Word  At  A  Time!

                                                                                                 Please leave comments to let others know how you prepare your writing for the new year.  Have these posts been helpful?

 Mahala