Unrealistic writing goals for 2023
New year, new me? Nope. This Olivia Joyce is staying exactly how she is. But, there is another thing I can say: new year, new book. And not just one. Let’s dive into my insanely unrealistic writing goals for 2023!
Professionally edit THE DARK WITCH
Yes, my full is currently under consideration with several agents, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a plan B. I believe in this story, and I’m going to get it published one way or another. The first step in (self-)publishing a book, is writing a book. Check!
The second step in publishing a book is editing. First the dreaded self-edit, and next a professional edit. A professional edit consists of a developmental edit, a line edit, a copyedit, and proofreading. Do I need all types four types? I have no idea. A developmental edit and proofreading are a minimum, but the line edit and copyedit can be optional for certain writers. Let’s assume I am not “certain writers” and just go with the whole bunch to be sure. One of the first rules of doing good business is to invest so you can deliver the best product possible, so that’s what I’m going to do.
Timing: Q3
Outline the dark witch #2
I’ve written one book, now it’s time to prove I can do it again. THE DARK WITCH is the first book in a trilogy. I’ve got a general idea of where the second book needs to go, but there are still a lot of blank pages between what I got and where it needs to end up.
A lot of writers hate outlining, but I love this part of the writing process. This is where the story comes to life. It’s exciting to connect all the dots, see your character grow, and think of exciting new plot twists. I’ve got some great ideas and I can’t wait to get them down on paper. I’ve already started outlining the dark witch #2, so it’s only a matter of taking the time to finish it.
I’m ever more excited about this book than I was about THE DARK WITCH and I can’t wait to start showing you guys! No spoilers of course :)
Timing: Q1
Achieved: Jan 30th
Write The Dark Witch #2
After the outline comes the first draft. You didn’t think I was just going to leave it at the outline, did you? The most ambitious goal of this year is to actually write the second book. It took me 2,5 years to write THE DARK WITCH, and now I want to write the sequel in 1 year.
A few things are different with this book. I’ve learned A LOT since I first put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). I just went for it with the first one, and it turned out I am not a pantsing kind of writer. Having an outline from the start is going to help me out a lot! I’ve also studied different story structures and now I’m trying to figure out how to make my own. It’s a work in progress, but I’m feeling much more confident about writing this book than I did about THE DARK WITCH.
Another big change this year is that I went from being a full-time employee to being a freelance writer who has control over her own time. I still struggle with dividing my time between paid jobs and working on my books, but, in theory, I should have a lot more time to sit down and write this book. I’m also prioritizing my book this year. First thing in the morning, I’m not starting with paid jobs, but I’m taking 2 hours to sit down and write.
Timing: first draft Q2 - polished manuscript Q4
Started: Feb 11th
First draft: May 27th
Get a cover design for THE DARK WITCH
Now the fun can start! After the professional edit, I need to find myself a cover artist. We all judge a book by its cover (you’re lying if you say you don’t), so this is one of the most important steps when it comes to the marketability of your book. In my case, it needs to portray an epic fantasy adventure with a strong female heroine, and it needs to be beautiful enough to capture people’s attention.
Q3
Outline The Dark Witch #3
Oh boy, this is going to be a big year. I’m not only writing a new book from scratch, but I’m also outlining the final installment of this trilogy. Naturally, this goal is contingent on me first finishing the dark witch #2.
Q4
Built a social media platform
This is without a doubt the most difficult goal I have this year. Having a platform is crucial for any author. But I have no idea how to tackle this one.
There are many opportunities for authors out there today. This website is a good start, but it’s not really social media. It’s hard to get out of the Google sandbox and show up in the search results, especially if nobody knows your name. So that leaves other social media platforms: YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram.
I know how to be a follower on those platforms, but not how to be a creator. It’s also pretty terrifying to put yourself out there. It also takes a lot of time. Successful content creators make it look effortless, but there’s a lot going on behind the scenes. I’ll probably crash and burn a few times, but that’s still better than not trying at all.
Do you want to support me? Here is my TikTok and Twitter account.