Write An Author Career Plan

Every career calls for a plan. If you want to be an author, you too need a Career Plan.

Create an Author Career Plan in 9 Steps

1. Decide what kind of books you want to write.

Don't pick a genre because it's "hot." Choose one that you love.

2. What about your books will brand them, or make them uniquely yours?

Give a lot of thought to this because you'll need to be able to talk about your books clearly and enthusiastically. Also, authors who are most successful usually achieve success because they're writing books they love.

3. Calculate how long it will take you to write a good book.

You can't know this until you have written one. Have you done that? If not, set this aside and write a book—any book. You'll never know what you can do until you've done it. You must produce a finished draft from beginning to end. That's the first leg of the journey to produce a book.

The second part of that journey is turning it into something publishable. Depending on how rough the draft is, add days, weeks, or months to your time. That's how long a good book will take.

4. List everything you want in a writing career.

What is it? Money? Fame? Recognition? Awards? Also list what you want to do in the future.

Do you want to write in other genres? Do you want to travel to see settings first hand? What are your hopes and dreams for your career?

5. Decide what you're willing to give up to achieve your career as an author.

Nothing worthwhile in life is ever achieved without blood, sweat, and tears. You may not shed blood unless you get a paper cut, but, trust me, you will work hard enough to sweat, and you will shed tears because it's a tough business.

If you have a day job, you'll have to carve out time before or after that job to write. The same is true if you're a full-time mom. When will you write?

6. What skills do you bring to your career?

Will you be able to transition some of your day job skills into your writing career?

7. What do you need to learn to begin your writing career?

Assess yourself honestly.

8. Are you willing to set goals as waypoints in your journey?

Set goals that are reasonable and achievable. Remember, a goal must be something within your power to achieve.

9. When will you get started?

Set a start timeet reasonable, achievable goals for every step of the way.

Takeaway Truth

Good luck! If you believe you can do it, you can achieve it.