So today I’m realizing it’s October and the winds are in the air for fall. This also means I need to get my butt in gear and I’m slightly late (like a month) of usually when I start scheduling my 2020 lineup.
In 2019 I had 19 releases. Let my repeat that crazy number. I wrote 19 books. WOW! I can’t keep that as a goal. With boxed sets I had 25 releases. I knew I had a lot of writing on my plate. I knew it was going to be crazy as it was the year 3 of my initial 5 year plan and this was the year of work. I definitely met that goal. WOW.
SO in 2020 my goal instead is 14 new releases but amp up 4 books with bigger marketing goal and more money on new releases being spent.
But being an author is a lot of work. If you are just starting out I do suggest sitting down and being honest with yourself on your goals. What do you want in 5 years your author life to be like. Then break that down into 5 year goals to get to that first ultimate goal.
Then every year you now have a goal and an attainable goal. Then also keep in mind your daily schedule and remember everyday you need to live your life, write, edit, plan your launches, plan your goals with your newsletter, send newsletter, do hygiene and pay attention to what’s working and what’s not working to make adjustments. Then there is social media, Facebook Page, Facebook Group, Twitter, YouTube, GoodRead (not that i do much there), Instagram, bookbub, your website is updated, your paid advertising, your contests/giveaways and any collaborations you’re doing with other authors. Anyhow this might seem like a lot but you break it down into yearly, quarterly, monthly, weekly and then daily things to do and then the big crazy ideas become attainable as they start fitting into a livable schedule. I’ll talk more about this if anyone cares but in running a business, all of this is important and I hope any author or those curious about author life find the post interesting.
Also I have a small top ten writing tip thing I did that you’re welcome to download: http://h32.d1a.myftpupload.com/victoria-pinders-writing-tips
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you break down yearly writing goals into a manageable daily schedule?
Start with a 5-year vision for your author career, then break it into yearly, quarterly, monthly, weekly, and daily tasks. Each day should include writing, editing, launch planning, newsletter management, social media, paid advertising, and reviewing what’s working. Breaking large goals into smaller scheduled tasks makes even ambitious publishing plans feel achievable and livable.
What should a new author consider when planning their publishing goals?
New authors should sit down honestly and define what they want their author life to look like in 5 years, then reverse-engineer that into yearly goals. Beyond writing, they must account for newsletters, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and BookBub, paid advertising, website updates, and collaborations with other authors — all of which take consistent time.
Is it better to release more books or focus marketing budget on fewer releases?
After releasing 19 books in a single year, one experienced author shifted strategy for the following year: targeting 14 new releases while concentrating a larger marketing budget on 4 key titles. This approach prioritizes quality promotion over sheer volume, suggesting that amplifying fewer releases with stronger marketing investment can be a smarter long-term growth strategy.
