My Step-by-step Plan for How I Will Get Published Before the World Ends

Maybe you've heard, but we only have about two more years to live life as we know it.  According to the Mayans, the Hopi, and several other of those "vague but true" prognosticators, this is it.  So what are you waiting for?  Get out there and "Party like it's 1999", people.  Or something like that.  Anyone?  Anyone?

Okay, so maybe I don't buy that stuff any more than you do, but it has started me thinking about my own goals and dreams.  I don't think it's any secret to anyone who has chanced to look at my blog that I like to write and hope to publish.  However, until I had a little scare with mortality last year, I maintained that it was something I would do someday.  But the reality is, someday may be too late.  For all I know, the world will end tomorrow (disclaimer: no one has predicted that, so don't panic).

Another interesting tidbit that I came across was Kresley Cole's plan to get published.  She is one of my all-time-fave authors, and I fret and whine until her next book comes out because I love her Immortals After Dark series so very much.  Her next installment comes out this month, and I. Can't. Wait.

Interesting factoid, her husband and she were competitive athletes before settling into their current lives and when it came to publishing, she honed her writing skills the same way she prepared for athletic competitions--she worked hard at them.  On her website, she gives the following advice to aspiring writers and outlines the publication plan she had for herself:

"If you're set on publishing, then don't dabble. Decide if you're in or you're out. Then do whatever it takes to achieve your goals. I had a “25” plan. At any given time, I would have my writing out in 25 myriad forms—either contests, critiques, agent queries, publisher queries, etc. I believe you have to jump in with both feet."

Right now I have my writing out to three online publishers, one critique, and one contest.  Five down and 20 to go to catch up to Ms. Cole.  Truth is, I don't forsee being able to get things out in quite the same way, so here is my own plan:

Write 750 words five days a week (any five).  I have to be realistic considering I have a day job, a counseling internship, a husband, and three children.  Right now I have the rule of "5" in place.  I think I will add one a month, so that by December, I will have 16 pieces out in various places.  Now that means that when one rejection or (fingers crossed) acceptance comes in, I have to buck up and send another out to replace it.  It also means, I have to keep writing.  I have to submit more than one article or story if I'm going to get published before the world ends.

So, what do you think?  Is it doable?  Is it even realistic?  I'll let you know how it goes.  If you have a plan  you'd like to share, post a comment here.  I love to hear about others' roads to publication.

Happy Writing!