For book/ebook authors, publishers, & self-publishers

Time Management Tips

Once the writing is over the difficult stuff starts: publishing and marketing. I am able to manage my time when I write. However, I am finding marketing time to be so unmanageable. How about some tips from others on how to manage time related to all the marketing aspects available out there. I am sure others could use them as well as myself.

Thanks!
Susie

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Permalink Reply by acagedheart on November 8, 2007 at 10:26am

Time management? Oooo, that's a tough one! Especially during Nanowrimo madness month. Some general things that help me find more time for all the promotion, marketing, etc. of Vanilla Heart and Caged Heart Publishing plus my own personal writing:

Always shower and dress before even looking at emails in the morning - if I don't, sometimes I am rushing into the shower right before dinner.

Set aside two or three short time periods throughout the day to 'do' emails - this way, you are not breaking your concentration every time your You Have Mail icon pops up and since email takes a whole different mental state than creative writing (for most people), you aren't jamming up the creative juices in email.

For me, chatting on IM is so counterproductive to accomplishing the stacks of things necessary each day for promotion and marketing, BUT the caveat there is that forums and chat groups can be a HUGE promotional tool, so I set my group emails to daily digest and wander through when I am relaxing before bed.

I strongly suggest making up a chart with each step and function of publishing. Just yesterday, in fact, I received my PMA newsletter with a fantastic step by step discussion and list. There are even a few things I had forgotten! What I do, is make an Excel spreadsheet for each manuscript on the publishing schedule for each of the imprints, with projected and expected dates, then print it out and attach to the title's file jacket, inside. As each step is completed, I check it off, and weekly I glance through to be sure that upcoming needs such as editors, formatters, printers, cover designers and designs, etc. are lined up and that I don't have to scramble around at the last minute to complete the step.

It may sound like a ton of work, but it really makes things simpler, I promise :)

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Permalink Reply by SusieSunshine on November 8, 2007 at 12:36pm

Thank you for your feedbck! I don't talk on IM. I always forget to turn it on. However, I find that emails and posting to groups is what takes a lot of my computer time and energy. Since I am wearing all the hats... I know, I know, we are not suppose to be doing that... I am finding it difficult to work on what needs to be done right away. Some days I get things done in most aspects, other days only in one and then I have forgotten something important in another one that should have been done.

Right now I am ready to go to print. I have done some pre-selling. I know the official publication date will be in March. So I have the printing part out of the way. Now on to the reviewers, right???? Now I have to learn a whole new area. *sigh* And all the while figure out how I want to market this book beyond pre-selling, website, newsletter, and physical mailings to contacts. I have taken marketing courses, read books on the subject and bought John's book. Which I think is better then the first two mentioned.

I guess I am a little dense on the Excel spreadsheet. I thought it was for finances. I can't visualize how you are using it. What is a PMA newsletter? I am sure once you tell me I will slap my head and go "duh, that's right." My brain is not in work mode yet today.

I sleep differently than most people. For instance, I went to bed at 6am and got up at 1pm. Some night I go to bed at 3am and get up at 10 or 11 am. My productive time (when I first get up) is taken up with hubby and having to drive him places or doing things with him. Then when he is done with me *grin* (I HATE having to drive him for ciggies.) I can get to do what I need to do with my book. If I don't come downstairs and can work in our bedroom then I get things done. However, the mac is downstairs and can't be moved upstairs. Those are my two worst problems with time management. I make lists of what needs to be done each day. If I ignore hubby or don't go anywhere I can get the whole list done.

So, any suggestions, short of 'offing' the old man, as to what I can do? (I really do love him. *giggle*)