Welcome to the final Insecure Writer's Support Group post of 2016! Today's co-hosts include Jennifer Hawes, Jen Chandler, Nick Wilford, Juneta Key, JH Moncrieff, Diane Burton, and MJ Fifield.This month, we've been given the question: In terms of your writing career, where do you see yourself five years from now, and what's your plan to get there?
I have two goals in mind for the next five years:
1. Publish at least two works a year, even if they're not full-length novels (though I ought to be able to manage at least one novel a year). For example, in 2017 I plan to publish Young Seasons, a short story collection about the Season Avatars, and Summon the Seasons, the final book in the Season Avatars series. I plan to write the first book (tentatively titled Dryads to Discover) in a new urban fantasy series next year, but it might not be ready until 2018. There will be at least two other books in the urban fantasy series, plus I want to develop a spin-off series called Selathen Avatars that takes place after Summon the Seasons. At some point, I'd like to return to the Catalyst Chronicles series (I'm struggling with a short story called "The Unnumbered World," which is told from a minor character's POV. Since Julia is half-Navajo, writing from her perspective is a challenge.) I'm sure there will be even more ideas down the line--the trick is keeping up with them all and giving myself sufficient lead time from first draft to publication.
2. Grow my mailing list to at least 1,000 subscribers. Thanks to a highly promoted giveaway on Instafreebie, over 300 people signed on to my mailing list in exchange for a free copy of Scattered Seasons. I intend to keep the giveaway running for a while; perhaps as my backlist expands, I'll be able to switch out the books I offer for free. The key will be keeping my current subscribers even as I add others.
If you're an author, do you have a five-year plan? Feel free to describe it in the comments.
9 comments:
Two stories a year is a perfect goal for you.
Thanks, Alex!
Mail Chimp wouldn't play nice with my feed. I guess I should try it again.
Congrats on growing your list! That's a fantastic reception.
The mailing list will be a challenge. I hope you post your methods and successes. I need to learn a few more tricks. :-)
Anna from elements of emaginette
Wow 300 is better than my mailing list.
Thanks, Maria and Pat!
Emaginette, I joined with other authors in my genre to promote the Instafreebie campaign. A few people are still finding it every day. I need to add the link to this blog, my website, and the back matter of all my eBooks.
Great plan and congrats with the success of the giveaways.
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
You are the 2nd person I know who've used a free book to get more newsletter subscribers. That sounds great. Good luck with your goals.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your family.
Two books per year sounds about right to me. My top priority for 2016 is the same.
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