Slow down to Speed Up! Realistic Planning for 2026 {ep. 199}
December 9, 2025
In this Momentum Monday episode, Alexa challenges the rush-rush-rush mindset that sabotages authors and publishing professionals. She breaks down why “slowing down to speed up” is essential for successful book launches, platform growth, and sustainable progress—and how to plan realistically for a thriving 2026.
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In this Momentum Monday episode, recorded around Alexa’s 49th birthday, she reflects on how close she came to not seeing this year—and why she’s treating it like an epic, rock-star season of life. She unpacks what “slow down to speed up” really means for authors and publishing professionals, from realistic timelines and launch planning to the emotional fallout of rushing. You’ll hear why friends and family won’t save your book sales, how small, consistent actions build empires, and how to map out a flexible, quarter-by-quarter plan for a successful 2026—plus how you can support Alexa’s big birthday goals through reviews, shares, and joining her in Columbia, SC or WIP Society.
Key takeaways:
In this Momentum Monday episode, recorded around Alexa’s 49th birthday, she reflects on how close she came to not seeing this year—and why she’s treating it like an epic, rock-star season of life. She unpacks what “slow down to speed up” really means for authors and publishing professionals, from realistic timelines and launch planning to the emotional fallout of rushing. You’ll hear why friends and family won’t save your book sales, how small, consistent actions build empires, and how to map out a flexible, quarter-by-quarter plan for a successful 2026—plus how you can support Alexa’s big birthday goals through reviews, shares, and joining her in Columbia, SC or WIP Society.
Key takeaways:
- Why this episode is airing on her birthday and why birthdays feel extra precious after a 2024 medical crisis
- How she’s treating her 49th year as an “epic rock-star year” with travel, new books, and stepping back from day-to-day WIP Summit operations
- What “slow down to speed up” really means in the context of writing, publishing, and marketing
- The danger of comparison and wanting instant results without seeing the years of work behind other people’s success
- Why rushing to the finish line with your book or launch almost always backfires
- The importance of looking at what you actually accomplished in 2025 when forecasting goals for 2026
- How her own book timelines have sped up over time—and why switching genres resets the clock
- The principle of focusing on one genre/audience first before branching out
- Realistic expectations for growing your email list (e.g., 5 to 5,000 vs 5 to 45,000)
- Planning backwards: what you need to do each quarter, month, week, and day to hit your 2026 goals
- Why friends and family are not your target sales strategy (with real examples of who did—and didn’t—buy her last book)
- The emotional crash that happens when you rush a launch and then feel like a failure
- Inspiring examples of authors who started with zero audience, did the work, and had incredible launches
- The reminder from self-development reading that small, consistent actions create big progress
- Practical advice: doubling or tripling your estimated timeline for your first book
- Using quarterly planning and flexible timelines so you can adjust goals as the year unfolds
- How to get support: joining WIP Society, attending her events, and coming to the in-person marketing conference in Columbia, SC