My writing plan for 2022 is shifting. And I am still working out how.
In 2020, I’d determined it was time to start writing and publishing more. Thus, I published 3 books that year.
For 2021, I got super ambitious. I was going to publish 6 novels total. All four that made up the first story arc for Forgotten Fodder and 2 more Void Incursion novels. I succeeded.
At the end of 2021, I was looking to publish 4 more novels in 2022. Ambitious, still – but less than the previous year. I plotted and planned 10 more books to that end. Additionally, I would complete a third round of edits on Harbinger – the 3rd novel in my Source Chronicles series.
One of the 10 books I planned was the last Void Incursion novel – Check and Mate. Together with Harbinger, that made 2 of 4 relatively easy.
And there’s the rub. Relatively easy. A month into 2022, I am uncertain that my writing plan will hold up against contact with the enemy.
What has changed?
Certain elements of my time are what they have always been. Every morning I get up, read, exercise, post the day’s blog article. Usually, that’s followed by writing tomorrow’s article.
Except when it’s not.
When it comes to money, I tend to develop mental blocks. Overall, I am utterly convinced my relationship issues with money are wholly psychological. In fact, to that end, I am currently reading The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel.
One way that can help unblock money flowing to me – particularly when my primary source is uncertain – is to get a more certain source.
At the end of 2021, I took on an incredible part-time job. It is perfect for me in multiple ways. And work-from-home. What is it? I’m working for an incredible entrepreneur as her executive/personal assistant. This makes use of lots of my abilities.
Additionally, I gained another freelance gig. It began with doing some very specific content writing. That evolved into more – and now it’s a regular part-time job, too.
Thus – dependable, certain money is now flowing to me.
But there is a price to be paid. It’s eating into my time.
The writing plan meets my life
What this truly boils down to is my ability to perform time management.
In theory, I should be able to assign a schedule for myself to work with. Make the time I need for both jobs, plus writing, exercise, self-care like meditation, and so on.
Great theory. More challenging in practice.
Neither of my jobs works from a particular set schedule.
What does that mean? It means that work occurs in fits and spurts. Some is very specific as to when it needs to be done. But some is more on-the-spot and immediate.
Both jobs require me to shift gears and change focus for more pressing projects from time to time. So – while I can schedule some elements – others are a bit more challenging.
Please note – I am NOT complaining here. I am deeply grateful for both these gigs. I’m happy to have them and love the people I work with and for. Both are perfect for me in multiple ways. And I am super grateful for it all.
When it comes to time management – for my personal life and time – it’s always been a challenge for me. What’s more – since I am working from home and utterly responsible for what does and doesn’t get done – everything is on me to get balanced.
Again – this is super awesome and really ideal. Even though it’s cutting into my writing plan and causing me to alter it – that’s not a bad thing.
This is a chance to refocus.
What needs to be rethought?
I took a new approach to writing and editing last year. Additionally, I did a bunch of different things to enhance my marketing.
One of the reasons I was so ambitious in my productivity last year was because I desired to have a larger sci-fi and fantasy catalog. When you visit my Amazon author’s page – there’s a lot there, now. More material means more potential sales, right?
It’s never that cut and dried. I believe that my quality is not lessened by the quantity of my work. But all four of the Forgotten Fodder novels are relatively short, hovering around 50,000 words each.
I’ve used Google, Facebook, and Amazon for advertising. Requesting word-of-mouth promotions from friends only goes so far. What haven’t I thought about that might expand my market?
Conventions.
Granted, the past 2 years have made conventions a no-go thanks to COVID. Yet, optimist that I am, I think it’s beginning to look like we might be nearing the end of the pandemic shutting the world down intermittently. Cons are starting to happen in person again.
To that end – as I wrote previously, I will be attending Farpoint at the end of February. At the con, I will be signing and selling physical copies of my books, as well as participating in several discussion panels.
This is an opportunity to gain a new audience. Farpoint is close enough to home that it is likely to become an event I regularly attend.
The question is – what other cons are out there that are appropriate for me and my work that I should consider attending?
While this is exciting – it doesn’t address the main issue.
What about my writing plan for 2022?
Here’s the reality. It is February. And I am not done yet with Check and Mate.
I’d hoped to have it done at the end of December 2021 – but that’s come and gone. Progress has not been as steady as desired – and that’s wholly on me and my personal time management.
Once I complete the fifth Void Incursion novel – the plan had been to start the first Savagespace novel. This new series is exciting – but I don’t want to rush to get it written and put it out there. Inspired by some of the books I’ve been reading, I intend to make some changes to the plan for the books – so that there is a bit more suspense, more show than tell, and greater reader engagement.
Also – I’d like to do a bunch of pre-sales promotions. Try to build hype. To that end – the artist I plan to use for the covers might also get employed to do some other art to promote the series and build it up.
To get that ball rolling – I need to finish the first book. At the rate I am currently going, I believe the earliest I might be able to do that is the end of April. But only if I can finish Check and Mate in February – which requires me to manage my personal time better so that daily writing occurs.
That’s the key. Getting my schedule better time-managed and back under my control. My writing plan is not the only thing that’s fallen off. I’ve not been meditating or journaling daily – and miss it. I’ve tried to get them restarted – but am having issues making them habitual.
Always room for a new plan
How do I fix this? Like my morning routine – which has become a habit – I need to start small and connect these. Connecting journaling to meditation and writing – based on recent reading – is a great way to build some new desired habitual behaviors.
Will I still get 4 books out in 2022? No. Not without sacrificing quality or marketing. Can I do 3? That’s the new goal. Only time will tell if I can make this happen.
But the best time to start is now. Thus, that’s where I’m going from here.
Stay tuned.
Thank you for being part of my ongoing journey, for joining me, and for inspiring me and my craft.
And thank you for reading and following along.
This is the one-hundred and forty-seventh article exploring the ongoing creative process. Please take a moment to check out the collection of my published works, which can be found here.
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