My 10 Year Plan
I've been inspired by my work on the Sell More Books Show and from reading Dean Wesley Smith's series on Killing the Sacred Cows of Indie Publishing to create a 10-year plan for myself. This is very bare bones, and I only have a little bit of time to create it. When I have a little more brainstorming time, I reserve the right to add as much as I can to it. Thank you to everyone who wrote into the show to provide some fantastic guidance for the development of this plan.
Between Now and January 1, 2015
Fiction: Finish and publish three novels in the Ted Saves the World series
Non-Fiction: Publish all outstanding workbooks in the 1,000 Creative Writing Prompts, Volume 2 series (5 workbooks) in English, German
Fanbase: 1,000 subscribers on BCWI, 200 subscribers on BryanCohen.com
Income: Earn $2,000 per month from self-publishing (currently averaging $1,250)
Support: Hire VA to work 10 hours per week for odds and ends
Miscellaneous: Develop better system for editing novels and vacations, migrate BCWI.com to WordPress and thoroughly clean it up
January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2015
Fiction: Publish final four novels in TSTW series and two companion novellas, place TSTW #1 in box set with other authors (Total: 7 novels, 2 novellas)
Non-Fiction: Co-author two books in 1,000 Creative Writing Prompts series, release 10 workbooks (Total: 8 prompt books, 31 workbooks)
Fanbase: 1,500 subscribers on BCWI, 700 subscribers on BryanCohen.com
Income: Earn $4,000 per month from self-publishing, become full-time author by October 13, 2015
Support: Hire VA to work 20 hours per week
Miscellaneous: Take at least three separate weeks of vacation with Amy
January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016
Fiction: Publish seven novels in spin-off series to TSTW and two companion novellas (Total: 14 novels, 4 novellas)
Non-Fiction: Co-author three books in 1,000 Creative Writing Prompts series, release 15 workbooks, box set (Total: 11 prompt books, 46 workbooks)
Fanbase: 2,000 subscribers on BCWI, 1,500 subscribers on BryanCohen.com
Income: Earn $6,000 per month from self-publishing
Support: Hire VA to work 30 hours per week, spend $500 per month on promotion
Miscellaneous: Consider starting our family, buying house, three separate weeks of vacation with Amy
January 1, 2017 - December 31, 2017
Fiction: Publish seven novels in second TSTW spinoff series OR completely new universe and two companion novellas (Total: 21 novels, 6 novellas)
Non-Fiction: Write one book on creativity. Co-author two books in 1,000 CWP series, release 10 workbooks. Join box set with other non-fiction authors. (Total: 13 prompt books, 56 workbooks, 1 creativity book)
Fanbase: 2,500 subscribers on BCWI, 2,500 subscribers on BryanCohen.com
Income: Earn $8,000 per month from self-publishing
Support: Hire VA to work 40 hours per week, hire childcare for 20+ hours per week, spend $1,000 per month on promotion
Miscellaneous: Go on multiple retreats if necessary to meet goals, treat Amy like a queen upon returning, three separate weeks of vacation
January 1, 2018 - December 31, 2018
Fiction: Publish seven novels in second or spinoff universe and two companion novellas (Total: 28 novels, 8 novellas)
Non-Fiction: Write creativity book, co-author two prompts books, 10 workbooks (Total: 15 prompt books, 66 workbooks, 2 creativity books)
Fanbase: 3,000 subscribers on BCWI, 3,500 subscribers on BryanCohen.com
Income: Earn $10,000 per month from self-publishing
Support: Hire 1 VA to work 40 hours per week, hire second VA for 20 hours per week, hire childcare for 20+ hours per week, spend $1,500 per month on promotion
Miscellaneous: Consider having second kid, go on retreats if necessary (treat Amy like a queen), three separate weeks of vacation
January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019
Fiction: Publish seven novels in second or spinoff universe and two companion novellas (Total: 36 novels, 10 novellas)
Non-Fiction: One creativity book, co-author two prompts books, 10 workbooks, fourth box set (Total: 17 prompt books, 76 workbooks, 3 creativity books)
Fanbase: 3,500 subscribers on BCWI, 4,500 subscribers on BryanCohen.com
Income: Earn $12,000 per month from self-publishing
Support: Hire VA to work 40 hours per week, second VA to work 20 hours per week, childcare 20+ hours per week, $2,000 per month on promotion
Miscellaneous: Two kids, life is crazy. Three weeks of vacation.
January 1, 2020 - December 1, 2020
Fiction: Publish seven novels in third universe and two companion novellas (Total: 42 novels, 12 novellas)
Non-Fiction: One creativity book, co-author two prompts books, 10 workbooks (Total: 19 prompts books, 86 workbooks, 4 creativity books)
Fanbase: 4,000 subscribers on BCWI, 5,500 subscribers on BryanCohen.com
Income: Earn $14,000 per month from self-publishing
Support: VA #1 for 40 hours per week, VA #2 for 40 hours per week, childcare 20+ hours per week, $2,500 per month on promotion
Miscellaneous: First kid to Kindergarten, yippie! Three weeks of vacation.
January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021
Fiction: Publish seven novels in third universe and two companion novellas (Total: 49 novels, 14 novellas)
Non-Fiction: One creativity book, co-author two prompts books, 10 workbooks, fifth box set (Total: 21 prompts books, 96 workbooks, 5 creativity books)
Fanbase: 4,500 subscribers on BCWI, 6,000 subscribers on BryanCohen.com
Income: Earn $16,000 per month from self-publishing
Support: VA #1 + #2 40 hours per week, hire VA #3 for 20 hours per week, childcare 20+ hours per week, $3,000 per month on promotion
Miscellaneous: First kid in 1st grade, 2nd kid three years old, three weeks of vacation
January 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022
Fiction: Publish seven novels in third universe and two companion novellas (Total: 56 novels, 16 novellas)
Non-Fiction: One creativity book, co-author two prompts books, 10 workbooks (Total: 23 prompts books, 106 workbooks, 6 creativity books)
Fanbase: 5,000 subscribers on BCWI, 7,000 subscribers on BryanCohen.com
Income: Earn $18,000 per month from self-publishing
Support: VA #1, #2 and #3 40 hours per week, childcare 20+ hours per week, $3,500 per month on promotion
Miscellaneous: First kid in 2nd grade, 2nd kid four years old, three weeks of vacation
January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2023
Fiction: Publish seven novels in fourth universe and two companion novellas (Total: 63 novels, 18 novellas)
Non-Fiction: One creativity book, co-author two prompts books, 10 workbooks, sixth box set (Total: 25 prompts books, 116 workbooks, 7 creativity books)
Income: Earn $20,000 per month from self-publishing
Support: VA #1-3 40 hours per week, childcare 20+ hours per week, $4,000 per month on promotion
Miscellaneous: First kid in 3rd grade, 2nd kid in Kindergarten, three weeks of vacation
January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024
Fiction: Publish seven novels in fourth universe and two companion novellas (Total: 70 novels, 20 novellas)
Non-Fiction: One creativity books, co-author two prompts books, 10 workbooks (Total: 27 prompts books, 126 workbooks, 8 creativity books)
Income: Earn $22,000 per month from self-publishing
Support: VA #1 - #3 40 hours per week, hire VA #4 for 20 hours per week, childcare 20+ hours per week, $4,500 per month on promotion
Miscellaneous: First kid in 4th grade, 2nd kid in 2nd grade. Three weeks of vacation.
Wow, that was pretty fun. Let me know what you think of my plan in the comments below.
Done with My 10 Year Plan? Go back to Marketing and Promotion.
Top Image: Flickr Creative Commons The Author by Streetwrk.com.
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Written by Bryan Cohen
Bryan Cohen is the author of more than 30 books, many of which focus on creative writing and blasting through that pesky writer's block. His books have sold more than 20,000 copies. You can find him on Google+ and Facebook.
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