World of Words# 15: "The Writer's Game Plan" - Pt. I

Hello fellow writers,

So, you are a writer. You know it and the world either knows it or they will shortly. You just finished your book, it’s great and ready for publication, but what’s next? What are you plans as a writer? Short-term? Long-term? Have you thought about it? If not, then you should, because once that ball it rolling, it will roll fast and that’s exactly how u want it and you don’t want it to ever stop rolling. Over the next couple of posts, we’ll discuss our “The Writer’s Game Plan”.

This isn’t a post about “what’s next” in terms of marketing, publicity, book sales, etc. That’s a conversation for another post. This particular post is about how we move on from one project to the next one. So, what I am trying to say? Simple. Always think ahead. Even as you are working on your current project, have the idea for your next project or projects floating around in your head. Maybe even begin outlining them. Sure, it can be tough to do this especially if you aren’t a full-time writer and you are currently juggling a 9 to 5, family, etc etc. It can be hard enough to focus on one project, let alone multiple projects.

I’m speaking from experience when I say that one of the worst momentum killers for a writer is to finish a project and then find yourself wondering “Ok, what’s next? What do I write now?” and while you are contemplating these questions, time is flying by and your readers are waiting for your next book. While you may encounter this problem anyway, it’s better to encounter it if you have at least the beginning of a new project (or projects) in place. With ideas already brewing, you can at least have an idea of which project you want to work on next.

As a writer, once you etch your name in the hearts of your hungry readers, it’s your job to keep feeding them. Don’t leave them starving or they could go elsewhere for their meal and forget all about you. Now, I’m not saying you should sacrifice quality for the sake of quantity by churning out subpar books in an attempt to stay relevant. But, what I am saying is that planning ahead and pushing yourself to maintain a consistent output is what will help you establish and sustain a long, productive career as a writer. You probably have a ton of ideas flowing around in your head. Set them free. Allow them to flow and grow. You don’t have to try and tackle them all at once, but don’t make them wait in a neat, orderly line until you are completely finished with the current idea either. It’s a balancing act for sure, but definitely a necessary one. Quality. Consistency. Longevity. Planning. Focusing on craft. Allowing ideas to flourish. These are all points of emphasis. More to come on “The Writer’s Gameplan” in future posts.

Until then, keep writing!