Words are your legacy—craft them with care and leave your mark on the world!
A good question to ask when setting any goal is, “Then what happens?” Let’s say you write that first novel you’ve been steadily working on for six months. Then what happens? Usually at this point you need to start involving other people in your objectives. We tend to ignore these kinds of scenarios where success or failure is more and more out of our hands, but this is precisely the reason we need to start thinking about these objectives early and often.. They are the hardest targets to hit.
Strategy:
This exercise is designed to help writers begin considering the business and marketing aspects of their writing career, which are crucial for transitioning from a manuscript to a published work. By encouraging writers to think strategically about each stage of the publishing process, this exercise aims to foster a proactive approach that aligns their literary ambitions with practical steps toward achieving them.
Instructions:
Writing Goals: Write down your current main writing objective. This could be completing a draft, revising a manuscript, or starting a new project. Reflect on why this goal is important to you and how it fits into your larger writing aspirations.
Manuscript Feedback: List the types of feedback you believe would benefit your current writing project. Consider whether you need input on story structure, character development, pacing, or grammar. Decide which type of feedback partners or professionals (beta readers, critique partners, editors) would be most useful.
Publishing Path: Determine your preferred publishing route: traditional, self-publishing, or serialization. Note down the initial steps required for this path, such as querying agents, understanding self-publishing platforms, or exploring serialization websites. Do you need to research this topic further?
Author Platform: Brainstorm ideas for building your author platform. Think about the tools and media you would use, like a professional website, social media profiles, or a blog. Write a brief plan on how you could consistently engage with your audience through these channels.
Marketing Strategy: Identify your target audience and draft a basic strategy to connect with them. Consider what attracts this audience and how you can reach them, whether through social media advertising, engaging content, or community involvement.
Sales and Revenue Goals: Set realistic sales and revenue goals for your project. These can vary from financial targets to reach goals such as increasing your readership or enhancing your brand presence. Reflect on how these goals influence your choices in publishing and marketing.
Tags: publishing, marketing, author platform, sales, career development
Category: Manage Projects > Define Your Objectives
Example:
Writing Goals: My current objective is to finish the first draft of my science fiction novel by the end of this year. It's important because completing this draft will mark my transition from short stories to a full-length novel.
Manuscript Feedback: I need feedback on my story's pacing and scientific accuracy. A developmental editor and beta readers familiar with science fiction would be ideal.
Publishing Path: I prefer traditional publishing. My first steps are to research agents who specialize in science fiction and prepare a query letter and synopsis.
Author Platform: I plan to build a professional website and establish profiles on Twitter and Instagram. I'll share updates about my writing process and snippets from my stories to engage with potential readers.
Marketing Strategy: My target audience includes young adults who enjoy hard science fiction. I will connect with them by participating in science fiction forums, using targeted ads on social media, and attending sci-fi conventions.
Sales and Revenue Goals: Initially, my goal is to build my readership rather than focus on profit. I aim to sell 500 copies in the first year after publication, using my presence at conventions and online engagement to boost visibility.