Career Planning for Writers by Clarissa Southwick
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Are you doing everything you can to further your writing career?
In December, it’s natural to consider all we’ve accomplished over the past year. If you’re disappointed in the progress you’ve made, a career plan can help you focus on what you need to do to succeed.
The most important part of creating any career plan is to define the precise goal you hope to achieve. It’s good to set one and five-year goals so you don’t lose sight of the big picture.
We have all heard the story of the down-trodden businessman who wrote himself a million-dollar check, swore he would be able to cash it in five years, and succeeded. If that method works for you, by all means use it.
Personally, I like goals that I can control and reasonably expect to achieve. A realistic one year goal might be “to complete a new novel by the end of the year.” Some examples for a five year goal might be “to live entirely from my salary as a writer,” or “to be published by a major publisher.”
It’s easier to reach our goals if we break them down into manageable steps. I made the following checklist after attending workshops by Cherry Adair & Stephanie Bond, reading a blog by Rhonda Stapleton, and discussing it with my critique partner, Janis McCurry. My thanks to them for any ideas I may have borrowed. With time, I have forgotten who has provided which piece of helpful advice. I hope you will find it as useful as I have.
Career Planning Checklist for Writers
One year goal:___________________________________________________.
Five year goal:____________________________________________________.
Before publication:
_____ Join a writing organization and attend meetings regularly.
_____ Learn the craft through workshops/books/classes.
_____Join a critique group or find a trusted critique partner.
_____ Write a complete novel.
_____ Edit and Revise.
_____ Enter contests. (Optional)
_____ Study the market.
_____Learn to write a query letter and synopsis.
_____Research Agents and editors and create personal list.
_____Query Agents.
_____Attend National and Regional Conferences.
_____ Pitch to editors and agents in person
_____Sign with agent
_____Develop a brand
_____Network online and in person
_____Develop a professional website and/or join a group blog
_____Learn about publishing contracts
_____Learn about self-publishing and decide If it’s for you.
After Publication:
___ Set a goal of how many books you will write each year. ______
___ Set a financial goal. $_______ Be sure to account for health insurance, retirement, and taxes.
___Enter contests to draw attention to your work.
___Continue networking
___Continue professional development through workshops and classes
___Work with editors and agents to develop promotional plan
___Learn about legal and tax issues (incorporating, LLC, etc.)
___Write a will to cover future earnings and protect your loved ones.
___Keep writing!
There you have my career planning checklist. I would love to hear your advice on this topic. What’s the best thing you ever did to further your writing career?
[/caption]Are you doing everything you can to further your writing career?
In December, it’s natural to consider all we’ve accomplished over the past year. If you’re disappointed in the progress you’ve made, a career plan can help you focus on what you need to do to succeed.
The most important part of creating any career plan is to define the precise goal you hope to achieve. It’s good to set one and five-year goals so you don’t lose sight of the big picture.
We have all heard the story of the down-trodden businessman who wrote himself a million-dollar check, swore he would be able to cash it in five years, and succeeded. If that method works for you, by all means use it.
Personally, I like goals that I can control and reasonably expect to achieve. A realistic one year goal might be “to complete a new novel by the end of the year.” Some examples for a five year goal might be “to live entirely from my salary as a writer,” or “to be published by a major publisher.”
It’s easier to reach our goals if we break them down into manageable steps. I made the following checklist after attending workshops by Cherry Adair & Stephanie Bond, reading a blog by Rhonda Stapleton, and discussing it with my critique partner, Janis McCurry. My thanks to them for any ideas I may have borrowed. With time, I have forgotten who has provided which piece of helpful advice. I hope you will find it as useful as I have.
Career Planning Checklist for Writers
One year goal:___________________________________________________.
Five year goal:____________________________________________________.
Before publication:
_____ Join a writing organization and attend meetings regularly.
_____ Learn the craft through workshops/books/classes.
_____Join a critique group or find a trusted critique partner.
_____ Write a complete novel.
_____ Edit and Revise.
_____ Enter contests. (Optional)
_____ Study the market.
_____Learn to write a query letter and synopsis.
_____Research Agents and editors and create personal list.
_____Query Agents.
_____Attend National and Regional Conferences.
_____ Pitch to editors and agents in person
_____Sign with agent
_____Develop a brand
_____Network online and in person
_____Develop a professional website and/or join a group blog
_____Learn about publishing contracts
_____Learn about self-publishing and decide If it’s for you.
After Publication:
___ Set a goal of how many books you will write each year. ______
___ Set a financial goal. $_______ Be sure to account for health insurance, retirement, and taxes.
___Enter contests to draw attention to your work.
___Continue networking
___Continue professional development through workshops and classes
___Work with editors and agents to develop promotional plan
___Learn about legal and tax issues (incorporating, LLC, etc.)
___Write a will to cover future earnings and protect your loved ones.
___Keep writing!
There you have my career planning checklist. I would love to hear your advice on this topic. What’s the best thing you ever did to further your writing career?
