It’s the beginning of the year. A big year. By the end of 2015, I’ll have two books out. Oh. My. God. Where do I start?
The standard tasks at the day job in January include planning the year. We have day long meetings with lunch included planning the year. What do we want to accomplish? What are the deliverables? Work Plan? Blah blah blah. I love it when they include lunch.
I don’t make resolutions. I suck at resolutions. It takes me 10 minutes to break them. Seriously. Give up sugar lasted about five minutes past the first really stressful day back at work. Reduce caffeine intake? I’ve got two books to write this year. That isn’t happening. Exercise more…. Hello? Two books?
I set goals. Some work. Some don’t. I’ve been losing baby weight for 22 years. Clearly not a high priority goal, though it should be.
Business goals I’m better at. I love deadlines. Yes, I am that sick person. Deadlines make me get off my ass and work. Deadlines give me the excuse to work instead of social engagements. Sad but true. Ask my husband.
Contractual deadlines are the best. Why? Put a deadline in writing. Mark it on the calendar and assign serious consequences to it and you’ve got the makings of real motivation to get things done.
The great thing about deadlines is you have to have a plan to meet them. I LOVE planning. I’ve been planning all my life. I love bright shiny new planners, calendar programs, and to-do lists. So far this year, I’ve managed to create five different lists on three different pads of paper. I keep leaving the ones I need somewhere. (Estrogen is the memory hormone and I lack it.)
So here’s my goals for 2015
- Finish the second and third book in the Fairy Wish series (contracts… love them). Deliverable: two completed manuscripts.
- Figure out what I’m doing next. Nebulous I know, but it will come. I need a project to look forward to while I finish up the current one. Deliverable: plan for next series, decision on contemporary series.
- Marketing plan. How am I going to get people to take a chance on my books? No one has heard of Eileen Richards. Frankly, this one scares me a little. Deliverable: solid plan for book releases, swag, etc, and execution dates.
- Lose weight. There’s this really cute dress in my closet that will fit if I lose 10 lbs. I want to wear it to Nationals in July. Deliverable: A selfie with some fave author. I’ll find you in the bar…
Each of these goals has a specific deliverable. I think that’s the key. It’s not just setting the goal, it’s proving that you’ve finished it. It allows you to define specific steps to make those goals a reality.
So what goals have you set this year? Did you set writing goals? How are you holding yourself accountable? What do you plan to deliver? Looking forward to your comments.
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