♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦
Topic #240
Do you set business goals as a writer?
What are they for the 4th quarter, and have you started planning 2021?
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Business goals are part of any writing career, whether a writer thinks of it that way or not. The creation of writing is a business goal in itself. You may not make a lot of money from the work that you produce, but publishing, even if for free, is business. It’s providing a product to the public.
Writers often do not like to think of their art in this manner. It spoils the creative art of the endeavor. Once I started focusing on business plans more, I felt the creativity slip away a bit. It’s been like that since. So much concentration has to go into planning, and it often leads to small outcomes that don’t bolster one’s enthusiasm for bothering to create a product at all.
At the end of the day, as I’ve mentioned in other blogs, I write when the feeling hits me. Thus, the process goes from there. Planning out the publication doesn’t take up too much of my concentration when I’m focused on writing the book or script–not directly anyway. Paying attention to creating a solid narrative one may argue is a business plan for the eventual publication. Yes, I write what I want to, but telling it in a compelling way is part of my process. That compelling element is great for business.
Planning out my business goals arrange around the release of a new work. If I have started one, I try to just plan to write the story. Once the writing is done, the revisions begin, and then I seek out an editor. Post editing, the design and proofing takes place. Then, I hit up my cover designer and start thinking about the release plan.
I just happen to be in the midst of this, so that is good for anyone wondering about the process.
Right now, The Trailokya Trilogy third book is in cover design. While I wait for that to be completed, the next steps are choosing sales and promotions. The production of graphics and choosing book promoters will now be the large portion of the work. My plan for quarter 4 is to start designing those graphics and researching promoters.
Of course, I am constantly looking for new and interesting ways to reach out. There are apps for photo processing, video making, and social media. Keeping up with technology is a must. Unfortunately, you constantly have to up your game and switch how you engage readers, because once you do something, others will try to do the same, and you no longer are unique enough to stand out.
That’s a harsh reality of any business. Do you pay any attention to the average commercial, unless you happen to be in the market for their services? Nope. I bet you don’t. Commercials are just noise. Somehow, however, a few businesses get great writers and marketing plans that really click. Whether you need their product/service or not, you remember them and want to engage more. For instance, GEICO. A lot of consumers switched their insurance to them. Then Progressive, too.
Insurance isn’t books. But what grabs the attention of an audience is pretty much universal. Learning that is key to marketing. Until you find something that connects with them, it won’t matter what outlets or apps you use to reach. You’ll just be a noisy commercial that gets tuned out. Planning for the year usually includes some study of this art of marketing, too.
As you can see, my fourth quarter is pretty well-packed! I write on my blog twice a week, interact online, and produce the other aspects of the marketing plan for a new release. Hopefully it will be more successful each time, as I learn more about how to connect with readers.
Let’s hop on over to see what the other authors have planned for the fourth quarter. Click on their links below…
You mentioned writing when the feeling hits you. My problem is the feeling is there every day, all day, and I have to shut it down!
LOL Try not to shut it down. I did that and it stopped coming less than I actually wanted. ya can’t win!
Yes, I can either do one or the other. If I write, I can’t market, the muse deserts me when reality kicks in. If I market, I can’t concentrate on my writing. At the moment, I choose to write.
It’s a terrible balancing act.