Strategy? What Strategy?

Getting organized (again!) reignited my creative writing fire

Doing book marketing is like going to work every day and discovering at least 15 new things you need to learn about and then implement. 😵‍💫

How to stay on track? How to have an overall content strategy when you keep discovering other things and places and tasks you need to do?

Doing lots of learning and research, I can easily get lost and distracted - you too? Luckily, I am not counting research as a task, so I have to keep plunging ahead. Keeping a list really helps. You’ll be ASTONISHED at how much I managed to do last week.

Her Lisbon Colors in the Wild

It’s an honor to be included on Alyson Stanfield’s list of 35 + novels about artists. This is a great collection that will keep people who are fascinated by the creative process entertained for months. Check Alyson’s list out here.

My new LumberJane overalls! OMG I will LIVE in these while camping. SUPER psyched to have discovered Rivers Clothing Company in Frisco, CO. (I made up the LumberJane name. Yes, I did chop wood wearing these.) Thank goodness for a husband who knows how to take a flattering photo!

Getting a strategy

I realized that I did not have an overall strategy for what I am putting out there. In truth, once the launch happened, I stopped posting about the book.

But when I read Kathleen Schmidt’s recent piece about search and discoverability, the line that jumped out to me was “an overall content strategy - and you do need one.”

This told me to pull the bus over and make some plans. Using some of the ideas I had generated back in early spring, I chose three overall categories of posts and made a 30-day plan for posting. This felt great, especially when I dove in and drafted three posts. Ahhhh…writing again! And doing what I have been craving - talking/writing about the themes of the novel.

All of this takes time and patience. I have to remember the other work I do - my coaching clients, my coaching group, the other teaching and writing I do. Promoting Her Lisbon Colors could easily absorb all my time.

But it was worth it. After generating a list of prompts for my posts based on overall categories for my content, everything became much more fun.

It seems like a long time since I have gotten lost in writing. It’s been inching my way up task mountain every day since March. Getting back to what I really love - telling stories, choosing words that feel fun - what a relief.

Read on for the astonishing list of 21 things I did this week for the novel. I can’t do just ONE task per day! Lots of links and inspiration in this list for you.