The old adage, “Plan your work, work your plan,” is a truism.

You need a written plan to write and publish your works. And you need to follow that plan. Make yourself accountable to the plan milestones and deadlines you set.

• Get your thoughts on paper. Then arrange them is a simulated order.
• Write the book. Don’t worry about punctuation, grammar or wording. Just get it down.
• Edit. This takes the largest amount of time for writing your manuscript. Change words and sentences to make interesting and fit the style you want. Correct grammar and spelling. Research facts for the time period your story is set in; IE: “The woman walked into her office and hit the play button on her answering machine.” If your book is set in the sixties, she didn’t have an answering machine. The first reel-to-reel Phone-Mate was made available to the public until 1973! Check the sequence of advents to make sure of the correct order, and the right characters are involved in each scene, and privy to what is being discussed.
• Proof, proof, proof. Read and re-read. Every time you go through your work you’ll make more corrections. Have someone else read your book. Undoubtedly more corrections and changes. Double check your layout and format.
• Complete ancillary tasks. The blurbs, cover, back action pages, and author bio.
• Publish your book.
• Order and proof hard copy. Make final revisions.
• Release the final product.

No plan, no accountability, no book!