These are the tentative plans for what I’d like to accomplish with WriterSanctuary. They are listed in order with the accompanying requirements before each one is launched.
If you’d like to help me achieve these milestones, feel free to share the content on the site. The more people who visit, the easier it will be to unlock each one of these projects.
WriterSanctuary’s Current Roadmap
To gamify the roadmap, especially for me, each one has an “unlock” requirement. This means that those requirements have to be met before we move on to that particular project.
These are subject to change at any time, but they are the most up-to-date projects I’d like to accomplish for WriterSanctuary.
Community Writing Challenges
Requirements:
- 200 Blog visits per day
- 400 YouTube views per day
The writing challenges will be focused on building a writing community of authors, especially those who are self-published. The idea is to challenge ourselves while celebrating our achievements publically.
Virtual Writing Retreat
Requirements:
- 250 Blog visits per day
- 500 YouTube views per day
As it’s easier for people to attend writing retreats from around the globe, we’ll be doing these virtually. At the moment, I’m working on ways to adapt this into the WriterSanctuary Discord server.
Writing & Blogging Online Courses
Requirements:
- 350 Blog visits per day
- 700 YouTube views per day
- $26 / Day Ad Revenue
The online courses will cover a variety of topics, all centered around writing in some fashion. The first of these may be more focused on WordPress and blogging, but will eventually include various aspects of self-publishing and creative writing.
Social Media for Readers and Writers
Requirements:
- 400 Blog visits per day
- 800 YouTube views per day
- $30 / Day Ad Revenue
The social media addition will focus on readers and writers. This may become part of the WriterSanctuary website or have an entirely separate domain. The idea is to connect readers with their favorite authors without the dumpster fire that is prevalent in most social media platforms.
Writing Contests w/Prizes
Requirements:
- 500 Blog visits per day
- 1000 YouTube views per day
- $37 / Day Ad Revenue
The idea behind the writing contests is to not only give away prizes and cash but to market the authors to help them develop an online presence. One of the ideas floating around is to self-publish and print an anthology of the winners to share in the royalties of the book.
In-Person Writing Retreat
Requirements:
- 600 Blog visits per day
- 1200 YouTube views per day
- $44 / Day Ad Revenue
Like the virtual counterpart, I’d like to host in-person writing retreats focused on meeting and networking with anyone in the publishing space. These will probably turn out to be more of mini-vacations for authors, and I have ideas for some luxurious experiences.
No, it will not be like Fyre Festival.
Online Indie Bookstore
Requirements:
- 700 Blog visits per day
- 1400 YouTube views per day
- $52 / Day Ad Revenue
Unlike many other online bookstores, I plan on promoting individual books through paid advertisements to help generate sales for the authors. That’s part of the reason why I have an “ad revenue” requirement for this one in particular.
Selling Premade Book Covers
Requirements:
- 1000 Blog visits per day
- 2000 YouTube views per day
- $73 / Day Ad Revenue
As part of the online store, I would like to open a section for artists to sell premade book covers to authors. However, I am still debating on creating a separate store specifically for author products and services for this.
WriterSanctuary Sponsored Author Event
Requirements:
- 2000 Blog visits per day
- 4000 YouTube views per day
- $146 / Day Ad Revenue
The ultimate step for WriterSanctuary is to sponsor and host author events. This includes securing venues, promotional materials, and helping indie authors get recognized in various communities across the United States.
This also means hiring professional public relations and event managers. I’m not arrogant into thinking I can do something like this on my own.
Of course, to put as much effort into this as possible, I would have to retire from freelancing altogether, hence the ad revenue requirement. Essentially, the ad revenue alone guarantees that I can retire from freelancing if I haven’t by this point.
Again, not Fyre Festival for authors! I want to do it the right way.
Why the Requirements?
First and foremost, as I mentioned earlier, the requirements are more of a way to gamify building the brand. Each “level” gets unlocked when the achievements are made.
I know, it sounds a bit geeky. But there are also logical reasons behind why I am doing it this way.
The Traffic
As I work to build the brand, I need time to research all of the projects on this list. I want to have as much time to build the best versions of these as possible.
Instead of trying to do them all at once, there is a lull in between them to ensure I can plan out each one correctly and in the best interest of WriterSanctuary and her audience.
For instance, the blog will need 60,000 visitors per month before I start planning the author events. By then, the blog should be able to afford to hire professionals while giving me plenty of time to research the best and worst-case scenarios.
The Ad Revenue
The ad revenue requirements are the base of what I need to pay for premium tools and services for each project. I have no doubt that I’ll make more money through affiliate and sponsored content, but I need that cushion to make sure all of the bases are covered and paid for.
For some of the projects that will need marketing budgets, the ad revenue will also help offset those costs. Besides, affiliates may come and go, but Google is forever.
How ominous is that?