Friday! Friday! I love Friday!
Sorry, had to let that out.
Okay, today's topic: Biting off more than we can chew.
How's the new writing schedule treating you? Are you finding the time to meet your weekly goals? How does it feel? Are you struggling to fit writing in, or are you finding the goals you set to be manageable?
When I started setting weekly writing goals, I was positive I'd set the bar too high. No way I could write that much in a week! But after a month of consistent writing, I realized I'd set the bar way too low. My pages were flying out much faster than they ever had in the past. (Don't throw up. I have days when the pages won't come. Next month, I'll tell you my sure-fire ways to get through those days.)
Pages flying out? How? Why? How is that possible? Do I have magic writing potion?
Nope.
Writing consistently is just like exercising consistently--they both get easier the more you do them. You don't waste time trying to remember where you were going with that scene you started three weeks ago because you write regularly and already finished that scene. You don't have to pump yourself up to write because writing isn't a special event--it's part of your life.
But maybe you had high hopes a few weeks ago and you decided to go for it and push yourself to write more. And now reality has reared its ugly head and you know your goals are impossible. Writing feels like another chore. When something feels like a chore, it's only a matter of time before you drop it out of your life.
Wait--there's hope. What, specifically, about your new writing schedule feels impossible? Did you anticipate having more energy in the evenings to write, but you realize that you're exhausted by seven? Maybe your goal should be to write a few pages each Saturday. Or is the problem not time related at all? Maybe you sit down to write and nothing comes. Or it takes you twice as long to get a few pages out than you thought it would.
If it takes you longer than you thought it would, don't give up. Just cut your page goals in half. And keep at it, you might be surprised in a few months that you're writing faster. You can always increase your goal page counts later.
If you sit down to write and nothing comes, you've got a bigger problem. And you've come to the right place. The month of February will be devoted to delving into why we write. I'll share plenty of tricks and tips to get your writing mojo back and to kick up your excitement for writing.
Thank you very much for joining me on this journey. I'd love to hear any of your tips, struggles, goals, etc...
Enjoy your weekend!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Did You Run Into a Few Glitches?
Did you start your new writing schedule? Or are you waiting until next month to get started?
If you've started, how is it going? Did you experience a few scheduling glitches?
Without fail, I always come across bumps in my schedule. They used to stress me out, but now, I've made peace with them. Those bumps don't de-rail me and they don't have to de-rail you.
Maybe a friend called during your writing time. Maybe a volunteer opportunity popped up that you didn't want to turn down. Maybe a little unexpected overtime became available.
How did you handle your writing when the glitch came? Did you decide you'll write double the next time or squeeze in more pages on a different day? Or maybe you threw your hands up in the air screaming, "I give up!"
Here are a few questions to ask yourself. Does this event (the friend calling, work, etc...) happen on a regular basis? Is it something you conveniently forgot about while creating your writing schedule? Or is it a once or twice a year event?
If the event does occur on a predictable basis, how are you going to handle it next time? Could you not answer the phone for the hour you've set aside but call your friend back as soon as you're finished with your pages? If the volunteer job is once every other month, maybe you could skip writing that night only. If overtime on Wednesdays is something you want to take advantage of, can you spread that night's writing to your other nights?
You might decide to eliminate one night of writing from your schedule. Or you might decide to limit long talks on the phone to nights you don't write. It's okay to try on new writing habits and discard the ones that don't fit. The important thing is to keep moving forward. Do whatever it takes to keep yourself sane and motivated.
Don't give up!
Join me on Friday for a little chat about biting off more than we can chew!
And...
Write Already! It's Wednesday!
If you've started, how is it going? Did you experience a few scheduling glitches?
Without fail, I always come across bumps in my schedule. They used to stress me out, but now, I've made peace with them. Those bumps don't de-rail me and they don't have to de-rail you.
Maybe a friend called during your writing time. Maybe a volunteer opportunity popped up that you didn't want to turn down. Maybe a little unexpected overtime became available.
How did you handle your writing when the glitch came? Did you decide you'll write double the next time or squeeze in more pages on a different day? Or maybe you threw your hands up in the air screaming, "I give up!"
Here are a few questions to ask yourself. Does this event (the friend calling, work, etc...) happen on a regular basis? Is it something you conveniently forgot about while creating your writing schedule? Or is it a once or twice a year event?
If the event does occur on a predictable basis, how are you going to handle it next time? Could you not answer the phone for the hour you've set aside but call your friend back as soon as you're finished with your pages? If the volunteer job is once every other month, maybe you could skip writing that night only. If overtime on Wednesdays is something you want to take advantage of, can you spread that night's writing to your other nights?
You might decide to eliminate one night of writing from your schedule. Or you might decide to limit long talks on the phone to nights you don't write. It's okay to try on new writing habits and discard the ones that don't fit. The important thing is to keep moving forward. Do whatever it takes to keep yourself sane and motivated.
Don't give up!
Join me on Friday for a little chat about biting off more than we can chew!
And...
Write Already! It's Wednesday!
Monday, January 26, 2009
More Reasons to Set Goals and Track Progress
The last week of January is here already? Wow! Look what you've accomplished. You've learned a few new tricks about setting reasonable goals and you understand how important it is to track your progress.
One thing I haven't addressed is your approach to writing. Some writers cringe at setting goals and tracking their progress because they are organic writers, or for lack of a better term, pantsters. They write when they feel like it, and they write what they feel like. They may write several books or stories simultaneously, and they rarely write from the start of the story to the finish.
Others, like myself, are plotters. We gather background information, analyze our characters, and sketch outlines before even thinking about writing. And we tend to write from beginning to end.
Then there are the writers who fall in between. They need a loose idea of where the book will take them but aren't hung up on all the details.
We all have our own style. I'm not advocating one way or the other. However, I am encouraging you to set goals and keep track of your progress no matter what your writing style is. I only care that you have decided in advance how many pages or words you will write and what days you are writing them.
Why do I care about this?
Well...
If you want to get published and stay published, you have to meet deadlines. You aren't going to have all the time in the world to write the next book or story. And--here's a harsh reality--your life is going to be filled with the exact same activities when you do get published as it is now. In fact, life will be even busier because you'll have to fit in revisions, line edits, promotion, and a million other things on top of your normal activities. So if you can develop a consistent writing schedule, you'll be ahead of the game.
Wait a minute, I don't plan on getting published...
Well, if writing is your hobby, you still should have a consistent writing schedule or you'll probably lose interest. How fun is it to work once a month on a story you can't even remember? Or to never finish the story? Not much fun.
But how much fun is it to set a writing schedule, stick to it, then print out your work and review it in six months? It's pretty awesome!
We're writers.
We write.
There. I hope I've convinced you to set goals and track your progress.
Join me on Wednesday when we'll be discussing re-evaluating your goals.
And...
Get Motivated! It's Monday!
One thing I haven't addressed is your approach to writing. Some writers cringe at setting goals and tracking their progress because they are organic writers, or for lack of a better term, pantsters. They write when they feel like it, and they write what they feel like. They may write several books or stories simultaneously, and they rarely write from the start of the story to the finish.
Others, like myself, are plotters. We gather background information, analyze our characters, and sketch outlines before even thinking about writing. And we tend to write from beginning to end.
Then there are the writers who fall in between. They need a loose idea of where the book will take them but aren't hung up on all the details.
We all have our own style. I'm not advocating one way or the other. However, I am encouraging you to set goals and keep track of your progress no matter what your writing style is. I only care that you have decided in advance how many pages or words you will write and what days you are writing them.
Why do I care about this?
Well...
If you want to get published and stay published, you have to meet deadlines. You aren't going to have all the time in the world to write the next book or story. And--here's a harsh reality--your life is going to be filled with the exact same activities when you do get published as it is now. In fact, life will be even busier because you'll have to fit in revisions, line edits, promotion, and a million other things on top of your normal activities. So if you can develop a consistent writing schedule, you'll be ahead of the game.
Wait a minute, I don't plan on getting published...
Well, if writing is your hobby, you still should have a consistent writing schedule or you'll probably lose interest. How fun is it to work once a month on a story you can't even remember? Or to never finish the story? Not much fun.
But how much fun is it to set a writing schedule, stick to it, then print out your work and review it in six months? It's pretty awesome!
We're writers.
We write.
There. I hope I've convinced you to set goals and track your progress.
Join me on Wednesday when we'll be discussing re-evaluating your goals.
And...
Get Motivated! It's Monday!
Friday, January 23, 2009
A Few Links That Make Me Smile...
Wow! We covered meaty topics this month. I thought we could use a break for some smiles.
Here are a few links I've come across recently that I thought you'd enjoy.
The Inigo Montoya Guide to 27 Commonly Misused Words made me laugh out loud. A few weeks ago, my girlfriend and I were writing at a coffee shop when I asked her what word to use: toward or towards? We looked it up in the dictionary and finally decided that towards is the Old English version. Last week I came across the above misused words article and cringed when I saw toward/towards listed. At least I'm not alone!
This one has nothing to do with writing, but it sure is cute. Here's an adorable picture of super fluffy baby penguins.
And, this lighthearted video cracks me up! Check out On Writing. You know why I love it, right? The cat, of course!
Hope you enjoy these links as much as I do.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Here are a few links I've come across recently that I thought you'd enjoy.
The Inigo Montoya Guide to 27 Commonly Misused Words made me laugh out loud. A few weeks ago, my girlfriend and I were writing at a coffee shop when I asked her what word to use: toward or towards? We looked it up in the dictionary and finally decided that towards is the Old English version. Last week I came across the above misused words article and cringed when I saw toward/towards listed. At least I'm not alone!
This one has nothing to do with writing, but it sure is cute. Here's an adorable picture of super fluffy baby penguins.
And, this lighthearted video cracks me up! Check out On Writing. You know why I love it, right? The cat, of course!
Hope you enjoy these links as much as I do.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Don't Let That Calendar Languish!
Have I convinced you to keep track of your progress?
No?
Let me ask you: can you remember what you ate for lunch two days ago? What about three weeks and two days ago? If you can--wow! I, unfortunately, can't! However, I can tell you exactly how many pages I wrote three weeks and two days ago because I kept track of it.
When I'm feeling unproductive and scattered, I look back at my calendar. Wonderful, powerful feelings surge through me as I realize how much I've accomplished.
When I feel powerful, I want to write more. When I feel scattered, I want to dive into a bag of Doritos and not pop out until the following season. Trust me, I'd rather feel powerful.
But, I forget to write things down...
That's okay. Keeping track of your awesomeness is a habit--probably a new habit. You can train yourself to track your progress. Write a sticky note with the words I'm awesome on it and stick it to your calendar, journal, laptop, or wherever you'll be sure to see it when you've written. That note will serve as a reminder to write your pages down. Or if you think that's a dippy idea, promise yourself a Hershey's kiss every time you log your pages. (Don't forget to put a bowl of Hershey's kisses next to your calendar!)
Many experts agree that habits can be formed after 21 repetitions. For some people it takes longer; for others it takes less time. By rewarding yourself, you increase the odds of success.
Now you just doubled your awesomeness! You acquired a new habit and successfully tracked your writing progress!
Join me on Friday. I'll be sharing a few links that make me smile.
And...
Write Already! It's Wednesday!
No?
Let me ask you: can you remember what you ate for lunch two days ago? What about three weeks and two days ago? If you can--wow! I, unfortunately, can't! However, I can tell you exactly how many pages I wrote three weeks and two days ago because I kept track of it.
When I'm feeling unproductive and scattered, I look back at my calendar. Wonderful, powerful feelings surge through me as I realize how much I've accomplished.
When I feel powerful, I want to write more. When I feel scattered, I want to dive into a bag of Doritos and not pop out until the following season. Trust me, I'd rather feel powerful.
But, I forget to write things down...
That's okay. Keeping track of your awesomeness is a habit--probably a new habit. You can train yourself to track your progress. Write a sticky note with the words I'm awesome on it and stick it to your calendar, journal, laptop, or wherever you'll be sure to see it when you've written. That note will serve as a reminder to write your pages down. Or if you think that's a dippy idea, promise yourself a Hershey's kiss every time you log your pages. (Don't forget to put a bowl of Hershey's kisses next to your calendar!)
Many experts agree that habits can be formed after 21 repetitions. For some people it takes longer; for others it takes less time. By rewarding yourself, you increase the odds of success.
Now you just doubled your awesomeness! You acquired a new habit and successfully tracked your writing progress!
Join me on Friday. I'll be sharing a few links that make me smile.
And...
Write Already! It's Wednesday!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Keeping Track of Your Awesomeness
If you've been following this month's blog, you'll know we're talking about goals. Last week, we set annual goals then broke them down into monthly and weekly goals. We also got down to the nitty-gritty and decided what days and how many pages per day we'd write.
This week we're talking about accountability, or what I refer to as: keeping track of your awesomeness! Last week you took on a tough challenge. Setting goals can make the strongest writer quake! So pat yourself on the back for getting through it.
How can you be sure you'll stay on track, though? Many writers have periods of great productivity followed by long periods of doubts, writing woes, and plain old procrastination. How will accountability get you through all the stages of writing? It's so easy to not write when we're in a funk.
One powerful motivator is to track your progress. Do you remember that free calendar I mentioned last week? (For those of you just joining the blog, you can print a free calendar by clicking here: http://www.printfree.com/Calendars.htm) Use it to write down how much you got done that day. For example: I wrote 9 pages of my latest novel last Monday. Once I finished writing, I jotted down "9 pgs" under 1/12/09. You can also mark time spent researching or whatever you do related to writing that day.
Another great idea is to keep a writing log. I keep one for each novel I work on. It can work well for short stories or articles as well. A writing log can be as simple or as complicated as you want it. My writing logs are just Word files saved in the same folder as my current manuscript. Each day I write, I log the date, the chapter I'm working on, the number of pages I wrote that day, the total number of pages I wrote since starting the novel, and the total word count of the novel. It takes two minutes. Honestly.
I hope you're not thinking isn't that just more work?
Keeping a written record of your writing progress is like keeping a written record of how fantastic you are. You'll be surprised at the end of any given week to see how much you wrote. You won't feel like a big failure because the proof will be staring at you in black and white.
As time progresses and March rolls around, you're going to look back through your calendar and see all of the Tuesdays you wrote one page. Or you'll know at the end of April that you already wrote over a quarter of your novel. And what about November when your eyes will bug out as you realize that you've already finished your goals for the year!
Join me on Wednesday for a discussion on not allowing your writing log and calendar to languish.
And...
Get motivated! It's Monday!
This week we're talking about accountability, or what I refer to as: keeping track of your awesomeness! Last week you took on a tough challenge. Setting goals can make the strongest writer quake! So pat yourself on the back for getting through it.
How can you be sure you'll stay on track, though? Many writers have periods of great productivity followed by long periods of doubts, writing woes, and plain old procrastination. How will accountability get you through all the stages of writing? It's so easy to not write when we're in a funk.
One powerful motivator is to track your progress. Do you remember that free calendar I mentioned last week? (For those of you just joining the blog, you can print a free calendar by clicking here: http://www.printfree.com/Calendars.htm) Use it to write down how much you got done that day. For example: I wrote 9 pages of my latest novel last Monday. Once I finished writing, I jotted down "9 pgs" under 1/12/09. You can also mark time spent researching or whatever you do related to writing that day.
Another great idea is to keep a writing log. I keep one for each novel I work on. It can work well for short stories or articles as well. A writing log can be as simple or as complicated as you want it. My writing logs are just Word files saved in the same folder as my current manuscript. Each day I write, I log the date, the chapter I'm working on, the number of pages I wrote that day, the total number of pages I wrote since starting the novel, and the total word count of the novel. It takes two minutes. Honestly.
I hope you're not thinking isn't that just more work?
Keeping a written record of your writing progress is like keeping a written record of how fantastic you are. You'll be surprised at the end of any given week to see how much you wrote. You won't feel like a big failure because the proof will be staring at you in black and white.
As time progresses and March rolls around, you're going to look back through your calendar and see all of the Tuesdays you wrote one page. Or you'll know at the end of April that you already wrote over a quarter of your novel. And what about November when your eyes will bug out as you realize that you've already finished your goals for the year!
Join me on Wednesday for a discussion on not allowing your writing log and calendar to languish.
And...
Get motivated! It's Monday!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Setting Weekly Goals
Setting weekly goals will lasso time, wrestle it to the ground, and make it work for you. Get your annual and monthly goals out and let's do some math.
Let's take the short stories/articles example. You've decided you'll write six short stories, around 2500 words in length each, over the course of the year. You've figured out what months you'll be writing them.
Can you write one page three nights a week? One page (double-space 12 pt. font) is roughly 250 words. Multiply three nights by four weeks and you have 12 days to write. 12 x 250 = 3000 words. That gives you a little leeway on your word count. What three nights can you comfortably write a page? Maybe Tuesday night during the re-runs of a stale show, Thursday night right after dinner, and Saturday morning.
Great! Now you have a plan. You don't have to feel guilty on Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Sunday, because those are your days off. Amazing!
Does that schedule seem impossible? If yes, go ahead and slash your goal in half. Do not sabotage your writing by setting unrealistic goals. You can always do more as time allows. Your new goal should be three short stories a year, and you'll want to write one short story over the course of two months. Decide on the days and word count as discussed above.
Let's do the math with category novels. We decided you need to write 5500 words/month for 10 months. From the above example, it's obvious you'll need to write more than one page a day, three days a week. Why don't we make it easy and double it? You'll need to write roughly 24 pages a month. How do you fit those in? 24 seems like an awful lot...
Don't worry. If you can write three days a week, aim for two pages at a time. You'll have your 24 pages (6000 words) at the end of the month. This schedule allows for a night off; remember you only need 5500 words.
Okay, now for the big guns: single title. 85,000 words. Gulp. Don't be scared. It works out to 34 pages a month. 34 pages a month! Breathe...it looks worse than it is!
You can still stay on a three day a week schedule, but you'll have to kick it up to about three pages each day. Another solution would be to divide the weekly nine pages differently. Maybe you can write one page on Monday, two on Tuesday, three on Wednesday, two on Thursday, and one over the weekend. That would still give you two days off. The important thing is deciding the amount you'll write and what days you'll write.
Again, I can't stress enough, go ahead and cut your original goal in half if it's obvious you'll never be able to reach that goal. It's better to finish a book in two years than to never finish a book.
Reachable goals. Who would have thought?
Join me next week as we delve into accountability or, what I like to call, keeping track of your awesomeness!
Enjoy your weekend!
Let's take the short stories/articles example. You've decided you'll write six short stories, around 2500 words in length each, over the course of the year. You've figured out what months you'll be writing them.
Can you write one page three nights a week? One page (double-space 12 pt. font) is roughly 250 words. Multiply three nights by four weeks and you have 12 days to write. 12 x 250 = 3000 words. That gives you a little leeway on your word count. What three nights can you comfortably write a page? Maybe Tuesday night during the re-runs of a stale show, Thursday night right after dinner, and Saturday morning.
Great! Now you have a plan. You don't have to feel guilty on Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Sunday, because those are your days off. Amazing!
Does that schedule seem impossible? If yes, go ahead and slash your goal in half. Do not sabotage your writing by setting unrealistic goals. You can always do more as time allows. Your new goal should be three short stories a year, and you'll want to write one short story over the course of two months. Decide on the days and word count as discussed above.
Let's do the math with category novels. We decided you need to write 5500 words/month for 10 months. From the above example, it's obvious you'll need to write more than one page a day, three days a week. Why don't we make it easy and double it? You'll need to write roughly 24 pages a month. How do you fit those in? 24 seems like an awful lot...
Don't worry. If you can write three days a week, aim for two pages at a time. You'll have your 24 pages (6000 words) at the end of the month. This schedule allows for a night off; remember you only need 5500 words.
Okay, now for the big guns: single title. 85,000 words. Gulp. Don't be scared. It works out to 34 pages a month. 34 pages a month! Breathe...it looks worse than it is!
You can still stay on a three day a week schedule, but you'll have to kick it up to about three pages each day. Another solution would be to divide the weekly nine pages differently. Maybe you can write one page on Monday, two on Tuesday, three on Wednesday, two on Thursday, and one over the weekend. That would still give you two days off. The important thing is deciding the amount you'll write and what days you'll write.
Again, I can't stress enough, go ahead and cut your original goal in half if it's obvious you'll never be able to reach that goal. It's better to finish a book in two years than to never finish a book.
Reachable goals. Who would have thought?
Join me next week as we delve into accountability or, what I like to call, keeping track of your awesomeness!
Enjoy your weekend!
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