by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Happy New Year! Hope everyone enjoyed their holidays.
One thing I like to do at the beginning of the year is planning. To me, setting up my year on my calendar isn’t really about goals–it’s just a way to help me visualize when I need to reach out to my production team for editing and design help (and to post upcoming releases on my website for readers to see my timeline). A reader once suggested that I have a ‘Coming Soon‘ page on my site to help her keep my releases straight, and I’ve found that works well.
Ways to stay organized:
Production calendar. I use my Google calendar and then I also put it on my wall calendar. First off, I know how long it takes me to write and revise a book from start to finish: three months. With that in mind, I know an approximate date to ask my editor for help with the book and to send ARCs to my ARC team. While my editor makes edits, I work on the outline for the next book in that same series. Then I contact my cover designer and ask her to make a cover for that book (a book that won’t come out for another seven months or so). I also start setting up my book for preorder online at Amazon, Draft2Digital (for Nook, Apple, Kobo, etc.), StreetLib, Ingram, and PublishDrive. I announce the preorder on social media and on my website. This process helps keep me on track and prevents any issues from arising that might result in the delay of a book.
Blog editorial calendar. I use OneNote for this, but lots of other apps would work (there is also a free download on Gabriela Pereira’s blog). In OneNote, I have a blogging notebook and then a blog editorial calendar section. I have one page that lists the date and the post name and then I use other pages in the section to draft ideas. Not only does it help me keep track of what I’m planning on posting, but I can also list ideas for posts in a spot that helps me remember them and eventually write them. I also enjoy looking at the entire past year of blogging at a glance. If you’ve ever wasted valuable time trying to think of blog posts at the last minute, this is the perfect tool for you.
Google Keep for reminders. Google Keep is a free app that will sync across your devices. It has a nice voice recording feature which helps me record book ideas on the fly. I also like that it can remind me of various things…especially since I think of tasks I need to complete when I’m falling asleep.
Google calendar. Because being organized isn’t just about keeping track of my writing. My Google calendar has everything on it from changing the air filters and the smoke detector batteries to dental appointments and cover conferences. (I do also put big stuff on a wall calendar so that I can more easily see conflicts).
Evernote. I use Evernote for everything from my recipe collection (including notes as to what worked and what bombed) to what I gave everyone for Christmas or their birthday each year.
The most important thing is to find out what works best for you in terms of staying organized and then stick with it.
What are your favorite ways to stay on top of things?
Photo on Foter.com
Your production calendar has me in awe…
I have a physical calendar for blogging things and use Siri to remind me of stuff.
I’m such a creature of habit that the production calendar is pretty easy for me!
I still like a physical calendar sometimes, too.
I’m with you, Elizabeth. The only way to get it done is to stay organized and to plan. Google Calendar is helpful to me. I also have to admit, I’m old-fashioned enough that I also use a paper calendar. That way I don’t have to toggle around or use both ‘phone and computer when I’m looking over what’s ‘due’ in a given day or week. I also break projects down before I plan ‘due dates.’ That way, nothing seems too overwhelming.
Breaking down big projects is so key! Good reminder.
I have a very detailed production calendar for DLP releases. It covers the time frame for each item and I check it off as it’s completed.
I can only imagine how hard that is! Easy enough for a single author (me), but it takes real organization to handle a stable of authors.
Wow, Elizabeth, you are scary organized! And, as Alex noted above, I’m in awe of your ability to produce a ready-for-editor book in three months. Way to go, girl!
P.S. – I’ve fallen off the blogging routine, but back in the day I would create draft posts in WP with ideas for future blog posts, including links and pics, then flesh them out later.
That’s a great way of doing blogging brainstorming, too. That way it’s already loaded into the platform with pics, etc!
For me, slow and steady wins the race! I have a modest daily goal, but I almost always hit it. :)
I definitely haven’t been organized enough! Time to get on that!!
Regardless, you get a lot done, especially with your teaching job!