“If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.” — Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
With the beginning of a new year, I always consider what my goals are for the new year. Most of us, I suspect, are pretty good at making “reasonable” goals. For example, I started a diet today. I don’t have a lot to lose, and I’ll hit my ideal weight in 30 days without a whole lot of work.
But if you want to be a writer, if you want to hit the Apex of your career, this might be the year to really stretch—to set some goals that terrify you.
For example, don’t just settle on “writing your next book.” Raise your sights. Set a goal to turn it into an “award-worthy” novel. Sure, you might not win any awards or even be nominated. But wouldn’t you feel better if you knew that that book was special? Don’t you think that your fans, agents, and movie producers would notice? Now is the time to begin considering how to up your game. You might even consider submitting it to some of the better contests.
And if you’re going to release a self-published book this year, don’t just throw it up on Kindle. Do something extra. Now is the time to begin planning how you will send it to professional reviewers or set up an electronic book tour. You may want to begin pre-selling six months in advance so that you can score high on the bestseller lists and get an extra push from your electronic publisher.
Do you want to turn your next book into a movie? You need to begin with the very conception of it. You need to ask yourself questions like, “How visual is this book going to be?” “Will it have a filmable budget?” “Will directors and actors see it as a vehicle to further their careers?” “Will fans enjoy this?” “What movies would this tale be similar too—and how is mine better?”
I worry that if I don’t begin thinking—and planning—big now, I’ll never really reach my long-term goals.
Yeah, my dreams are big. But I’m going to start living them now.
***
For the past several months, I’ve been thinking very seriously about how to help as many writers as possible for the lowest cost to them.
The answer was to start the Apex Writers Group–a closed group of writers where I can share information not only on how to write, but how to advance your career quickly, and where you can take classes and network with other fine, dedicated writers to help expand our expertise. Hundreds of people have already applied. If you would like to join, there are two ways:
Look at last Monday’s post here, http://mystorydoctor.com/do-y
Or send an email to dwolvert@xmission.com and type the word APEX.
