Career Plans, anyone?

Time to follow up on my revelations. So, I’ve decided upon funny medievals. That’ll be my brand. Last night I also put together a set of goals and a Master Plan. In a nutshell, I’m going to work on standing out from the crowd. I want my work to sparkle and to grab an editor by the throat. Every once in a while, I’ve seen those “moments” in my ms, but for the most part, I’ll call myself a Pleasant Read. I need to be more than that. I need to be a “D*mn, she’s Good! Read”.

So, in my process, I developed these questions.
Who I am: (define yourself and your genre as narrowly as possible–what I can stick to for 4-6 books)
What people will say when they read my books: (will they think of me as poignant? Funny? Heartwarming?)
When people see my name on a book, they will think this: (what emotion will they feel when they think of my books?)
How I’m going to get there: (immediate goals–the things I can control)
Who will I target: (who is my dream publisher?)
How will I stand out from the crowd? (this is the kicker. If I want to be the next Nora, I have to polish my own voice so that I am noticeably different from the rest).
What is my timeframe: (here’s where I broke it down by month)

I found that it helped me set a schedule. Of course, anyone will tell you I am overly analytical. I make lists, charts, and then throw them all away when I write. But sometimes the act of getting it down on paper helps me to get it into my head.

I’m also going through my bookshelf of tried and true medieval plots. The one that keeps coming up that is so OVERDONE is the one where the warrior hero conquers the heroine’s castle and she must MARRY him to SAVE her people. :confused2:

I’d love to see a warrior heroine who rides in on a horse, conquers the hero’s castle, and forces him to marry HER.