In order to get a jump start on my summer writing, I need to make myself a to do list. This list may help others get motivated, so I am sharing it!
1. First thing's first, whip out your planner or google calendar and mark down those writing days! If you have a J-O-B or career, or a family to take care of, you know your time is precious. Schedule time for writing. Maybe a few minutes or hours a day, or a couple days a week, whatever time you have, set it aside for writing.
2. Set up deadlines. Give yourself deadlines if you don't have someone pushing you forward, be your own motivator. Start at the end goal. I want to be published by X-date. Then work backwards from there. "I need to have this edited by such-and-such date, polished and ready to go. That means I need to be in final writing stage by this date, and writing these dates, and beginning to write... now!"
3. Begin marketing. Yeah, I know, your book isn't even written yet, but the best promoters start ASAP. Plus, it makes you stick to that deadline and makes it real. Set up a reveal date for your cover, and a pre-order date, if you can. Research your options for publishing; Createspace, Smashwords, Amazon, etc.
4. Write and Edit. Edit as you go, or write, then get a copy editor, then re-write, then have a beta reader read it or throw it (or chunks of it if it is too long) up on Critique Circle, then re-write, and then edit some more. Send it off to an editor, or get a good editor friend to give it fresh eyes.
5. Design that cover. While you wait for a beta reader or editor to get back with you, design that cover. Have a service design it, a friend, someone on Fiverr, or design it yourself.
6. Polish it one last time. Make sure you make those last edits, polish your cover or get the cover image in the correct format, and put it all together.
7. Publish! Put it out there for all the world to see. :)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
1. First thing's first, whip out your planner or google calendar and mark down those writing days! If you have a J-O-B or career, or a family to take care of, you know your time is precious. Schedule time for writing. Maybe a few minutes or hours a day, or a couple days a week, whatever time you have, set it aside for writing.
2. Set up deadlines. Give yourself deadlines if you don't have someone pushing you forward, be your own motivator. Start at the end goal. I want to be published by X-date. Then work backwards from there. "I need to have this edited by such-and-such date, polished and ready to go. That means I need to be in final writing stage by this date, and writing these dates, and beginning to write... now!"
3. Begin marketing. Yeah, I know, your book isn't even written yet, but the best promoters start ASAP. Plus, it makes you stick to that deadline and makes it real. Set up a reveal date for your cover, and a pre-order date, if you can. Research your options for publishing; Createspace, Smashwords, Amazon, etc.
4. Write and Edit. Edit as you go, or write, then get a copy editor, then re-write, then have a beta reader read it or throw it (or chunks of it if it is too long) up on Critique Circle, then re-write, and then edit some more. Send it off to an editor, or get a good editor friend to give it fresh eyes.
5. Design that cover. While you wait for a beta reader or editor to get back with you, design that cover. Have a service design it, a friend, someone on Fiverr, or design it yourself.
6. Polish it one last time. Make sure you make those last edits, polish your cover or get the cover image in the correct format, and put it all together.
7. Publish! Put it out there for all the world to see. :)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
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