#IWSG — Hop on Over

Okay, so the #NaNoWriMo event is over, but the Blog Hop is in full swing which is a fabulous marketing tool, especially for us fledging Indie authors who are trying to be all things to all people.  However, the intensity of that enterprise has caused me to lose my focus and I missed Wednesday’s Insecure Writers Support Group post.  Hopefully the lovely folks over at the #IWSG will not think unkindly on me.  After all, I’m somewhat insecure and terribly in need of support. 😉

December’s IWSG question is:

In terms of your writing career, where do you see yourself five years from now, and what’s your plan to get there?

Well, that’s easy. I see myself with a few more published novels and one book either optioned or in production for the movie version.   Dream big or go home, eh?

As far as my plan to get there, I’m going to keep doing what I’ve been doing which is increasing my author platform by doing some small thing almost daily, getting the word about my books, engaging reviewers who I hope will speak kindly of me and my work, speaking to interested audiences, blogging about the things I’m most passionate about, and basically trying any new thing that someone with more experience than I recommends.  NaNoWriMo was a new endeavor for me and I gained new writing friends just by being a part of it.  In addition, my twitter followers have increased by over two hundred people in the last couple days simply as a result of participating in the blog hop and there’s still over a week to go. So there’s that.

Everything takes time.  There is no Acela high speed line to your destination.  Plans must be laid.  Options considered.  Focuses must be focused.  And writing must continue.  I’ve got a great start on my next novel and will be working away at that until I get a usable first draft, probably in six to nine months.

In January I’m going to speak at our local Rotary about the environment, the UN’s Sustainability goals, and our current water crisis.  In February, I’m participating in #MTW, Mystery Thriller Week, on Facebook.  I’ll figure something else out for March and the months thereafter.  No one thing and everything will get me to my goal.

That’s the fun part, and the mystery.

p.j.lazos 12.9.16