Money
This week I have adapted my plan, as it was just not going to work. Briefly, my long-term plan is to make money from my books, and as the money increases I'll work less at the day job, hopefully increasing my writing output and thereby getting to a day when I might finally be able to call myself a full-time writer. And why not? After all, I have about 15 more books to write, which should take me - roughly - a life-time! |
| Doverlord? One word or two? |
Plan
I had been planning to write and publish 5 short stories based on my police experiences under the title The Rozzers. The first is out there (see here), the second is close to publication and the other 3 are planned out. The idea being that this would teach me all I needed to know about epublishing, marketing etc, leading me on to my first full-length stand-alone novel Filthy. Then, and only then, onto my baby - my big series The Dream Makers.Cover
However, I was holding back from the finishing touches to my second short story. Why, when it is so close to being published? The truth is, I couldn't face having to go to the trouble of creating yet another ebook cover. I was also concerned that there would be no continuity with the second book cover as the original program I used for book one was bought up by Google and changed slightly. I realised that I needed a book designer.Adapt
I have had my eye on a book designer for a while, since I like her work and she is UK based. But then I couldn't really justify the cost of an ebook cover for a .99c short story which is not main-stream and is unlikely to sell much. And the amount of investment needed (5 professional covers) was not a financial gamble I was willing to take for such a series. And it was then that I realised my plan needed adapting.I need to be selling books - at least enough to cover the cost of the covers, or to seriously reduce the impact of such a financial commitment. Sure, the new covers might help me to sell more copies but that is unlikely, as the book is all but invisible. Obviously I can't quit on this series now either; it needs to be published sooner or later. Also, the follow-up stand-alone novel is unlikely to be a big game changer.
New cover
So what I have decided to do is upgrade my first book with the new cover, have book 2 ready for publication and to publish it when its cover is ready, then put The Rozzers series on hold for a while. The third professional cover won't go to Filthy, but instead will be used for book one of a new series that's burning in my head. I have to write it out or I might go insane, and it has the potential to be a decent series. This is Doverlord.As soon as I thought about it I knew it was my way forward. Let's get Doverlord 1 and 2 out there, then go back to book 3 of The Rozzers, then another Doverlord. Then add a bit of Filthy, and then reassess...
Doverlord, you came along at just the right time for me.
How about you? Happy with your long-term plan, or do you need to adapt it slightly?
It did burn my hair off - Dover Lord clocked up 10,000 words in just 7 days! Never happened before!!
ReplyDeleteI was very unhappy with last year's output (and the year before), and so I implemented and executed a writing plan. January's plan (to write 50,000 words of short fiction across several short stories) was a rousing success. Now, I edit, in preparation for doing it all again in May/June. May is for outlining, and June is for writing. I out-produced my entire last year's output in a single month. If I can do it again, I'll triple that output.
ReplyDeleteI'm happier, the Hubby is happier, and maybe I can actually start selling stories to major markets instead of minor ones, the more I practice and the better I get.
A concrete plan is far better than a vague one. That being said, you have to be flexible enough to adapt that plan if it's not working. I do better, apparently, with more structure, but not everyone does.
That sounds like it is working for you, so keep it up! Productivity is the key to our success as authors. Well done!
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