This month's awesome co-hosts are: Jennifer Hawes, Jen Chandler, Nick Wilford, Juneta Key, JH Moncrieff, Diane Burton, and MJ Fifield!
The December IWSG question: In terms of your writing career, where do you see yourself five years from now, and what’s your plan to get there?
I already write full-time, even though there never seems like enough time to do everything! I'd love to see myself making at least a regular paycheck equal to my husband's. I'm not aiming to be a millionaire, but to double our household income would be awesome.
I'm working hard on putting more books out there and learning about marketing. I'm doing good with the first one, but not so great with the second. My fear is that I will never be able to figure out how to properly market my books, and that luck will never be on my side when it comes to sales.
Has this fear stopped me? Nope. I'll keep on pushing forward and trying new things.
Always push forward. ^_^
ReplyDeleteIt's my dream to write full time. I don't make much money now, so it wouldn't even take that much! LOL! You have a plan in place and you know what you want. Those are hardest steps, I think. And I think the marketing will work out. It's like throwing bricks at a wall. It feels like you're doing nothing, but one day the cumulative effort of all the bricks you've thrown causes the wall to crumble. Or something like that. :)
I love your positive approach Christine. You are a fabulous writing with so much talent. You deserve success in everything you publish! Have a super festive season.
ReplyDeleteFirst, congratulations on having that first book out there and seeing it doing well on the market. That's where I am headed. I want to be able to live from my writing.
ReplyDeleteWishing you all the best for your future.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G
I think your goals are spot-on and totally doable. You're already working toward them, learning a lot along the way, plus you're sharing so much of it with all of us. Keep going, Christine. You can so do this. :)
ReplyDeleteI also worry about marketing when I sit down and think about it. Just feels like anything I spend on it might actually be sending hard-earned cash into the abyss.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck!
Sounds like a great goal. I don't write fiction right now because I have a job writing nonfiction where I do get a paycheck that sort of supports my daughter and me right now. I love it.
ReplyDeleteYou're certainly good at producing the books. Just keep doing that and the sales will grow.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you're on the right path. There are a lot of great blogs out there with advice about marketing - Jane Friedman and BadRedHeadMedia are the first to pop into my mind - that will help you in any way you need. All the best for your writing endeavours :-)
ReplyDeleteKrystal, love that image of throwing bricks against the wall. I hope it breaks first before I do!
ReplyDeleteNicola, thank you! :) You too.
Pat, thanks. All the best on your journey.
Madeline, I'm pushing on. I learn through seeing what others do, so I hope I can help other writers with my lessons too.
Misha, I feel the same way!
Natalie, that's awesome!
Alex, knock on wood!
Ronel, thanks for the sites. I'll be checking them out.
You are really good with coming out with new work. I don't know how you can write or publish so quickly. Marketing is tough. I struggle with it, too, and constantly hope for a breakthrough.
ReplyDeleteI think you have a great plan. Writing income is so up and down. I have good years and blah years in income. Marketing is a mystery.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Alex's comment - you are already so focused and disciplined with releasing your books that I have no doubt the other will come too. Marketing is such a nightmare but you will get it down. Good luck!!
ReplyDeleteYou are such an inspiration to me! So many awesome books, and no doubt the marketing side of things will hit its tipping point soon :)
ReplyDeleteKeep pushing forward and trying new things sounds like an excellent strategy to me. I am really inspired by you, and hope you accomplish everything you've set out to.
ReplyDeleteEveryone needs a challenge. I guess, yours is learning more about marketing. Be sure to post your discoveries. I know I need learn more as well. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
Here's to that regular paycheck, Christine. I know you'll do it!
ReplyDeleteLove your positive attitude! All the best with your goals!
ReplyDeleteMarketing is hard, but not writing and not publishing will not help out with the marketing one bit. You have to have the product to have something to market. Keep on writing!
ReplyDeleteMarketing is always the tough one and it's never free. You just have to weed out what doesn't work.
ReplyDeleteThe thing to always keep in mind is that your books will always be available for purchase. So even if it takes you another five to ten years to get your marketing kungfu together, when that time does come, you'll have a nice backlist to sell.
ReplyDeleteAwesome and totally reasonable goal. More books will help, and I think you're on a great path there!
ReplyDeleteI like your plan. A regular paycheck should be doable. And I'm sure you'll learn about marketing. Good luck with your goals!
ReplyDeleteThe trouble with marketing I've noticed is it chances like the weather. What used to work stops and something new takes its place. You may be still learning 5 years from now. =O
ReplyDeleteMarketing is the bane of most writers. It's not an easy thing to market well.
ReplyDeleteBut hooray for being a full-time writer! You're already farther along than most--your reality is my dream.
All the best to you in 2017!
I bet the marketing piece will come along too. Especially with your ongoing philosophy to never give up :)
ReplyDeleteYou inspire me, Christine! Hope that paycheck starts coming in 2017!
ReplyDeletePromo is a mystery to most of us. We're writers not publicists. Yet at this point in our careers, we can't afford to hire a publicist. The Catch-22. Best wishes with that goal.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your family.
As long as you have a willingness to change your strategy as needed, it's only a matter of time before you figure out what really works for you. You know that old quote about doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results being the definition of insanity... well, it definitely applies to marketing.
ReplyDeleteI love that. I will do a tap dance the day I can say I am a fulltime writer. I am but only because I don't have a day job yet, lol. You go. I'd love to hear how you schedule your day.
ReplyDeleteJuneta @ Writer's Gambit
Yep, just keep writing!! Marketing changes all the time. You'll get a hang of it, as I hope I will too.
ReplyDeleteOh, and it doesn't matter how much time you have, it's never enough for writing! ;)
I'm with you.. how do I get people paying 99c for a book, then jump and pay $2.99 for the next book... that is my worry... You are doing very well in marketing and it just takes time as we all learn... 2017 is going to be super awesome:)
ReplyDeleteChrys, you are doing terrifically! I don't have a problem coming up with story ideas, but with marketing, I draw a blank. =P
ReplyDeleteSusan, that it is.
Julie and Nasreen, thank you!
Meradeth, I really hope so.
M.J., now I'm blushing!
Anna, I will! :)
Lee, cheers!
Cherie, marching forward!
Diane, exactly!
ReplyDeleteKen, a library I can build!
Loni and Olga, thanks!
Patricia, undoubtedly I will. =P
J.H., Tyrean, and Erika, thank you. :)
Diane B., happy holidays to you too!
ABFTS, totally. Though we all have to be a little insane to be writers! ;)
Juneta, my schedule? *shifty eyes* Maybe I should get one of those...
Lynda, so true!
Tania, I'm learning, and I think you're levels ahead of me there! You're doing awesome. :)