Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival,” where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.
This week’s topic:
What do you hope to be writing in one year? Three? Five?
Wish I could foresee the future and tell you. I really wish.
You know, last week I heard a lot about the 5-year plan. The info I gathered is that small business usually write down 5-year plan statements to get started. I see a lot of self-pubbed authors talking about it.
Since then, I have been thinking about writing a 5-year plan for me.
However, it’s hard to figure out what you’ll be writing or doing in 1 or 3 or 5 years, if you can’t control when or if you’ll find an agent, what or if your manuscript will sell. I can determine though that while querying XX manuscript, I’ll be writing YY manuscript. I guess that’s why I see more self-pubbed authors with 5-year plans, because all they have to do is sit down, write, edit, send out to editors, format, and publish. That should be “easy” to put on a calendar or plan.
But I’m steering away from the question …
In one year, I hope to have written Destiny Gift #2 and #3, plus two other manuscripts (I do write fast). But it’s hard to say exactly what I’ll be writing cause I have too many ideas and I want to write them all. What I write actually depends of the mood I am in when I start writing the first page.
I hope though that in five years I have a dozen published—and successful—books under my belt =) Hey, dreams are free!
How about you? What do you hope to be writing in one, three and five years?
Cheers,
Wow, you do write fast :D Here’s to hoping that not only you do all that, but on top that you also find the mean of publication that makes you the happiest! :D
It’s probably easier to come up with a 5-year-plan when you already have an agent and a publisher. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if publishers want some idea of your goals when they sign you up. Perhaps even contractually obligate you to a certain number of books. Clearly that won’t bother you (“you only want me to write 5 books next year? I already have the drafts for 20!”) ;)
Seriously, though, I need to be a lot more diligent in my writing. I have a lot of ideas, and I need not be lingering so long on one idea. Hence my participation in NaNoWriMo this year.
All the best to you, Juliana, with all your goals. :)
Five years is a long way away so I’m sure all of our dreams will happen in that time. We’ll do it. :)
Wow, a dozen? You write much faster than I do! I like the idea of doing a five-year plan from a business perspective. :)*
That’s actually the first assignment Kristen has posted over at Blogging for Brand, which I still haven’t completed yet. But I hear you there. I barely can tell what I’m doing next week much less 5 years from now. But I do believe it’s about putting down what we want to see happen by then. It’s up to us to then figure out the how to achieve that. Maybe it’s not possible in 5 but what about 10? Dream first. Plan next. Do it until you’re done. :)
I remember hearing how when you write a bucket list, you must choose things that depend only on you. For instance, instead of “become a NYT bestseller,” try “write three novels, query each with up to 50 agents, and promote my writing in my blog.” I wonder if business plans are the same.
Anyway, I like your dreams for the future. I think you’re doing all you can to get there. Best wishes, Juliana!
You’ll get there!
I hope to have my third book published by the end of next year. After that, I have no idea.
You are so right about it being hard to set goals for yourself when so much is in other people’s hands. It kind of makes self-publishing look more and more appealing. :) I guess we just have to set everyday goals for ourselves and continue to dream.
I guess I didn’t think about in those terms– it *is* a bit easier to come up with a plan when you have more control over the whole creation process. Which means that I really need to work on putting together my plans @_@ I have a rough timeline, but I need to translate that to something more professional.
Wowza! A dozen?? I applaud your ambition and prolific-ness :)
Shoo! I’ll echo all the cries of “a dozen in five years?!” Because seriously, I am impressed. And awed. Haha.
I agree, it’s much easier to make goals if you know you can make the timeline for yourself. It’s tricky once other people start making the plans for you!