Creating a Production Plan

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I’ve come to the conclusion that production plans are important for any prolific writer, whether they’re self-published, traditionally published, or a hybrid writer.

I was lucky enough with the deadlines for the two traditionally published series that the drafting didn’t (usually) happen at the same time.  Only once that I can remember did I have two books for two different series due at once.  That was…not fun.

But adding a third series into the mix meant I had even more stuff to juggle.  And with self-pub, you have to add other elements onto your calendar apart from the writing: contacting your team, approving a cover, going through the editing process with a freelancer, getting the book formatted, writing cover copy…it’s a lot.

A week ago, one of the members of my self-pub team contacted me to ask when she should put me on her calendar for editing this year.  This made me stop and think.  Production would certainly go a lot faster and smoother and launch deadlines would become firmer if I figured out my calendar for the year, got my team onboard with my calendar, and then simply followed the schedule I’d set.

I’ve heard other writers talk about their production schedules.  Writer Dean Wesley Smith recently posted on the importance of production schedules in his post “Think Like a Publisher 2014: Production and Scheduling.”  Writer J.A. Marlow even offers a free writing and publishing excel template.

I know how long it takes me to write a book (usually 3 months from start to edited finish).  I (roughly) know how long it takes to go through editing (usually 3-4 days for me to respond to edits), cover design process and approval (3 days usually), formatting (a day maybe).

I knew I had two trad-published deadlines this year and that I wanted to write two self-published books (possible because one of the trad-published books was handed in on Jan. 1. so only requires editing) .

I decided to make a list, as a hybrid writer, of all the things I’m responsible for doing (writing related and production related and a smidge of promo).  It looks like this:

Outline (required for trad-pub, now adopted for my self-pub)
Incorporate requested edits for both trad-pub and self-pub
Teaser chapters written, frequently before entire book is finished (trad. pub)
Write back cover copy/promo copy (self-pub)
Update website with launch dates, covers, cover copy, and sample chapters
Ensure I have enough ISBNs for all formats
Contact editor, formatter, cover designer to be put on their calendars (self-pub)
See if I have time to pass manuscript by beta readers
ACX up for audition after book is available on Amazon.
Proof ACX
Update bio, list of works
Create and send release newsletters to subscribers
Order proofs for CreateSpace
Upload to Smashwords, Nook, Kindle, CreateSpace.
Note releases on Facebook
Update Goodreads.  Consider Goodreads giveaway. Update my Amazon Author page.

Then I set up my calendar. The trick was to schedule the tasks, keep on schedule, think ahead, and see what steps can possibly even be combined.  I’ve currently turned in one trad-pub manuscript, have just finished a self-pubbed book, have outlined the next Penguin book, and am working on an outline for the next self-pubbed book now.  I’ve got a cover conference with my designer at the end of March…why not just get both self-pubbed books covered at once?  After all, I’ll have a completed outline for that book by then…I could just go ahead and write the cover copy and have that checked off my list.

I’m hoping that putting all of these separate steps on my calendar will help me to just automatically take care of these tasks instead of wasting time trying to remember what I need to do next…or by having to wait for my publishing team members because I forgot to contact them.

Do you set deadlines for yourself?  Does it help you stay on track?

Image: MorgueFile: dhester