News

26
Dec

My 2013 Business Plan

You all may have noticed by now that I love lists. To-do lists, long-term goals, keeping track of books I read and plays I saw and word counts. So when I read Marissa Meyer’s fantastic post about creating a 2013 Business Plan, I knew I had to do it ASAP. Here’s mine, along with some bonus personal goals:

2013 BUSINESS PLAN

* celebrate & promote BORN WICKED paperback release (Jan 3)

* draft & revise (…and revise & revise) CAHILL BOOK 3

* celebrate and promote STAR CURSED (June 18)

* submit proposal for potential option book

* hopefully – draft most of option book

* start a monthly newsletter to highlight author news + my favorite reads

* post to blog at least twice weekly, plus monthly to Corsets & Clockwork group blog

* read 100 books

* do at least 2 writing retreats

* be a resource for 2013 & 2014 upcoming debuts – for questions, support, and celebration

* be a more thoughtful and timely critique partner 

To break that down a bit, as Marissa did, this means:

JANUARY

* 2 local BORN WICKED paperback signings

* BW contest + twitter chat (more on this soon!)

* continue drafting CB3

* read 8 books!

FEBRUARY

* Breathless Reads East Coast tour for BW paperback

* finish draft of CB3

* read 8 books

MARCH

* work on partial and/or take break, depending on how long Editor Ari takes to get me notes (she is typically wicked fast)

* start revising CB3

* launch newsletter

* NYC Teen Author Festival 

* attend Humana Festival in Louisville with The Playwright

* read 8 books

PERSONAL GOALS

* lose another 25 lbs (lost 15 this fall) to achieve healthy BMI

* continue with ASL classes

* mentor young writers through Writopia workshops

* start yoga practice again

* practice calligraphy

* host monthly girls’ nights and/or game nights 

* treat self to monthly massage

I also like to choose a word for the year as a sort of touchstone. I’ve already selected one, and I’ll write more about that on New Year’s Eve!

What about you? Do you have 2013 goals or a business plan? I’d love to hear about them!

20 Responses

  1. I haven't finalised my goals but I want to read 100 books (I didn't get to this year and that was my goal), continue to blog and most importantly, fall in love with blogging again. Don't get me wrong, I still love blogging but I remember when I first started. I might not have been consistent but it was so new and exciting and I wan't to gain that FIRE back if I can and I think to do it has to work for me, which isn't always easy, but I hope in 2013 I find balance. I also want to do and try new things and continue to eat healthy/lose weight. Good luck to you and if you want any help promoting the Born Wicked paperback release and Star Cursed, I'd be happy to help. Bring on the twitter chat and new book! Can't wait to hear more 😀

    1. 100 books is my goal too! I totally failed at it this year (i'm only at 77 right now, alas). We can do it in 2013!

      "Balance" is my word for 2013. I also want to make sure writing feels FUN most of the time and not like work, even though it's now both! Sounds like we have a lot of common goals!

      I would love help promoting SC. As it gets closer, let's chat!

  2. Loie

    I LOVE these kinds of posts as well. First read it o Marissa Meyer's blog site. Will be giving it some thought in these next few days : ) loved the personal goals, very important.

  3. I didn't know you were taking ASL classes– that's so cool! I've had a longtime interest in sign language since I was a little girl, and I've always thought it would be so interesting to become a translator. Looks like you've got a very exciting year up ahead 🙂

    1. Thanks, Jess! Steve & I are just starting ASL – like, we've had one lesson – a tutor is coming to our house every other week. She's great though. We've both been interested in learning since we moved into our house, bc it's just a few blocks from Galludet, and we'd love to be able to communicate with Deaf neighbors.

  4. These are great goals and congrats on the weight loss! I am going to run a half marathon in March, so my personal goal pretty much just involves running until my legs fall off, 🙂 I think I'm going to go with a reading goal of 200 again this year, since I was able to meet that this year. I can't wait to read all of the fabulous books coming out in 2013, including STAR CURSED!! 🙂

    1. jessica_shea

      Yay for a half marathon! My husband’s been doing Couch to 5k & I’m thinking about trying it in the spring, with the goal of running a 5k together next fall! And double yay for reading another 200 books – I love that you make time for it!

  5. I read Marissa's post last week and it was like a lightbulb: "I HAVE TO DO THIS!" And then I promptly forgot about it. Thanks for reminding me with your own post!! Generally this is my plan:

      1. hannahkarenasworld

        I did! I don't know why it didn't show up though…Hmm. I ended up posting it on my blog. Here it is:

        Keep track of my weekly writing schedule, in the form of Excel spreadsheets, so I can understand when, where, and how I write the best.
        Hold myself accountable to a regular writing regiment.
        Blog regularly, twice a week.
        Restart So, You Want to Work in Publishing guest blog series.
        Launch and promote Byberry State Hospital.
        Finish first draft of WIP #3.
        Using critique partner suggestions, do major rewrite/revision/overhaul of WIP #1.
        Query agents with reworked and more awesome version of WIP #1.
        Review and begin revisions on WIP #3.
        Read 60 books, focusing upon historical fiction and YA titles. At least 6 must be writing craft books, to learn more about writing. Start with Hooked by Les Edgerton and Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott.

      1. froze8

        I tend to just keep adding and adding to them. I actually need to take the time to go over the things I did do in order to feel like I accomplished something. Haha.

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