This is my Insecure Writers Support Group post for January 2025.
Alex's awesome co-hosts this month are:
Please stop by their blogs and say thank you.
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I decided to skip the question of the month and give an update on my progress.
I've done a dismal job of keeping up with my author planner. It's a good planner; I just need to make using it a habit. Resolution #1 for 2025 is sit down at least once per month and make goal progress notes.
From my 5-year Plan
I only accomplished one goal from this list in 2024 - change my work hours from full time to part time - but I set myself up to meet another.
I've master-planned a new 16-book series. Whether I'll meet the goal of publishing 4+ books per year remains to be seen, but the groundwork has been laid, and all the books are set in and around the same fictional town (which will reduce the amount of research tremendously). At minimum, I should be able to publish at least two per year.
2024 Goals
Publish book 4 of the Forging America series - done!
Read one craft or non-fiction research book per month - I failed at this, though I did a lot of online research, which didn't get calculated. Regardless, I anticipate doing better at meeting this goal in 2025.
Reevaluate blogging commitments and develop a regular social media & newsletter schedule by March - I've managed to keep up with my blogging, though I'm still debating on which social media activities I'll continue in the future.
My author newsletter plan still needs refining. I did send out more of them in the last half of 2024, but they were mostly free promos that weren't genre specific. What's at the root of the newsletter issue is that I'm not publishing very often. The more books I release, the more I'll have to talk to my subscribers about. Simple as that.
Plot new western series and write the first book - I've only written three chapters of the first book, but I have come up with basic plots for all 16 books, as well as names and descriptions for all the MCs and major supporting characters.
One of the strategies I listed for accomplishing my goals was: Find ways to streamline my processes. Work smarter, not harder. I have definitely done that. Pre-scheduling blog posts quarterly has helped. So has master-planning my series. It's more work initially, but it saves time in the long run.
How was 2024 for you?
Did you accomplish your goals?
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IWSG is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. It's a monthly bloghop that offers a safe haven for writers to express their feelings and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. It's also a venue for offering support, both in the form of comments and positive posts. Writers of all kinds are welcome.
We 'meet' the first Wednesday of every month. If you're interested in learning more, click on the link above. And don't be intimidated by the size of the group. We're not expected to visit everyone on the list.
You accomplished a huge goal in 2024 by switching to working part-time. Publishing four books a year sounds like a lot. I think you should feel good if you get two published a year. And I think it's okay to send out your newsletter less frequently. They get to be overwhelming if there's too many of them. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteSixteen book series - that's ambitious. Even two a year would be great and keep you active for eight more years.
ReplyDeleteIf you are working part time now, that should give you the time you need to get all of those books written. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteWOW! A 16 book series...already planned out. That's impressive. You did a lot in 2024, 2025 should be fantastic.
ReplyDeleteWow! A sixteen-book series already planned out? I am so impressed! That's incredible!
ReplyDeleteNice job with your 2024 goals. Wishing you luck in the year ahead!
Thanks for all the well wishes. Most of the plots are still in the one- to two-paragraph stage, not anywhere near being fleshed out into full synopses. I still have a lot of work to do. ;)
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