A WRITER’S ACTION PLAN

What will you write in 2012? Perhaps you will finally pen the novel that’s been languishing in your thoughts for years. Maybe you will edit and rewrite the rough draft you’ve been sitting on since November. Then there are those article ideas you’ve been meaning to write or pitch to an editor before you forget. And those short stories you need to polish before sending out.

Well, good news! The beginning of the year is the best time for writing. We can erase last year’s slate of plans and begin anew. We can figure out what worked, what didn’t, and revise those plans to fit our new needs and our new selves. Because it’s simply not enough to write a list of resolutions or goals, we must also take actionable steps to make them happen.

This issue, we provide you with ideas, inspiration, and actionable steps for taking control of your writing career and steering it in the right direction. We want you to own it! Whether it’s organizing your home office so you can have peace of mind or figuring out where to spend your hard-earned dollars, the experts in this issue will help you develop the fundamentals you need to ensure long-term success. Those fundamentals include developing daily writing habits, learning how to start a writing business, and getting the most out of LinkedIn. We also chat with authors who share their best tips on how to promote your book and help you figure out how to start revising that 50,000 word mess—er, NaNoWriMo manuscript.

Are you ready to get started? Let’s take action!

A big, warm thank you goes to our freelancers and staff members:

Are you as messy as I am? I hate to admit it, but my husband calls my office “the tornado.” There are stacks of paper, magazines, and books everywhere. Receipts and Post-it Notes litter my desktop, and my e-mail inbox would groan if it could. There are so many flagged messages that you would think it was the World Cup. I’m always worried that someday my free Yahoo account with “unlimited e-mail storage” will decide there’s a limit to unlimited or change their policy just because of me! So when Janine Boldrin queried us with the idea for her article, Get Organized! Expert Tips for Tackling the Messy Files and Piles (and More!) that Make Writers Stress Out, I tried to recall if we video chatted in the past. The truth is, a lot of working writers have the same problem. When we’re on deadline, we can easily let our office slip into tornado land if we don’t have a solid organizing system in place. With the help of Diane Albright, a nationally recognized expert in the field of organization and productivity, Janine shows you how to plan your approach, tackle the mess, get organized, and keep going. She also chats with Sage Cohen, author of The Productive Writer, and Justine Ickes, writer and instructional designer, who share their best tips for cleaning career clutter—like goal creep and time wasters. By following the advice in this article, you’ll be well on your way to eliminating the mess and stress that clogs the creative process and inhibits productivity.

The start of the year is also a time when writers examine their finances and budget for writerly expenses. It’s important to invest in your career if you are serious about your craft, but how do you figure out how and where to spend your hard-earned dollars? We welcome back Kerrie Flanagan and thank her for her article, Investing in Your Writing Career: How to Spend Your Money Wisely. Between writers’ conferences, classes, associations, and editing services, Kerrie shows us how to ask the right questions and tells us what to look for. By following her advice, you will be better equipped to make good decisions when it comes to spending money to further your career.

One of the most common gripes I hear from writers is they don’t have time to write. Something always gets in the way—work, family, errands, and the busyness of the day—even writer’s block. Maybe it’s the post-holiday burnout, but I’ve been experiencing some of that lately. I pull up to the page to write, and the words refuse to flow. But I finally figured out WHY. It’s simple, really. I’m out of practice! I haven’t been writing daily. If you’re like me and your writing routine has gotten somewhat flabby, then check out Sue Bradford Edward’s article, A Writer’s Fitness Plan: How to Work Writing into Your Daily Life. Sue examines the importance of calling yourself a writer, shows you how to find more writing time, and teaches you how to write regularly to build up those writing muscles. With a little exercise and steady practice, you’ll be able to be your own personal trainer and whip yourself into topnotch writing shape.

If you are looking for work or trying to further your writing career, LinkedIn is the best social network for business. Yet, most writers think it’s merely JUST a network for business; they set up a profile to serve as a resume, maybe get a recommendation or two, and assume that they’re done. If that’s you, you could be missing out on some great opportunities. LinkedIn is also a great tool for promotion, groups, discussions, and so much more! We welcome freelancer Vanessa Nix to the WOW! family, and thank her for her interview with LinkedIn specialist Victoria Ipri. Read this lively discussion, learn the ins and outs of using LinkedIn, and put her advice to action!

You may be thinking, Well, I would be using LinkedIn if I had my own writing business to market. If starting a writing business this year is one of your writing goals, then you’re going to love Kristie Lorette’s article, How to Start a Writing Business Right. Kristie helps you decide what type of business entity to establish (sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or LLC), shows you how to set up your office, and discusses business considerations—such as types of insurance, writing a business plan, and marketing your business. She also provides tips for working with clients and establishing repeat business, so you will be able to achieve the business success you are seeking. Like all of our articles, this is a great one to print out, but especially for the checklists.

I don’t know about you, but one of my very favorite columns is when we do a 20 Questions round up. We ask one big question to our readers and to the world and pick the twenty best answers to highlight. We’ve done a couple in the past on the subjects of monetizing your website or blog and surviving as a writer during a recession. The answers are always eye-opening, and this one is no different. WOW! columnist Marcia Peterson asks authors to share their best book marketing tips in 20 Answers: How Do You Promote Your Book? From press releases and podcast interviews to a few interesting ways of using Facebook and other online tools, you’ll learn what things you should be doing to promote your work and sell books!

What about that “book” you’ve been putting off editing since November? Yeah, you know what I’m talking about! Those 50,000 words of freewriting—the ones penned without a care for structure and outlining? Well, never fear...WOW! editor, columnist, and instructor Margo L. Dill is here! Her article, After NaNoWriMo: Revising and Editing Tips to Keep You from Going Insane, walks you through the revision process step-by-step. While teaching her novel class, she noticed some common problems in early drafts—things like writers forgetting about the golden rule of showing not telling or adding sensory details or sticking to one point of view. Read this article to find out what problems to look for and learn how to fix them. Not to miss!

We’re also proud to announce the Fall 2011 Flash Fiction Contest Winners! A big thank you goes to literary agent Andrea Hurst for judging this season’s contest. Congratulations to all the winners and those that had the courage to enter the contest as well. You’re going to enjoy reading these fantastic stories!

I’d also like to thank WOW’s editor, Margo L. Dill—not only for her fabulous article, but also for editing this issue over the holidays and making it a joy to read!

Here’s to a productive, happy, and fruitful 2012!