March Reset Week 3: How to Use a 90 Day Writing Plan to Reach Your Quarterly Writing Goals

Welcome to week three of our March reset blog series.

Over the past two weeks, we’ve looked at what’s already in place—what’s working, what isn’t, and where we may be unintentionally slowing ourselves down.

This week, we shift forward into something many writers struggle with: how to create a realistic plan that helps you write consistently—without burning out.

Why Quarterly Writing Goals Work Better Than Yearly Plans

I don’t remember exactly when I first heard about quarterly planning as an author. But I do know that as a teacher, I used quarterly planning all the time. Our grading periods were structured that way, so it made sense to treat each quarter as a clean slate.

When I began applying this structure to my writing life—and my overall author business planning—I noticed a shift almost immediately. I felt more in control of what was right in front of me.

Now, I’m not saying you should stop doing your yearly publication planning. It’s important to be able to look ahead and have a long-term vision.

But let me ask you this:

How often does your January plan actually play out exactly as expected by December?

If your answer is “every time,” I would genuinely love to read your process.

For most of us, though, reality looks a little different. What we plan in January—when the year

March Reset Week 3

feels wide open—rarely unfolds in exactly the way we imagined.

If you’ve ever felt like you should be writing more, publishing faster, or somehow doing more with your time—but can’t quite make your schedule work—this is exactly where quarterly planning can help.

Instead of setting ourselves up for disappointment, we can break that big yearly vision into something more flexible and achievable: quarterly writing goals.

Step 1: Start with Your Big-Picture Author Business Planning

Begin by listing everything you want to accomplish this year.

Think big here.

In a perfect world—where you are never tired, sick, overwhelmed, or pulled in other directions—what would you achieve?

This list might include:

• Book launches

• Social media campaigns

• Drafting new novels

• Revising existing manuscripts

• Learning or improving marketing strategies

This becomes the foundation of your author business planning for the year.

Step 2: Break Goals Into a 90 Day Writing Plan

Now we take that big list and make it usable.

Instead of trying to tackle everything at once, break each major goal into a 90 day writing plan.

Start by identifying the four major phases of completing a book or writing project:

• Finish Draft

• Revise

• Edit/Format

• Launch/Promotion

These are not your small, daily tasks yet—these are your core categories.

Step 3: Turn Big Goals Into Actionable Tasks

Under each category, begin listing what actually needs to happen.

For example:

Finish Draft

• Daily or weekly word count goals

• Scene planning

• Scheduled writing sessions

If you are working toward a 90,000-word manuscript within a 90 day writing plan, that breaks down to roughly 1,000 words per day.

Every day. For 90 days.

And right about here, many writers start to see the challenge.

Because writing doesn’t happen in isolation.

You’re not just drafting—you’re often revising, editing, planning, and managing other responsibilities at the same time.

Step 4: How to Plan a Book Launch Timeline Within Your 90 Day Writing Plan

This is where many writers begin to feel overwhelmed.

We plan as though we have unlimited time and energy, and then feel discouraged when we can’t sustain that pace.

Instead, your quarterly plan should help you clearly see:

• What is realistic in the next 90 days

• What needs to be prioritized

• What may need to wait

Understanding how to plan a book launch timeline is an important part of this process.

A book launch is not a single task—it’s an entire phase that includes:

• Preparation

• Marketing setup

• Content creation

• Audience engagement

When you include this in your quarterly writing goals, you create space for it instead of trying to fit it in at the last minute.

Step 5: Adjust Your Plan Based on Reality (Not Guilt)

This is where quarterly planning becomes especially valuable.

At the end of each 90-day period, take time to assess:

• What worked

• What didn’t

• What needs to shift

Then adjust your plan accordingly.

Not because you’ve failed—but because you’ve learned what works for you.

For example, if you are on deadline for a project and find yourself behind, a passion project may

March Reset Week 3

need to be set aside for the next quarter.

That isn’t giving up—it’s thoughtful, strategic author business planning that supports your long-term goals.

Step 6: Build a Flexible System That Works for You

Your 90 day writing plan does not have to look like anyone else’s.

Some writers prefer to:

• Focus on one category at a time

Others choose to:

• Work across multiple categories throughout the quarter

That choice is entirely yours—and your quarterly reassessment will help you understand what works best for you.

The goal is not perfection.

The goal is progress that feels sustainable.

Your Action Step: Create Your Quarterly Writing Goals

For this week:

1. Look at your yearly writing goals

2. Choose one or two priorities for the next quarter

3. Break each into four categories:

   • Draft

   • Revise

   • Edit/Format

   • Launch

4. List the tasks required for each category

5. Build your 90 day writing plan from those tasks

Simple. Flexible. Effective.

What’s Next in the Series

Next week, we’ll look at how to pivot away from goals that aren’t working—and how to decide when it’s time to set a project aside or move on entirely.

If you’re new to the March reset series, you can start with the earlier posts on reassessing your yearly writing goals and reviewing your current writing systems here:

The March Goal Slump

How to Stay Motivated as A Writer