Saturday, December 31, 2011

The Writing PLAN 2012

BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I'm very content to pretend this is me.
Oh, how I love a plan... especially a writing plan. And largely, they work for me. I posted last year's plan last week and my evidence of success—which wasn't complete, but I DID get a lot done last year... And THAT is why I get so geeked about a plan...

Are you ready? (maybe a little scared?)

First... Let me explain.
No. Is too much. Let me sum up.

What Needs DOING, broadly

Polish: LEGACY
Big Rewrite: CONFLUENCE, ILLUSIONS (which also needs a new name), CONSPIRACY, WHAT ALES ME, MEDIUM WRONG.
To Write: I got Armageddon coming at me from four different directions, eh? I will write TWO of these this year. I will write a 3rd book iff I get a formal publisher request for such (a 4th on the cozy contract or if WHAT ALES ME sells as part of a series) MOSTLY, though, I am going to concentrate on rewriting and polishing some of this other stuff.


January:
Revise LEGACY one last time.
Finally hammer out a GOOD pitch for it.
Enter that baby (the book, I mean, not a real baby)
Type in rest of WHAT ALES ME.
Potentially Tweak Kahlotus (have some ideas based on publisher feedback—need agent powwow)

February:
Fill in holes and first revision CHRYSANTHEMUM CAMPAIGN.

March:
CC to peer readers for the month.
Revise WHAT ALES ME.
Plan promotional campaign for AZALEA ASSAULT

April:
WHAT ALES ME to peers.
Revise CC per feedback. Read out loud. Revise again.
Begin CONFLUENCE revision.

May:
CC to agent
Finish CONFLUENCE revision.
Revise CC per agent

June:
Turn in CC
BuNoWriMo: One of these pesky Armageddon stories...
RELEASE AZALEA ASSAULT

July:
First Revision MEDIUM WRONG

August:
MEDIUM WRONG to peers
Revise WHAT ALES ME, read out loud
WHAT ALES ME to Agent

September:
Final Revisions MEDIUM WRONG
MEDIUM WRONG to Amy

October:
Slot for specifically requested revisions for MEDIUM WRONG/WHAT ALES ME
First revision summer Armageddon book

November:
NaNoWriMo: Thenother Armageddon? (yeah, I think so... but things change)

December:
Finally polish CONFLUENCE
If time, begin revision ILLUSIONS


Ambitious? Yes. Subject to change? Absolutely. But I always do best if I have a direction and something to look to when I finish something... otherwise I can spin my wheels too long before getting back on track.

So what are your writing goals?

And Happy New Year to All of you!!!

21 comments:

Arlee Bird said...

Sounds like a plan to me and I think you'll keep up with it as it sounds reasonable.

My kids don't always like it, but I like to plan daily events and things like road trips. However, I'm not so good at planning things like my future and achieving writing goals. I haven't planned it, but I hope I finish up some of the things I have started and start some very relevant new projects.

Good luck with your plans and have a great 2012.


Lee
Wrote By Rote

Cathy Olliffe-Webster said...

You are driven, woman!

Perhaps I need to take the wheel myself. A writing plan is a great way to do just that. Good luck with the plan and thanks for the idea!

Oh, and I'd be content to pretend that was me, too!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

You are so organized! You could fit my plans on two lines. Glad you have things planned after June. That first release is a high like no other, but if you're not busy afterwards, it's accompanied by a real low.
And we don't want the Naked Tart feeling low!
Happy New Year.

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Awesome! Go, Girl, get those stories out of your head.

Happy New Year.

Teresa

mshatch said...

my goal is simple: finish the book I'm writing, get an agent, get the book - and me - a deal.

Good luck with your plan!

Cherie Reich said...

Good luck with your plans. I have a lot of writing, editing, and reading planned too. Happy New Year!

Catherine Stine said...

You're so organized that you even have a colorful picture for each mission. Good luck with the implementation phase!

Tonja said...

I think you do like plans. :) My plan for novel writing is to decide at the beginning of the month which project I want to work on and then do it. The last week of the month I want to work on short stories. My overall plan is to have at least three novels ready to publish at the end of the year.

RaShelle Workman said...

Hart - You're awesome! You're goals are wonderful. Love them. I wish you every success in all of your goals.

As for mine: polish and release BEGUILED (May 2012)

polish and release SECRET ROSES (July 2012) - book 2 Dead Roses series

polish and release DOVETAILED (Nov 2012)

a traditional housewife against the world said...

Man, I wish I could be that organized! Great plan!!!

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Your plan was is so much more detailed and exact than mine. Good luck with it.

lisahgolden said...

You, my friend, are an inspiration. Even if I have to take it in small bites, say a plan set at the beginning of each month, I see the value in changing my ways.

Hart Johnson said...

Lee--funny-I'm opposite. Something like a vacation or a party, I am far more content to just wing it and see what happens (drives my husband crazy) where the life stuff... PLAN!

Cathy-DO IT! I will be interested to see if it works. Some people thrive and others are stifled by plans.

Alex-teehee--You and I have such opposite approaches. It's good though... the world would be boring if we were all the same.

Teresa-thank you!

MS-Oh, i would put another book on that plan or the querying process will make you CRAZY. Good plan otherwise, but you definitely don't want to sit and wait without something to dive into.

Cherie-YAY plans!!!

Catherine-Yeah, I like the pics... Thank you!

Tonja-That sounds like a good strategy, too. I think for me though, this puts up deadlines, which are pretty important for keeping me in line.

RaShelle-You've got 3 coming out in 2012!? GO YOU!!! That's fabulous!

CL-you want me to organize you? I love to tell people what to do *snort*

Susan-I have to do it that way or I sink in it...

Lisa-I didn't have to be quite this detailed before I got the backlog of 'to revise' But I sort of love it this way...

Unknown said...

You have a lot going on. I hope you have a lot of success with it.

M.J. Fifield said...

That's really quite a detailed plan you have there. It makes my writing plan look rather pathetic in comparison. Good luck with it all.

Very nice Princess Bride reference, by the way...

Happy New Year!

Carol Riggs said...

Gah, you're so organized and detailed! I'm staying general, myself. Maybe you'll get more accomplished, though. ;o) Best of luck, and Happy 2012 to ya!!!

Elizabeth Twist said...

Great plans! I love the month-to-month structure. I can't wait for 2012 to begin (only 6 more hours from where I sit) so I can start in on meeting my various challenges and goals.

Carol Kilgore said...

Great planning. I need you to help me with mine. I've been working on goals today. I have four projects in the works from complete to planned-but-unwritten. I have no idea how long some things will take because they're dependent on others and not just me. Not having control makes it difficult for me to construct a sound timetable. Mine is pretty loosey-goosey.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

And you will achieve all of that because you have made a definite plan. Good for you!

Trisha said...

Plans are definitely inspiring and motivating, for me at least. That doesn't mean planning out stories to their finest detail, but basically it means setting aside one month to work on this, another to work on that, and so on.

Go Hart!!!! 2012 should be a full and busy year for you (in a fun way of course! :D)

Sarah Ahiers said...

you are going to rock it out this year!
I'll be posting my goals next week, i think.