In a recent virtual writing workshop, the participants were chatting on ZOOM before the session started, and a writer who knows my work asked me, “How do you keep it all straight?” Meaning, all the tasks and activities associated with being my own publisher and publicist.

Sometimes I wonder myself.

First, I have planning experience. The last 10 years or so of my federal career, we were actively into planning, setting goals, figuring out the steps to meet those goals, etc. And meeting those goals was critical, but the outcome of that seemed illogical to me, i.e., you didn’t meet a goal, your budget got reduced; meet the goal and your budget got increased. I argued that not meeting a goal was a result of lack of resources and that I should get more money to address that. Logic is sometimes not Uncle Sam’s forte.

But I digress.

Planning appeals to me on two levels. One, I’m a bit obsessive compulsive. I like things all planned out with permutations and potential obstacles. Second, that corresponds with having been a pilot who had to use a checklist for everything.

For my authorship I have, you might say, a massive checklist, the 2021 Author’s Planner by Audrey Ann Hughey, who happens to be my marketing consultant. Regardless, this planner appeals to me because of that step-by-step checklist-like approach to planning and goal-setting. I start each year with an annual plan, break that down into monthly plans, then weekly plans, and finally daily plans–all in one, comprehensive, and flexible planner.

I honestly think without this planner, I’d lose track of half the stuff I’m supposed to do.

As Col. John “Hannibal” Smith used to say in The A-Team, “I love it when a plan comes together.” Thanks to my Author Planner, my plans do come together.

P.S. Look for the 2022 Author Planner coming soon. Oh, and you can also get an undated one to start at any point in the year. PAD