According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, a milestone is “a significant point in development.” Writers can reach a lot of milestones. In fact, that’s part of the writing process.
One milestone is to begin plotting your first book. Even if you’re a “pantser” — you write by the seat of your pants rather than starting with an outline or well-planned plot–your mind will be working on your story, and, yes, that’s a milestone when you begin.
Starting to write is another. Finishing a first draft is another. Finishing a polished story is yet another.
Then there’s the publication process. There are different ways to approach it these days. If you want to be traditionally published, you’ll probably attempt to reach the milestone of obtaining an agent. Or, you may just go directly to a potential publisher with a proposal. Getting your manuscript accepted by one or both constitutes more milestones.
If you self-publish, the process is different, but you’ll still hit milestones–determining how and where you’ll publish, getting your manuscript in the right form for publication, and then, finally, getting your new book out there in print or e-book form or both, for people to buy and read it.
Either way, promotion also sometimes achieves milestones — getting your first review. Getting your first really good review. Throwing your story out there on social media. And milestones in actual sales.
This year, I’m hitting some milestones of a different kind. I’ve been traditionally published for many years — and this year, at the Romance Writers of America Annual Conference to take place soon in Denver, Harlequin will be acknowledging, in its 2018 Author Achievement Awards, that I’ve reached my 25th Book Milestone with them.
And as this year progresses, I’ll have two more Harlequin books published… and the second, my last Harlequin Nocturne paranormal romance since the line is closing, will be a milestone event, too. Including all my other books including mysteries, it will be my 50th published novel!
So yes, this year I’m particularly jazzed about milestones. But whatever stage of writing a writer happens to be in, whatever way they choose to be published, milestones can occur anytime.
What’s your latest milestone?
The Writers in Residence 
Wow. 50!! That’s golden if you were talking anniversaries. Congratulations, Linda. You are an inspiration.
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Thanks, Jackie. I just keep on writing, and those milestones just seem to creep up on me.
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Linda, You certainly make a great point that we all need to set those goals and click off the milestones as we pass them and hopefully keep up the journey, because without those first steps we will never get anywhere.
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I didn’t start out thinking of all those things as milestones, but they were certainly fun as they happened–and still happen!
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Linda, congrats on your 25th with Harlequin. And for reaching 50! You’re truly inspiring.
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Thanks, Maggie. I just keep on writing because it’s what I do!
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Congratulations on your newest milestone. Fifty is quite an accomplishment. As you pointed out, “Keep writing” is the key. Good advice for us all.
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Thanks! It’s fun to look back at what’s already occurred–and ahead at what I hope will still come,
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Congratulations, Linda! Your accomplishments are truly inspirational for me. Milestones are excellent goals, markers of achievements, and points of joy when achieved. Excellent reminders of how important they are.
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Thanks! And milestones are things we all can achieve, even if each of us accomplishes different ones.
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Congratulations on your award – and your many milestones! That is such a better way of looking at our deadlines and gives a really positive marker for each thing we accomplish. Instead of feeling bad at what we have missed – marking each accomplishment as a milestone! Thanks, Linda.
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Thanks, Rosemary. It is fun looking at many things that we accomplish as milestones–and going on to the next!
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