Sometimes we get so excited about writing and we are so prolific that all we want to do is publish, publish, publish.<\/p>\n
Perhaps you\u2019ve published a book or two and you have several more ready to go. There may also be numerous unfinished book projects on your desk which you are eager to produce. It can become all too overwhelming and confusing for an author who has become a bit addicted to being published. <\/p>\n
There are a couple of things that can happen to prolific authors. They are so in love with writing that they can\u2019t stop. And they feel they must justify the time they spend writing by doing something with it other than line their drawers or wallpaper their bathrooms. The most logical solution to a filing cabinet full of manuscripts is publishing. Besides, many writers don\u2019t feel validated unless someone is reading what they wrote.<\/p>\n
I must admit that I fit into this scenario to a degree. Thankfully, however, I was blessed with (or I somehow managed to develop) a sense of organization and order where my writing projects are concerned. I have gained an understanding of the importance of focusing rather than approaching publishing using a scattershot method\u2014well, most of the time, anyway… <\/p>\n
If you are feeling overwhelmed by the many projects you have piling up on your desk\u2014your memoir, a compilation of poems, a couple of children\u2019s books, a manuscript featuring a play on common words and the outline of a mystery or two\u2014you may need help focusing. Try this:<\/p>\n
\u2022\tChoose the one project that you are most eager to produce. Or choose based on the timeliness of that project, the value of it and\/or the potential publishability of it. <\/p>\n
\u2022\tFile all other manuscripts away\u2014out of sight. If you get an idea related to one of the other projects, you learn the name of a good illustrator for your children\u2019s book, you come across a piece of info for your nonfiction book, open the file and toss that material in. That\u2019s all. Do not direct any more attention to the other manuscripts than that.<\/p>\n
\u2022\tProceed to complete the manuscript you chose. Write a book proposal. If this is a nonfiction book, write the proposal as one of your first steps. <\/p>\n
\u2022\tWork hard on your platform for promoting this particular book\u2014yes, while you are writing it and revising it and having it edited.<\/p>\n
\u2022\tDecide which publishing option you will pursue with this project and start researching those companies within that option. <\/p>\n
\u2022\tWhen you have your ducks in a row, begin contacting the publishers of your choice (or start the self-publishing process). Be sure to study each publishers\u2019 writers\u2019 guidelines and follow them with a query letter first or a book proposal first\u2014whatever the publisher requests.<\/p>\n
\u2022\tFocus your writing desires on the project at hand. You\u2019ll be writing your book proposal (see above), writing a query letter, writing promo copy, etc.<\/p>\n
\u2022\tWhen you decide it is time to start working on another book project, choose one similar to the first one. Why? Because, it makes more sense to address the same audience rather than trying to reach a whole new one with a new topic\/genre. <\/p>\n
Are some of you having trouble with this very problem? Let me know how you remedy it. Perhaps this post has given you some ideas for handling it in the future. Let me know:
\nPLFry620@yahoo.com. <\/p>\n
Visit my websites: Sometimes we get so excited about writing and we are so prolific that all we want to do is publish, publish, publish. Perhaps you\u2019ve published a book or two and you have several more ready to go. There may also be numerous unfinished book projects on your desk which you are eager to produce. It […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16,3],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
\n http:\/\/www.matilijapress.com<\/a>
\n http:\/\/www.patriciafry.com<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"