Yesterday, I decided to take a hard look at my self-publishing business so that I could start off fresh in 2017. Of course, I knew the mistakes I’d made, but there were some bright spots too.
My top 3 self-publishing mistakes: all my own work
Last October we had some changes in my day job. The changes meant that I had to work longer hours, and I got overwhelmed. It was like being in a boat which was sinking: I had to toss stuff overboard to stay afloat. Unfortunately, my self-publishing plans got tossed.
So, my mistakes…
1. Failing to create a writing schedule and sticking with it
Usually I do my writing as soon as I get up in the morning. I decided that it made more sense to get to work earlier, so the writing didn’t get done.
Although I kept telling myself to create a new schedule for writing, I didn’t. I procrastinated. And then procrastinated some more.
After that I gave up, because I had “no time.”
2. Giving up when I had “no time” instead of revisiting my plans
Looking back, I took the easy route. I kept telling myself that I was too busy, and had no time to write. I didn’t revisit my self-publishing plans for 2016 at all.
In the final quarter of 2016, I wrote on weekends, just a few hours.
3. Giving up on a novel when I lost the inspiration for it
Without a writing schedule, I lost my original inspiration for the novel on which I was working. I lost interest in the characters, and the plot seemed thin. By the time December arrived, I’d stopped working on it completely.
I know better, of course. I should have kept working on the novel, and worked through the wall I’d hit. Instead, I let it go, because it was easier to do that.
Hello 2017: a new self-publishing plan, a new writing schedule and a new novel series
Yesterday I created a brand new self-publishing plan for this year. I’m a morning writer, so I’ve decided to get up an hour earlier, and write before leaving home as I used to do.
After following the tips in my brand new Passion Planner, I’ve created a Passion Plan, and a new schedule — I’m enthusiastic, and relieved.
What about my unfinished novel? No doubt I’ll revisit it at some stage in 2017, but I’m excited about a new series, and I’ll be focusing on that in 2017.
Now you… Have you made any new year’s resolutions for your writing and publishing in 2017? Share your thoughts in the comments, I’d love to hear them :-).
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