If you are a freelance writer or an author with one or more books to promote and you’re darn serious about succeeding, you lead a busy life.
As a freelance writer, you are always in promotion mode. You face frequent deadlines. Either you work with editors or you serve clients; and their needs don’t always coincide with the time you have available.
As an author, you are either researching and writing every chance you get or you’re in book promotion mode. I’m sure that you feel as though someone is stealing hours out of your days, lately. It’s really hard to get it all done.
But my question today is, “Are You Getting Your Energy’s Worth?” Is the payoff in satisfaction and/or success appropriate to the energy you expend? Or are you, wasting or misusing your efforts? I think this is a question we should ask ourselves every once in a while; because if we are not using our time and energy wisely, we won’t get the results we desire.
And what do you desire:
• having your book completed and edited by December of 2009?
• an increase in the number of books sold this year?
• a contract from a major publisher?
• more new editorial clients in 2009?
• a greater volume of your magazine articles/stories published?
• a higher rate of pay for freelance work—more money per article or story?
• a higher overall income in 2009?
Whatever your goal, you know that it is up to you to meet it, right? But are you taking the right steps, making the right moves and using your energy wisely? How do you know whether you are or not? Your answers to these 4 questions might offer some insight.
1. Do you have realistic priorities with regard to the work necessary in meeting your goals? In other words, do you set aside an appropriate amount of time and expend the right level of energy in which to do the research, writing or promotion necessary to make some strides and move ahead?
2. Are you doing more of what has worked in the past while also trying some of the new things that have come to your attention?
3. Are you always on the lookout for new ideas, resources, recommendations and opportunities?
4. Do you take advantage of the opportunities that come before you?
One area where many authors and freelance writers fall down is that they subscribe to a newsletter and/or join a club or organization and then neglect to use the materials and opportunities afforded them through this channel.
• Determine which organizations have the most value in your particular quest and which benefits are most useful—set aside time to pursue these. It might be a member forum or discussion group, a monthly podcast or a book proposal or article-writing course, for example.
• Select the publications that contain the type of information and resources you need most and take time to study them each week/month.
• Collect tips and resources and make sure that you follow-up on those that could move your project or career forward.
The thing is, if you give the same amount of energy and time to your career or project as you always have, you can expect the same result. If you want a different result—more client work, more money coming in from article work, increased book sales, for example—you must expend a different amount of energy using different methods.
How many of you reading this blog regularly have already purchased my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book? I’d like to know how it has helped you along your publishing path. PLFry620@yahoo.com (Right Way Book) in the subject line. To those hopeful authors who haven’t read it yet, order yours today. You won’t regret it: http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html