We've talked a little bit about goals and resolutions for writers in 2008.
I took some time today to review my domain names and their expiration dates. As it turns out, I currently have 43 domain names (still a good bit, although much fewer than I used to have, and that's not counting about five .infos I may give away just to unload).
As I've mentioned here before, my biggest plan for 2008 is to move more away from providing services, and move more towards publishing (Web publishing, self-publishing, e-books, and pitching my first book proposal). I started breaking down my domain names into priority groups. Eight of them made the cut as "A" domains, which will serve as the backbone for my increased Web publishing efforts. Here are the primary sites / blogs I'll be focusing on in 2008:
- AudioXposure.com - This is my indie music webzine, and my first content site ever launched. It's being moved onto a blog platform but being run more as an online magazine. It's also going through a design change and having several features added including an indie music directory, forums, and possibly band and venue profiles. I'm also hoping to eventually add a music media directory (although I don't expect that next year). I'm really hoping to push this site back to the forefront, as it's also going to serve as a marketing vehicle for a series of self-published books targeting indie musicians.
- All Freelance Writing - Yep, this blog is one of my top sites. It's probably the one I post most often to right now. I don't have a lot of big plans for it other than to keep the comment contest ongoing in 2008, and to launch an e-book writing challenge as proposed by readers here in the comments recently. If you have suggestions for things you would like to see added, do let me know. If anything, my focus will be on releasing the writers' guidelines database (which will be on a separate domain although tied to this blog), and working to increase activity on the writing forums.
- NakedPR.com - This is my Public Relations blog, and where I really have some fun. I'll be keeping it that way, with my primary goal to simply post more regularly, and possibly put together a few big spoof-style projects pointing to issues in the PR industry.
- All Book Marketing - This blog was launched not too long ago, actually as a spin-off of AllFreelanceWriting.com. I really want to push this one in 2008, especially interviews, because it's going to be the launch vehicle for an upcoming e-book.
- Free Press Release Writing Guide - My biggest goal with this blog is actually just to keep adding to it. It's also not meant to be a conversational blog, so I doubt I'll be posting a lot here. I'm mostly interested in creating new niche press release templates, and adding a few more resources of the linkbait variety (this topic tends to monetize well for me when I cover the right topics).
- Jhmattern.com - This is my business site, so it's a given that it's going to be a top priority. It's being re-designed, moved to WordPress, and having an official company blog added all in early 2008 with any luck.
Aside from those projects, major goals for 2008 include my e-book on pre-launch buzz for authors, revamping and expanding my press release writing e-book, an e-book on pre-launch buzz for launching a blog or website, the first in a self-published series for indie musicians (The Indie Black Book Series), and my first nonfiction book proposal to be pitched to publishers.
Just to give you an idea of other projects I'll be working on if and when I have time next year, here are most of the other domains, and what they'll become:
- AllBusinessWriting.com - not sure if it's going to be a blog or static site, but at first it will just be informational with some ads placed for revenue.
- AllPRWriting.com - same plan as the previous domain for now, just so they at least start paying for themselves.
- AllFreelancing.com - the old forum domain. I'll keep it redirected still for a while, but eventually I may re-use it or sell it.
- BlogGig.com - This was originally a blog on blogging and blogging jobs which was later merged with Chicktech.net, which was in turn re-named Jentrepreneur.com. I'll likely sell this domain.
- CreativeSelfPromotion.com - This one's definitely being re-launched in 2008, b/c it's a lead-up to the book proposal I plan to pitch.
- CWriter.com - I'll likely make a small copywriting site here and either monetize it through ads or sell it after a few months.
- Epressoffice.com - I probably won't get to this one in 2008. The plan is to eventually host online newsrooms for businesses at this site.
- FreeDeepLinks.com - This directory will die and become InfoLovers.com. Definitely happening in '08.
- iFreelancing.com - I really want to launch something hear in the new year. I'm just not sure what yet.
- Jennifer-Mattern.com - I may relaunch my personal blog here, but I'm not counting on having the time.
- PRbeat.com - This is the domain I have reserved for my next big project - a press release distribution site. I want it launched in 2008, but I don't know if programming-wise it'll be ready. I'm still focusing on talking to media folks for input, and then it has to go through the design, programming, and pre-launch marketing phases. This one's going to be done "right."
- WomenWebmasters.net - This one was registered with the intention of becoming a forum. I'm not making it a priority right now though, so don't count on seeing it in 2008.
- WriterReferals.com / WriterReferrals.com (registered the misspelling to avoid lost traffic) - This is another huge project that I'm still trying to figure out logistically. I wanted it launched next year, but it may not happen, so no promises. It's intended to become a writer referral network unlike any of the freelance job sites currently around.
- 3BeatMedia.com - I plan on incorporating under this name hopefully in 2008 to separate my publishing (at this company) from my PR work (my existing firm). This entirely depends on when we move though, which could be anywhere from the first of the year through the summer. If he haven't found a house by that point, I may just do it wherever we are then.
- AllFreelanceWritingJobs.com - I'm considering breaking this domain off of this site again, as the jobs ranked enormously better in search engines on their own domain. I'm still considering it though.
- Chick-Flicks.net - I keep toying with this one and never do much with it on the backend. I'll most likely set up a blog or static site here and then sell it off after a couple of months, depending on how it's monetizing.
- ChickTech.net - This one's now jentrepreneur.com. I don't know if I'll keep this domain active and re-directed for a full year or not.
- eWritingJobs.com - Considering another writing jobs site which I'll launch and sell off. Or perhaps I'll make it a classifieds site for writing gigs and keep it. I don't know anything for sure yet.
- FadMarketing.com - I used to love this blog. I later merged it with BizAmmo.com, and I just don't think it was a good fit. If I find the time (it would only take a solid day), I may break it off again into its own site to go back to exposing marketing fads.
- PRwritingkit.com - This is where I'll be selling the expanded press release e-book, so it will obviously launch in '08.
- AboutGreenLiving.com - I'd like to make myself post more regularly here next year to take advantage of the niche.
- Writers-Guidelines.com - This is where the writers' guidelines database / collection tied to this site will launch in 2008.
- IndieBlackBook.com/.net - This will have to be set up before I self-publish the first book in the series.
There are a few others, but for more confidential projects, where I don't plan to make my ownership really known at least at first. But anyway, that gives you a good representation of what I'll be working my butt off with in '08. I have a feeling it's going to go back more to my old work schedules, although I'll be trying really hard to force myself to take time off. Either that or I'll really have to break down and bring in some subcontractors. There's always way too much to think about. But this is where I want my focus going, so it's going to be the priority. And while the list can look long, anything blog-related (and even things like directories) really only take me a day to get set up.
So what kinds of things will you be working on in the new year?
Wow – you have tons of goals, I mentioned mine on one of the entries, in the comments (going back there to print that) — I am going on vacation home to Michigan to see my family for about 3 weeks, so I’m going to have a lot of time to work on editing my book that i started in nov — editing my ebook and making it double + in size, start working on my “how to” or “_____ 101” short books — and to think of other ideas. I’m also launching a magazine with the site I helped cofound – www.thinkgirl.net — Lots of great things in 2008. I believe it might be the best yet!!!
43 domain names?! How do you keep up with that? Makes my head hurt thinking about it! You must be incredibly organized.
My goal for 2008 is to shift to becoming a full-time problogger and finish a (chick lit) novel.
@Jenn> The blog I was talking about is an established blog in the tech niche. I kept delaying replying to your question because I wanted my next post to be good news. I’m happy to say, I got the gig as well as another one in the same niche. Thanks for wishing me well, Jenn. I truly appreciate it. ♥
@Kathleen – yes, it can seem like a lot. It’s actually less than half of what I used to have though. 😉
@ Mariella – Congratulations on getting the gig. 🙂
@Jenn> Thanks! 😀
Do you also own the chicktech.com domain?
Still working on my list of goals. I’ll come and post later on the week, when the list is ready.
Hi! Check out my new blog, writing goals, and post yours!
So, finally, here are my goals. I decided to keep the list short and to give myself the chance to add new ones as the year goes on.
Finish my novella
Earn a minimum of 2500/month (I averaged 1800/month this year, so my goal isn’t so far off)
Break into in-flight magazines
Write/market new e-book
Get more clips from print magazines (as opposed to writing mostly for the web)
I’m changing one of my goals. Instead of committing to 2500 a month, I’ll try the $100/day challenge posted on a couple of blogs. I’ll do it the smart way, though. No slaving 9-10 hours to earn that kind of money. I’m shooting for no more than 5-6 hours a day, and that includes research, interviews, and actual writing.
I’m going to make a work schedule for myself — not time wise, but perhaps — 1 hour to answer emails/update blogs/comment to blogs — then 1 hour to writing my book — and 3-4 hours on projects/editor responsibility for magazine, etc.
I wanted to do something similar but since I’ll be leaving to work on the Lonely Planet stuff, I’m not sure how many hours (or even which ones) I’ll have free, so I think I’ll just handle it on a day-to-day basis. I think a more general to-do list will work better for me right now, but I like the idea of a work schedule for later on.
@Mariella – No, I don’t own ChickTech.com, which is why I settled for the .net (which I actually don’t use anymore).
Since the ChickTech.com domain is parked, I’m assuming somebody already reserved it. I was reading an interesting discussion in the WHAM message board about writers who make money by creating full websites (complete with articles/e-books, etc) and then sell them. I’d never heard about this before and I have to say I’m quite intrigued (the discussion is here: ). Since you have a few domain names, I’m wondering if you’ve ever considered doing this (or have done it in the past) and what do you think of the idea.
I did do that in the past. It was a business finance blog. I reserved a set of my PLR articles for that (out of the total available), and added a few unique posts. I used a free WordPress theme, and included a link on my business blog (which was then a PR6 site, so it helped the sale). I don’t think it really had any income at the time. I sold the site for $350. I’m considering doing something similar with a few other domains I have sitting around, although I’ll probably monetize them a few months before deciding to sell or keep them for ad revenue.
So it is worth it, then. I think my biggest concern is not knowing how to market the site. I don’t want to put all that work (and investment of time and money) into a website that I won’t be able to sell later. But I’ll be looking into it more over the next couple of months and see how I can best approach it.
Mine sold higher than a lot do when they’re new like that for a few reasons:
1. I sold it in a forum where I’d built up a lot of reputation already.
2. I had the selling point of it being within my writing specialty, and was able to compare it to what they’d pay for that quantity of unique content from me.
3. I had that high-ranked and relevant link to offer (for which other people were paying $50 / month) as an added bonus.
It’s not something I’d recommend for most writers. I wouldn’t expect more than $50-150 or so for most that I’d try to sell if I wanted it done quickly.
I’d suggest you look around the site sales forum at DigitalPoint to get an idea of what some of these types of sites are selling for.
I spend an hour or so looking through the DigitalPoint forums and it seems that most websites sell for about $50. Quite a big difference to what you mentioned! Not sure if it’s worth the time invested and the effort to get everything set up for that price. Again, this may be a case where having the connections and the built-up following can pay off. Maybe something to consider later on.
*spent* 🙁 what’s up with my grammar and spelling lately??