CON
GRATULATIONS ON ACHIEVING YOUR DREAM—NOW WHAT?
Many people chase their dreams, and along the way, through hard work and perseverance, some achieve their goals. When this happens, it’s an amazing time. This event should be celebrated and savored as you can never replace that ‘first time’ magic when it happens in your life.
But, once you achieve your dream, what now? Do you have a plan of action prepared? A budget? Will your strategy and marketing be time intensive? Do you understand how the business end of whatever goal you are pursuing works? What about industry contacts = networking?
Far from trying to worry or deter anyone from striving to achieve their dream, my questions are to instill a shot of reality into the dream-focused mind. It’s easy to become caught up on that idea of being a rising star. Realistically, once you achieve your goal, the magic wand that keeps that dream alive is you, and once again, sustained by your hard work, business savvy and perseverance. To help you, here are some tips:
1. Learn from the pros: Why reinvent the wheel: Select people who have achieved the dream you’re targeting. Take notes on what they’re doing, read what they say when they are interviewed, or if possible, talk to them. If someone has a solid game plan in the area of expertise you’re shooting for, tailor their plan of action to your strengths.
2. Budget: As with anything, there’s a cost to keeping your dream alive. Gather expense information through whatever sources available and understand the monetary layout you are facing once your dream is a reality. Custom the expenses to fit your budget. If you need a credit card, to incorporate, or have other business end ideas, before your dream arrives is the best time to research and understand exactly what you’ll need to have in place when that special moment arrives.
3. Time management: Once you sell, the demand for your time escalates, and the proportion depends on the needs of your dream and you. In addition to basic dream survival, there are options to appear on blogs, radio, TV, you can write articles, choose on-line networking and numerous other venues. It’s important to manage your time wisely, to choose projects best related to your strengths. Example: If you enjoy teaching, give workshops, on-line classes or talk at public venues.
4. Networking: I can’t express how ultra-important solid networking is. A good business contact can make all of the difference in the world. Be sincere in cultivating relationships. And, if you can, help someone else out.
The best defense in any situation, including your dreams, is a solid offense. So, start now to plan for your success. Then, the day your dream comes true, rather than being reactive and flounder, open your tailored plan and soar.
Thank you very much for stopping by. I’m always interested in hearing what others do as they work to achieve their goals. What is your strategy in achieving your dreams?
***
Please leave a comment to enter to win a copy of your choice of either HIS CAPTIVE or HIS WOMAN. To read the back cover blurbs for both books and to learn more about Diana, please visit yesterday’s post. And make sure to check out Diana’s website!
Great tips, Diana! I have found time management to be one of my greatest challenges after selling, too. It seems everyone needs me for something and I hate to say no. I’m getting better at finding pockets of time to write but find that self-discipline is really the only way to get things done. And training the family to respect the writing time!
Looking forward to some great reads from you!
One of the things I dislike about publishing is that you can’t hear that room-filling applause when that first, second, or third contract crosses your desk. This is an isolating profession if you let it be. Diana has given some really great tips on how to break out of the cone of silence and to make the most of every moment. Best of luck to you, my friend, in all your publishing and life endeavors.
Maggie Toussaint
author of romance and mystery
http://www.maggietoussaint.com
not sure what happened to my first comment. It dropped into the void. Nicely done, Diana!
Hi Jennifer,
Congratulations on selling! Time management is huge as is at times learning to say no. I’m guilty of taking on too much on regular occasion. I’m a student of my words and keep on practicing. 🙂 I’m also [again] taking Margie Lawson’s class in January on getting organized/priorities straight. She gives a great kick in the pants class.
Thanks for stopping by and I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season!
Sincerely,
Diana
Romance Edged With Danger
Hi Maggie,
Thank you so much for stopping by. Not sure either. Hope all is going great on your end. Here, insanely crazy, but I have a plan. *G* Enjoy your holidays! *Hugs*
Diana
Romance Edged With Danger
Nice reminder on time management. I just sold last week and all the networking I’ve done over the past several years generated numerous emails of congratulations. I realized very quickly that my time was going to slip away. LOL
I already have offers to speak and blog. (I’m not a blogger–YET) Do you think blogging is an important networking and marketing tool? If an author doesn’t blog are they shooting potential sales?
Angi
Angi Morgan says: Nice reminder on time management. I just sold last week
~Congratulations!!!
and all the networking I’ve done over the past several years generated numerous emails of congratulations. I realized very quickly that my time was going to slip away. LOL
~:) Exactly. Awareness is the first step in your organized solution.
I already have offers to speak and blog. (I’m not a blogger–YET) Do you think blogging is an important networking and marketing tool? If an author doesn’t blog are they shooting potential sales?
~To me, the marketing end of selling is an immense challenge on many levels. I believe it’s important for the author to focus on their strengths and be inventive about addressing areas they are less than passionate about. I personally am not a big blogger, but I feel it’s an effective author tool. So, I appear on blogs often. Also, when I see another author doing something that appeals to me, I try and find a way to put my own slant on it. I’m in the mindset of, why reinvent the wheel? 🙂 Does this help? Please let me know if you have other questions.
Thanks for stopping by and I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season!
Sincerely,
Diana
Romance Edged With Danger
Hi everyone, and welcome to Diana!
Excellent post, Diana. I agree that time management is a killer. When I have a deadline, time management is a concept that my family can more easily grasp. 🙂 When I don’t have a deadline…not so much.
Maggie, your first comment went into spam – and it shouldn’t have, because there’s only one link in it. I approved it, and it’s showing now. There was another TRUE spam comment lined up for me to look at in the dashboard. Maybe they came in at the same time, and thus the glitch. Sorry about that.
Great blog! Time management is the worst for me. I can’t imagine how some of the authors I know do so much. When I sell, I’m going to have to be much more organized than I am now.
Congratulations to Angi on her first sale!
Cindy Says: Excellent post, Diana. I agree that time management is a killer. When I have a deadline, time management is a concept that my family can more easily grasp. When I don’t have a deadline…not so much.
~The key to time management is organization and prioritizing. I update my lists daily. Still, getting everything done is a daily challenge. Thanks for stopping by and I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season!
Sincerely,
Diana
Romance Edged With Danger
Maggie Toussaint Says: One of the things I dislike about publishing is that you can’t hear that room-filling applause when that first, second, or third contract crosses your desk. This is an isolating profession if you let it be.
~Excellent point, Maggie. It’s great awareness to the writer that being an author is indeed a reclusive profession. But, this is where having support groups, chapter meetings or others that are cheering you on where you can share your struggles as dreams makes a difference. Also, sharing your daily challenges as joys on Facebook, Twitter, blogs or other venues is an opportunity to step away from the isolation.
Diana has given some really great tips on how to break out of the cone of silence and to make the most of every moment.
~I’m glad if anything helped. To the readers, Maggie is an amazing inspiration to me. Definitely someone I’m trying to keep up with!
Best of luck to you, my friend, in all your publishing and life endeavors.
~My sincere wishes right back at you! *Hugs* Thanks for stopping by and I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season!
Sincerely,
Diana
Romance Edged With Danger
Edie Says: Great blog! Time management is the worst for me. I can’t imagine how some of the authors I know do so much. When I sell, I’m going to have to be much more organized than I am now.
~Edie, thank you so much for stopping by. The key is preparation. At times, stop and evaluate what you’re doing, cull what works, then revamp your game plan. Updating your method is the key. Take care and I wish you every success! Thanks for stopping by and I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season!
Sincerely,
Diana
Romance Edged With Danger
Hey Diana! As always a great post ! I’m with you on the net working. It’s SO important. It’s also why I like smaller conferences rather than the massive ones. You can meet and chat with a lot more people in a smaller setting. 🙂
Mary Forbes Says: Hey Diana! As always a great post !
~Hi Mary, thank you very much for stopping by. If anything helped, that’s great!
I’m with you on the net working. It’s SO important. It’s also why I like smaller conferences rather than the massive ones. You can meet and chat with a lot more people in a smaller setting. .
~I totally agree. Hope all is going great on your end. Thanks for stopping by and I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season!
Sincerely,
Diana
Romance Edged With Danger
As always, Diana, thanks for attending to the BUSINESS aspect of our business! It’s so easy to fall back on the notion of “I got out of the business world – I’m a writer!”
But writing IS a business – and you point out successful strategies that are absolute imperatives for a writer to advance a career.
My personal fave? PLANNING.
Luv it, luv it!!!
Dawna Rand Says: As always, Diana, thanks for attending to the BUSINESS aspect of our business! It’s so easy to fall back on the notion of “I got out of the business world – I’m a writer!” But writing IS a business
~It is, and when writers grasp that, they’re one huge step ahead on numerous fronts.
and you point out successful strategies that are absolute imperatives for a writer to advance a career. My personal fave? PLANNING. Luv it, luv it!!!
~Planning is imperative, but so is educating yourself on the industry. I’m still on that learning curve. How can a writer set up a marketing plan if they are confused by the process? Hence, educating ones self. Thanks for stopping by, always fabulous to see you. I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season! *Hugs*
Sincerely,
Diana
Romance Edged With Danger
Hi Diana,
Thanks for the great post. Since getting my first contracts the last couple months, I find myself floundering a little, trying to figure out where my priorities should be, and how to balance my time. I like your advice on getting a solid offense. I’m going to devote more time to planning. Thanks again.
Diana,
Thanks for your take on the business side of writing. It can be so challenging. We need all the information we can find. And we need time to implement our plans. I’m still juggling which things come first in my writing. As an author, it’s important to write the best stories we can, and then be able to reach our readers.
Enjoyed the blog, Diana and Cindy. Great photo, Diana. Love it. 🙂
Kelly Ann Riley Says: Thanks for the great post.
~Hi Kelly, thank you so much for dropping by, and major congratulations on your sale!!!
Since getting my first contracts the last couple months, I find myself floundering a little, trying to figure out where my priorities should be, and how to balance my time.
~It’s a huge shift walking to the published side. At times it takes years to become published, and the author becomes caught up in the ‘sell’ aspect, they don’t realize the enormous amount of work on the promo end after the sale. One of my goals is to educate writers/make them aware of this aspect.
I like your advice on getting a solid offense. I’m going to devote more time to planning. Thanks again.
~To me, planning your promo in a sense puts you in ‘control’ of your career. It’s a very liberating move. Also, to me, I believe each author should focus on their strengths. Between writing and promo, it’s alot of work/time. Why add promo that you don’t enjoy? Like writing, people can tell when you like what you’re doing.
Take care, thanks for stopping by, and I wish you every success. Happy Holidays! *Hugs*
Sincerely,
Diana
Romance Edged With Danger
Great post, Diana! Very good advice!! I know that time management is the one I struggle with the most, and your tips are dead-on. Thanks for sharing!!
Jeanmarie Hamilton Says:
Thanks for your take on the business side of writing. It can be so challenging.
~Like every other business venture it is, but with proper planning, we can take control and excel in our field.
We need all the information we can find. And we need time to implement our plans.
~Which is why I recommend making your promo plan long before you sell. Once you have a book, you’ll hit the marketing ground running.
I’m still juggling which things come first in my writing. As an author, it’s important to write the best stories we can, and then be able to reach our readers.
~Exactly, a great story is your best sales pitch.
Enjoyed the blog, Diana and Cindy. Great photo, Diana. Love it.
~Thank you so much for stopping by, and I wish you continued success! Happy Holidays! *Hugs*
Sincerely,
Diana
Romance Edged With Danger
Laura Says: Great post, Diana! Very good advice!!
~Laura, thank you so much for stopping by. If anything helped, that’s what it’s all about.
I know that time management is the one I struggle with the most, and your tips are dead-on. Thanks for sharing!!
~Time management/priorities are essential. I’m not getting kickbacks for this, but I’m taking Margie Lawson’s Defeat Self-Defeating Behaviors class in January to ensure I’m working at my optimum.
http://www.margielawson.com/index.php/on-line-classes/january-defeat-sdb
~Take care and hope your achieve your every dream. Happy Holidays!
Sincerely,
Diana
Romance Edged With Danger
*I will check back over the next few days to see if anyone has left a comment.
My sincere thanks to Cindy for having me on Muse Interrupted! Another huge thanks to everyone who stopped by and commented. We are blessed to be able to craft stories, but as with everything, it is our responsibility to select/prepare a path for our success. My motto: Nothing By Chance. Take care and I wish you all every success!
Happy Holidays, I hope they are truly bless,
Sincerely,
Diana
Romance Edged With Danger
Sorry I somehow posted to Facebook! Thanks for the detour note, Cindy!
Diana–great tips! I’m a firm believer in planning and being wise enough to learn from others who’ve been there and already experienced the reality. I’m always inspired, thankful and amazed at how warm and generous romance writers are in our industry. We are so lucky! And the bottom line is–if you can help–try to. I agree with you on that. It’s the golden rule, I think. How you live . . . Thanks for a great post!
Marian
http://www.MarianPearsonStevens.com
I’m not a writer but this is great advice for anyone.
Great advice Diana. I work in a convenience store and i hear people say give me the cahs I want all my money. I roll my eyes and if I feel really nice I explain that you get approximatley half and then they’ll take out taxes. I hear them reply thats ok. I shrug but me personally I want PAYMENTS. See I won the Cash -5 way back in 1996 and the money vanished withint no time. Paying off bills buying this and that poof gone. So I think unless you’re uber good at handling the money, go with payments a good trust set up by a good financial advisor. I’m also a Tax Preparer, no not an accountant but I can do minor bookkeeping and I prepare federal and state income taxes. I didn’t dream when I went to work for a mjor chain after taking their class I’d be doing it in my home. Well here I am muddling along.
Marian Pearson Stevens Says:
Sorry I somehow posted to Facebook! Thanks for the detour note, Cindy!
~:) Hi Marian. Hey, detours sometime prove to be intriguing. And, you were able to get to know Cindy a bit better – she’s super nice!
Diana–great tips! I’m a firm believer in planning and being wise enough to learn from others who’ve been there and already experienced the reality. I’m always inspired, thankful and amazed at how warm and generous romance writers are in our industry. We are so lucky!
~I agree, there are so many amazing, positive people out there. I’ve been blessed along the way, and still am, at those who step out of their insane life to help mine. I’m truly thankful for each and every person.
And the bottom line is–if you can help–try to. I agree with you on that. It’s the golden rule, I think. How you live . . .
~I believe positive begets positive and feel thankful anytime I’m in a positive to help another person take a step toward their dream.
Thanks for a great post!
~My thanks for your stopping by. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season, and I wish you every success!
Sincerely,
Diana
Romance Edged With Danger
Linda Henderson Says: I’m not a writer but this is great advice for anyone.
~Hi Linda, thank you very much for stopping by and your kind comment. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season, and I wish you every success!
Sincerely,
Diana
Romance Edged With Danger
Kathy Crouch Says:
Great advice Diana. I work in a convenience store and I hear people say give me the cash I want all my money. I roll my eyes and if I feel really nice I explain that you get approximately half and then they’ll take out taxes. I hear them reply that’s ok. I shrug but me personally I want PAYMENTS. See I won the Cash -5 way back in 1996 and the money vanished within no time. Paying off bills buying this and that poof gone. So I think unless you’re uber good at handling the money, go with payments a good trust set up by a good financial advisor. I’m also a Tax Preparer, no not an accountant but I can do minor bookkeeping and I prepare federal and state income taxes. I didn’t dream when I went to work for a major chain after taking their class I’d be doing it in my home. Well here I am muddling along.
~Kathy, thank you very much for stopping by. To learn in invaluable, but to share the knowledge learned is what matters. A Tax Preparer, I took accounting in college. I did well, but my strength is in other venues. Take care, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season, and I wish you every success!
Sincerely,
Diana
Romance Edged With Danger
Thank you everyone for a great blogging day! Drum roll… Marian Pearson Stevens wins the copy of one of Diana’s books. Marian, please look for an email from me in your in box! Congratulations for winning, too.
My next guest blogger is Susan Lyons, December 1st. Hope to see you then!