by Jay Hartman
The blank slate.
There are few things more intimidating than a blank computer screen, pure white paper, a whiteboard begging to be written on and dry-erased, or a clean chalkboard, black, gleaming and waiting for a piece of chalk to make that screeching noise.
Why does something that should give us positive vibes fill us with anxiety? We should feel eager to fill these empty spaces with new thoughts, ideas, and grand plans. And yet so many of us get stuck, pen or marker in hand, trying to figure out what our next move is. If you’re like me, this is followed by procrastination, snacks, and a vow to tackle it tomorrow.
January is usually the month of new beginnings, when we try to get on track for what we want to accomplish in the new year. In the past I didn’t put much stock in the idea. In the world of publishing, I dealt with work in the pipeline from the past year. Nothing changed from year to year, just the timing and scheduling.
This year is different. I’m starting over with Misti Media, my new publishing house. It means more thought and planning. How many titles in what time frame? What’s the budget per title, cover, and proofreading? What kind of marketing and promotion? Which authors do I want to acquire? I have to be organized to pay royalties and send tax forms.
These thoughts and ideas pass through my mind as I stand at the whiteboard, marker in hand, and feel overwhelmed about where to start. Back to bed with a box of Wheat Thins sounds appealing. I can’t do that. As an author, you shouldn’t do it either.
Authors plan their work and ideas in different ways. Some use index cards or specialized software. Some make notes on napkins or scrap paper and struggle to read them later. How you plan isn’t nearly as important as ensuring you have a plan.
Looking at previous columns, I see January is when I’ve suggested authors look at their careers and books and think about what they want from the year ahead. It was easy for me to say because I didn’t have to walk the walk. Now I have a better understanding of the struggle with that blank piece of paper.
This year let’s do something different. Let’s build a community to help hold each other accountable for completing tasks to achieve our writing and publishing goals. Leave a reply in the comments below 01with what you want to accomplish. What’s your plan? Where do you need help? Where are you stuck? As a group we can help each other get past those hurdles so we can move forward instead of curling up on the sofa with Netflix and a gallon of ice cream.
Looking to get The Publisher Perspective? Send your questions to jhartman@mistimedia.com with TPP in your subject line.
Jay A. Hartman, founder of Untreed Reads Publishing, promotes ebooks with an emphasis on independent authors and publishers. He’s written about the ebook industry for fifteen years and previously served as content editor for KnowBetter.com, one of the internet’s oldest sites reporting on ebooks and epublishing.
