Happy 2022!

 Well, <gulp>, it's been quite some time since I last wrote. In my defense...well, I have no defense. Everybody's been busy; everybody's been affected by the pandemic. And I'm no different. 

2020 AND 2021 have been full of challenges, but lots of good books as well. I'm blessed to be able to do what I love, with talented authors and clients who have become friends over the years. Looking at the numbers, I edited through 3,679,121 words in 2021. Although that looks like a big number, it's actually one of the lowest years in terms of word count. I was somewhat distressed by that, until I remembered why that number was so low.

There were authors who had their publishing plans changed because of life issues beyond their control: loss of loved ones, moving challenges, personal health issues, changes in their regular day jobs or family life. 

I took more time off in 2021 than I had in a long time, including a trip to see our family in Denver. We got to celebrate as our son and girlfriend officially got engaged, being there as part of the ring design. They are using the stones from the first wedding ring my husband gave me, so it was wonderful to be a part of that. And we had a great time seeing my husband's mother and sisters for the first time in two years!

I ran my church's Basket Bonanza, which always takes a week of preparation. We changed the format to an all-day preview, with online watching options as we pulled the winning tickets. It was a bit nerve-racking because we'd never done it that way, but we got great feedback from our attendees. And I had some great book baskets to give away, because of the support of some of my authors!

I took time off to work on a personal project, which I've never really done, either. (Usually personal stuff gets pushed to nights or weekends). I'm still working on it (slower than I should, really), but I'm pretty happy with my results.

I've been spending time strengthening my professional network as well. I've been the Chapter Coordinator for the EFA for some time, and now we meet virtually (twice a month at night; twice a month in the morning). With that option available, I've been able to meet some of our EFA members who couldn't make in-person meetings and developed relationships that have been resources for questions and situations that have popped up over time.

And over the course of the pandemic, home life has changed. No longer does my husband travel three out of four weeks each month. I actually stop for dinner, and typically don't work after that, either! It just to be that I'd have a small dinner at my desk, and then work until 9 or 10 before dropping into bed! But now, I'm spending time with the hubby and occasionally going out with friends (masked and in low-density locations...outside back in the nice weather!). 

So even though that's not the biggest number I've ever had for a year of editing, it reflects how the world has changed, and how I've changed with it. 

 

I hope 2022 brings you all the writing success you are looking for!

Ouch, That Hurts

Hmmm....I've been thinking about this blog for some time now. Mostly about how I haven't posted to it in what felt like forever. And when I look at the date of the last post (Aug., 2018), I feel a little better that it's hasn't exactly been forever. But...ouch, that hurts.

I guess that means I've been fairly busy since August. And that's true enough. For the third quarter of 2018, over 1.5 million words crossed my desk, The fourth quarter of 2018, it was significantly less (at only 912,000 words) - but in all fairness, I was sick for three weeks in December.  Like, in bed, couldn't work, could barely walk the dog sick. Or, if I wasn't sick, I was taking care of the Hubby, who I so lovingly gave my sickness to (I'm sweet that way - what can I say?).

And 2019 looks to be just as busy as 2018 was. Instead of going to RWA this year (even though it's close to me in NYC this time around), I'm going to an editing conference. The EFA will have its conference in August - in lovely Chicago. So if you are going to RWA and want to make a side trip to CT, I'd love to meet you somewhere for a dinner or some shenanigans. Or, if you're in Chicago in August, maybe we can find time then.

And I've got my traditional May vacation to Colorado booked. Yes, actually booked - plane tickets, hotels...the whole deal. I think we were both so tired of winter that the prospect of soaking in the natural springs at Pagosa Springs had us taking care of those details. And this year, we're taking a different route to Pagosa - by way of Santa Fe to check out Meow Wolf. Both my son and his girlfriend, and my mother-in-law and sister-in-law have been and said it's amazing.

But, more importantly than vacations and conferences, I'm looking forward to a year full of great manuscripts, where the characters drag me in and tell me their stories! So contact me to get your next book on the schedule!

2017 In Review

Maybe you've realized it (and maybe you haven't), but I have not been very social on social media in 2017.

I have not blogged.

I have not Facebooked.

I have not tweeted.

Well, some of that is technically not true.  I had 4 (yes, just four!) blog posts in 2017 (and that includes this post).  I kept up with my title milestone listings and occasionally checked my professional Facebook feed. I have several tweets set up to automatically repeat, so those have gone out.

But really, I have not been social on social media.  I had plans to be.  I had spreadsheets of ideas to write about, resources to share, and I wanted to spread the love for my authors. But alas, those plans did not come to pass.

Part of that is because I was busy. So very busy. With all good stuff, I swear. Like the 6.7 MILLION words I read for work this year. Like the God knows how many books for fun I read this year. A trip to Colorado to soak in the hot springs and see our son. A trip to Bermuda for a beautiful wedding. Some church projects (like my annual Basket Bonanza and other leadership roles). Like volunteering for my community as we build our library (it's currently in the basement of our town hall). Like coordinating chapter meetings for the editorial association I belong to, the EFA.

But as 2017 winds down, it's time to think ahead.  I'm going to try to up my game on the social media front - maybe it won't be as much as it was three or four years ago, but it needs to be more than it was in 2017. Another ambitious goal for 2018 is to update my website again.  I've got tons of new covers to put up, and it's always fun to give it a facelift! I'm thinking of joining RWA as an associate member and checking out their convention (okay, it doesn't hurt that it's in Denver so I'll get a chance to hang out with my son a bit more!).

What are you planning in 2018?

Year End Review/2017 goals

I've watched a few of these MarieTV spots on YouTube, but I really liked this one for a year-end review process:

So here are my answers to her 3 questions:


1) What did I do, create, or experience this year that I'm really proud of: I am picking experiences here. I am proud of my continued dedication to my swim lessons.  Now, this may seem peculiar, but if you factor in how afraid of water - much less actual swimming - I had been in the past, you can see how sticking to the lessons for a year and a half now is quite the achievement. I really look forward to my lessons: the time in the pool, learning a new skill (I'm currently struggling with the dolphin move) and fine-tuning it until it's just about perfect, and frankly, doing something I thought I'd never do.

The other experience I'm proud of is my attendance at the EFA National Conference.  Again, it might seem weird to you outgoing types, but for this introvert to go into (what I perceived, anyway) a large group of strangers and make it a point to talk to new people - well, it was a big deal.

Dinner out in NYC

Cool book walls at the resturant

Me and Mary Norris, of The New Yorker

2) What mistakes did I make that taught me something?  What lessons did I learn that I can leverage? I'm not sure what I'd consider a mistake in 2016; I'm sure there was something I did wrong at least once. So I think I'm going to say my mistake (and not one isolated to 2016) is my tendency to think I can't do something...that I don't have the skills or the talent or the innate quality to be successful at whatever that particular "thing" is. But the truth is I can do things I think I can't (see above re:swimming).  I'm learning all the time...I just have to realize I can and I am, and feel confident that I even if I am a beginner or novice, every expert started just like me.

3) What am I willing to let go of? This one is a bit harder. I don't like to let go of things (just ask my husband!). But maybe I can let go of my disappointments (I really don't have to dwell on them, especially in the middle of the night!) when things don't go quite my way...or the way they have always gone. I need to let go of that negative attitude, that negative mindset, when it sneaks up on me.

So what about you? Can you take a few minutes an answer these 3 questions? Share in the comments (if you dare!).

Getting My Ducks in a Row

So, I've actually got a workday where I have no work to do...but yes, there is work to do!  I've just spent the last hour or so adding tags to all of my blog posts.  I had some in there, but I really let that part of blogging go (not that any other part of my blogging has been a shining example of good blogging, but whatever).

And it was fun to revisit some of those older blog posts and remember some of what prompted them.  It was kind of like reading my work diary over the past few years.

Anyway, back to work... Part of the reasoning to get the blog posts properly tagged/labeled was to make it easier to search and to jump-start some ideas for my 2017 blogging.  (After all, if I've already talked about something, do I need to keep harping and harping on it? Maybe...) So I am setting up a spreadsheet with ideas, categories, and a calendar so I can be a bit more organized for blogging in 2017 (see goal #4 here).  I am thinking I might ask anyone who has done an Author Interview to do an updated one - although I haven't figured out what new questions I'd ask.  But I think it would be cool to see how authors have changed (if at all) and what their writing career looks like now - sort of a "Where Are They Now" thing.

But I am really going to try to get my ducks in a row to give me a good start to 2017 and beyond. Not that 2016 was horrible or anything, but I feel like I need to be more prepared for things, not just go at them willy-nilly. Or get distracted by squirrels - that's Dudley's job!

(And aren't you impressed about this second blog post in under a week?)

Am I Crazy or What?

Yes, yes, I know it's been several (okay, almost six) months since I last wrote. It's just been so busy - in so many great ways.  My last post was just after my summer vacation, and after that wonderful, restful time...it was back to work! And more work! And volunteer work! And some house projects (okay, I didn't really do any real work...I was just there to see all the work get done and make sure no one melted away in the oppressive August heat).

And The Boy and The Girlfriend visited at the end of October.  It was nice to visit with them...and have him take my car on adventures as they went to Boston for a friend's wedding. Some things never change...kids always want the keys to the car.

Now Thanksgiving is over (let us give thanks!) and Christmas and New Years is staring us in the face.  And I suspect 2017 is going to be just as busy, crazy, eventful, happy, sad, interesting, terrifying, and uplifting as 2016.

But I have a few changes in store for 2017, so I'm working on my goals early this year.  And by early, I just mean not on Dec. 31. I'm going to take some time over the next few weeks (even if it's just 5 minutes before I go to sleep) to really think about the things I want to accomplish for 2017.  Here's my preliminary list, in no particular order:

1) 2017 is a "go to a writer's conference" year (2016 was my EFA conference, which apparently I only blogged about in my dreams).  I had thought it'd be Romantic Times in Atlanta, but I don't see many (actually, I think there was only 1) of my authors signed up to go.  So I'm thinking I might go to RWA Nationals in Orlando instead.

2) That leads into the probability of joining RWA, and maybe an online chapter.  There are a few chapters in my state, but I'm not sure I have the actual time to go to an actual meeting.  And that's because...

3) In addition to everything else I'm doing already, I've decided to head up the CT Chapter of the Editorial Freelancers Association. Our previous leader got a full-time job editing, and doesn't have the time to continue.  I really liked our meetings, even when they were just networking/talking with other editors, so if I wanted them to continue, either I had to wait for someone to take the position or do it myself...otherwise the chapter would have been dissolved. So, yeah, after waiting a few weeks and checking in, no one else had expressed any interest in heading up the chapter.  So...there you go.

It probably seems a bit crazy for me to take on this additional responsibility. After all, I can't even keep up with a blog on any kind of regular basis, right? Which leads to...

4) I am going to write out a schedule of blogging.  It won't be much - maybe twice a month - but I need to get back in the habit.  I often use my blog posts to illustrate a point to my authors (how many of you have seen a link in the manuscript comments to a post I'd done in the past?), so it's a useful tool for me to have.  And if I had a plan of some sort, I could either follow it (Gasp! Follow a plan!?!) or ignore it for something I felt needed to be touched on.

How about you? Are you thinking ahead to 2017? Do you have ideas about what you'd like to accomplish?

Exciting Changes

So, I've been putzing around with my website...you know, just something fun to do in the evenings.  With the new year, it's always been a time to look at things and re-evaluate. One of the things I examined was my webpage and logo.

And it was time to freshen them up.

The last few weeks I've been playing around with new software (cool effects! new gizmos!) and contacted a company to work on my logo.  I'm still working on the website - and frankly, it'll definitely be a month or more before it's ready for prime time - but I'm pretty happy with the logo.

As part of the logo process, the company (The Logo Company) sent me several images based on my answers to their questionnaire. I spent a few days looking at a few of them and testing them out on my webpage design software. I culled down the contenders to two and consulted my in-house go-to guy.  He gave me reasons he liked one and what he didn't like about the other.

But there was a third one in contention.  I decided to ask for that one to use as graphic icon and picked out my new logo.

So, I'm happy to give you a sneak peek at the new graphic:

And soon, when the website is closer to being ready, you'll be able to check out the new logo!

Be My Valentine

Dear Lady Dazzleton,

I am in receipt of your Valentine missive.  It would truly be an honor to be yours, but alas, I am afraid it would be a long-distance affair…I mean, a long-distance relationship (I would not presume to assume any scandalous ideas, after all).  If you are willing to overlook the tiny detail of the thousands of miles between us, I wholeheartedly bestow upon you my fondest thoughts and wish you to be mine as well.

Sincerely and with admiration from afar,

Yours Truly,

A.T.

Mr. A.T.Water, Esquire

Find Your Peeps

Yes, I know it's been awhile since I last posted (but hey, not quite a month...just really, really close to it).  I've had some ideas and thoughts to share, but not necessarily the time to get them down intelligently (although that's not a prerequisite for any blog, but I at least like to try...)


Anyway, let's talk about peeps.

Okay, despite the fact that Peeps are my mother's favorite Easter candy and I have actually made a Peep-like marshmallow myself, that isn't what I meant by peeps.  What I meant was more along the lines of friends, like-minded people you know (or get to know).

Last night was a meeting of my local chapter of the Editorial Freelancers Association (not to be confused with the American Honky-Tonk Bar Association).  It was a small group last night, but we had a great time and closed down the library (yup, that's how we roll).

After I left, I was really energized and realized how much that simple act of getting together with other editors can offer so much: tips on tools, business ideas, the comradeship of people who get what I do. etc. Even though there were editors of all types, for all kinds of clients, we were the same - editors.

So if you get a chance, or if you've been on the fence about joining a writer's group, or a critique group, or going to a writer's conference - take a deep breath, and just do it!  Go find your peeps!

This Is Where I Work

Ever seen Lifehacker's How I Work series? Or their Featured Workspaces like this one or this one? They've inspired me to share my office space.  So here's where I work:



The master command chair: I bought this at Staples.  It's supposed to be rated for an 8-hour day.  But after awhile, that seat wasn't so comfortable anymore.

So I had to find something that would make those editing hours easier to deal with. So I found this soft but firm seat cushion, the Wonder Gel Seat Cushion:

But what about that editing? It's easy with this three-screen setup: the laptop plus two external monitors:

 A different view of the monitors and the keyboard:

 

The Fellowes Tilt N Slide Keyboard Manager was the answer to my desk dilemma: how to get a keyboard  that didn't need to be screwed into my desk but would be able to tilt for ease of use. This adjusts at three different levels, and has a sliding pad for the mouse. It's so much better for my wrist and arms.  Bonus: very Star Trekky.

 And best of all, it just screws onto the desk shelf.

What I'd really like someday is a multi-screen setup like this: 

 or this:

or this:

But those are just dreams for now...

Toein' the Company Line

Back in my former life, I worked in a marketing department.  One of my duties was to update this binder with marketing procedures.  I never quite appreciated one of those marketing procedures until I started proofreading for a living: the corporate branding procedures.  (And I still flash back to the knowledge that PMS 312 is the correct color for the logo!)

But now, I have a deep appreciation for those branding procedures.  It's the way companies make sure they are represented the way they want to be out there in the world, whether it's in an ad, a blog, or in a book.

And so, dear reader and author, please remember when writing: there is a real reason to make sure those product names are correct in a manuscript.  For some reason, Apple products seem to trip up a lot of people.  The way they name their products is pretty consistent, but I've seen the names mangled up in some very interesting ways (often in the same manuscript). 

From the Apple Trademark website:
iPhone, iPad,or iPod, always typeset iPhone, iPad, or iPod with a lowercase i and an  uppercase P followed by lowercase letters. For iPod touch, always set touch with a  lowercase t. The name iPhone, iPad, or iPod should start with a lowercase i even when it is the first word in a sentence, paragraph, or title. Never set Mac in all capital letters. Use an uppercase M followed by lowercase letters.

And Twitter has some guidelines, and Google (they are really not fond of their name being used as a verb), and Microsoft, and the Boy Scouts, and Best Buy, and Walmart, and...well, you get the idea. So, it's time to toe the company line and make sure you use those names the right way.

Social Media for Authors

Okay, I know it's been forever since I posted last.  My apologies.  But my authors have been keeping me busy with some great manuscripts (and some long ones, too!).  I haven't had any time between projects to think about a blog post, much less write it!  And, actually I still don't.  But I have a problem and I wanted to vent a little to the Internet (you'll all listen, right?).

I'm sure, as an author, you've read blog post after blog post about "building your author platform" and the importance of social media.  You've probably felt the heat to be active on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, your own website/blog, and whatever else is out there.  Maybe you try, maybe you don't.  Maybe you don't have a webpage with contact information.  Maybe you don't want everyone in the world to find you on Goodreads.

But guess what?  Those annoying little time-sucks?  Those are connection points for more than just your (potential) readers.  They are backup communication tools for people YOU want to talk to.

Here's my problem, folks: I have an author I've worked with before on a project.  She's emailed me twice (once Tuesday and once on Thursday) asking me to work on her next project. I emailed her back - using the Reply button - twice on Tuesday and once on Thursday.  In each instance, I've gotten an "Undeliverable Email" notice from Yahoo (her email address provider).  In the second email, she's basically asked if I'm too busy to respond or work on her project, and if I am, can I recommend someone. 

I can't find Valerie anywhere on social media.  Not Facebook, not Twitter, not Goodreads, not LinkedIn.  I'll admit I don't have a Pinterest account, but when I search for her name on the almighty Google, there's no one who fits the description (location or job) of my author.

So I'm posting this in the thinnest of hopes that she will 1) be looking at my website/blog and 2) recognize herself and 3) comment on this post so I can talk to her about her project.

And please, for the love of God or whatever higher deity you may believe in, make sure people you work with have more than one way to find you online - don't rely just on email!

Welcome to 2014, Year of the Horse

So, fifteen days in to the New Year, and this is my first post.  It's been a crazy time since the holidays (especially if you go back to Thanksgiving!) and it feels like I've barely had time to breathe, much less do all the holiday cheer!  You wonderful authors have given me such great manuscripts in 2013 and I'm looking forward to 2014!

Just to give you an idea of how busy you guys have kept me, in the last three months of 2013, I read over 1.4 MILLION words.  You guys know how to write! And then write some more...

I finished up the 2013 contest of Your Favorite Goof and the voting for the second half of the year ended on the 14th.  I'll be tabulating the results and announcing the winner in the next few days. 

I started the 2014 contest for the Mystery Phrase, and I've already had one show up in a manuscript.

One of my major goals for 2014 is to update my website.  I've been playing around with some programs to see what I like and what I don't; hopefully I'll make up my mind and get cracking on that project soon.

Here's to a happy, healthy, successful 2014!

It's That Time Again

We are wrapping up Christmas presents and wrapping up the end of the year.  So that means it's that time again - time to review our past year and think about the next.

I wrote before about goal setting.  I made some simple goals for myself for 2013, and I'm happy to say that I followed through on all of my goals.  I made sure they were simple, even though they might have been things outside of my comfort zone.  I made sure they were measurable, quantifying how many of this and the timing of that.  And they were things I wanted to do for myself, professionally and personally.

Do you set goals for yourself, either for your personal life or your writing life?  Or have you never written down your goals?

Check out these articles on successful goal-setting and see if you are inspired to get going on your 2014 goals.

General Goal Setting Advice:
Really Simple Goal Setting

Beginner's Guide to Goal Setting

An Online App for Goal Setting: Lifetick

Goal Setting for Writers:
Setting Effective Writing Goals

Goal Setting for Writers

No Excuses: 15-Minute Goal Setting for Authors 

Goal Setting for Authors Who Don't Set Goals

Video:
Watch this twenty-minute video.  It might be a bit "out there" for someone looking for traditional goal-setting advice, but here's a line they talk about: Match your soul to your goals.   If you are looking for something a bit more spiritual, this might speak to you.

Expose Yourself

How exposed are you?  I don't mean in a steamy video sort of way...I mean, how are you getting the word out about your book(s)? There are tons of ways to get exposure (again, in a good way - not an expose on TMZ!).

Here are a few of my clients and what they have done:

Julie Napier released her book Tender Thorn in March.  She shared a video with me from her local news show where she was a featured guest.  Pretty cool, huh?

 

MJ Pullen had a Twitter chat with WritersKaboodle to reach out to fans:

There's always speaking engagements, too.

Kelly Ilebode has worked with her local Barnes & Noble to give a presentation on self-publishing.

 Guest posting is another great way to get exposure.  Kevin Hardman was featured on Joe Konrath's blog

And don't forget the power of the simple interview.  I feature an author each month in my newsletter.  The newsletter gets exposure to the mailing list, Facebook, and Twitter - a great way to get your name out there.


What other interesting ways have you thought of to get the word out?  Feel free to share in the comments!

More on Cover Design

Just as a follow-up to Cali's advice on cover art, I found this article over on the Writer's Guide to E-Publishing (a great resource if you haven't found it yet!).  One thing I never thought of was a designer's terms of service contract that may or may not allow the use of the cover in other formats, such as t-shirts, bookmarks, banners, and more.  Definitely something to make sure you've got covered!

And for more fun, check out Chuck Wendig's blog post on judging a book on its cover. And in his post 25 Things to Know About Sexism & Misogyny in Writing and Publishing (which includes a bit on the dust-up over at SFWA), I was laughing so hard at the link in #12 to Jim C. Hines Cover Posing (and the cover poses) that my husband thought I was crying. 


So, yeah, covers are important. And apparently, not to be left for the last minute (much like proofreading!).

An Editing Nightmare

Now, don't get worried...I'm not about to throw some author under the bus for a manuscript.  I'm going to tell you about an actual nightmare.  Well, maybe not a nightmare...just a bad dream.


I was sleeping in my dream and a call on my cell phone woke me up.  A bit groggy, I looked at the number and recognized it as one of my authors.  Not sure why they were calling, I answered with a panicked, "Hello?"

Right away, Mark (and I have no idea how I knew his name) started in on me.  I realized this wasn't actually one of my authors but her husband calling me.  He was ranting and raving about how the books were getting slammed in the reviews, especially for typos.

I asked him what specific book he was talking about as I am now magically in front of my computer, trying to start my accounting program and check what titles I had actually done for his wife (I'm not that good at remembering every title I've ever done when I get woken up by a phone call, apparently - even in my dreams, I'm not that good!).

He rattles off a title.  And then he says something to the effect of well, you might not have worked on that title.  I'm still fumbling with my password, so I breathe a small sigh of relief.  I ask what the next title is that he's seeing the negative feedback on.  He rattles off another title.  I'm starting to engage my brain at this point and the title doesn't sound particularly familiar.  He stops for a second and admits I might not have worked on that one, either.

By now I have my program open.  I click the customer section and find the author's name.  One title.  That's it. I've only worked on one title and yet the guy is yelling at me (either very late at night or very early in the morning) for things I haven't worked on. EVER.

I'm starting to boil inside.  I can take criticism. (Well, maybe.)  I can admit I'm not perfect. (Unless my husband asks, in which case I am perfect.)  But I certainly don't have a magic wand that, when I work on one manuscript, fixes all the others that are ALREADY PUBLISHED.

So, just as I'm getting my dander up and getting ready to try to politely tell this author's husband (not even the author herself!) to go pound sand...

Dudley jumps up on the bed and wakes me up from my nightmare.  He gives me a lick, settles down between me and the hubby, and stays there from 1:41 a.m. to 6:30 or so (when it's clearly time for breakfast).

And that was the end of that.  I hope.

What about you guys?  Have you ever had any dreams about readers giving you a hard time about your books?

2013 Goals - Revisited

I'm posting over on the EFA blog to talk about my 2013 goals.  Check it out. 

How are you doing on your goals this year?

Story Bibles and Character Development

Over the last few months, I've tweeted some great sites to check out story bibles and character development worksheets.  But, if you don't follow me on Twitter (hey, why don't you follow me on Twitter?  It's super easy - find me at @FaithProofing), I thought you might like to see what I posted over there.

So here are some resources for story bibles:

Authors: what is a Story Bible and why you need one http://brev.is/cf84

Using Story Bibles for Series http://brev.is/gf84

Authors: use this tv series bible development for your series!  http://brev.is/kf84

Color coding your Series Bible http://brev.is/mf84

Authors: use a Story Bible to keep track of your story http://brev.is/of84

Character and Story Organizers for #Authors http://brev.is/Uf84


And here are some resources for character development worksheets:

Authors: 100 Character Development Questions your characters should be able to answer http://brev.is/Vf84

Authors: 20 questions for your characters http://brev.is/Wf84

Authors: use the Proust questionnaire to add depth to your characters http://brev.is/Xf84

More Character Development worksheets for authors http://brev.is/Tf84

365 Character Questions http://brev.is/Zf84

Authors: some more Character Worksheets http://brev.is/Rf84

Planning For Success

Very often, an author will be asked if they are a plotter or a pantser.  People are typically asking how the author writes their stories: by carefully plotting out the story or just sitting at their computer (or pad of paper!) and writing.  But there is another kind of planning you should think about: strategic planning for your overall writing/publishing goals.

Some people like to think in grand schemes (“I’ll sell half a million copies of my masterpiece in five years.”) without much planning.  That’s called dreaming. It’s not a goal based in reality—you know, actually writing the book, taking care of any research if it’s needed, getting it critiqued, edited, formatted, reviewed, and sold.  

Take a look at D.D. Scott’s plan for next year. Here is an author who actively takes time to plan what she wants to accomplish.  She asks herself almost 20 questions about where she is having success, where she needs to readjust her goals, and reviews her financials and yearly sales.  

Now, maybe this is more in-depth than you want to get, but it gives you a great place to start brainstorming for the next year.  Will you write more? Less? Have your pricing strategies worked out the way you wanted them to? Are you reaching your target audience? Are you still having fun?

I know some of you are doing this type of stuff already.  I’ve gotten some general target dates to expect manuscripts from some of my regular clients (thank you, by the way!) in 2013.  This helps them keep themselves accountable to someone and, frankly, it helps me to plan my year.  I’d hate to plan a vacation for the very week one of my clients absolutely, positively has to have their manuscript back!!  And I noticed a general uptick in inquiries and editing requests for November in preparation for December sales (have to fill that Kindle or Nook with something, so it might as well be YOUR newest release, right?), so I’ve had to disappoint some people when I got booked so quickly for November and December.

But a little planning can go a long way.  Remember—the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time!