| Get on the Right Track to Accomplish Your Writing Goals  Many authors hit the proverbial wall or performance plateau: Your attention wanes, distractions increase, you can't seem to break any new ground in your writing, and the finish line is further away ... No matter what: Stay on track! Don't give up. You've got a goal to meet and we can help. Ready? Let's do this! 5 Basic Steps to Get It Done To increase your writing speed and fluency, practice regularly. Use these 5 steps to develop a writing routine. Step One: Make Writing a Daily Habit Think about your day. Your schedule may be impeccably organized and prioritized down to the minute. Or it might be so loose that you may have a few routines (brush teeth, shower, eat, etc.), but you allow whatever comes your way to spontaneously take over. Most people are somewhere in between. If your day is rigid, make sure your writing goal is high up on your priorities and adjust your schedule accordingly. If your day is loose, make writing your first priority before you do anything else to ensure it doesn't get lost on other impulses. Find balance by putting your derriere in your writing chair for at least 20 minutes every day to make writing a daily habit. Even if you cannot write X amount of words or an entire article, it's better than nothing. Step Two: Find a Time and Stick to It Pick a time that works for your creativity level and lifestyle. Many authors choose to write in the early hours of the morning or late into the night because they find the time is optimal for their creative output and they're distraction free while everyone else is asleep. Don't forget to rest! Adjust your sleep schedule accordingly to ensure you're alert while writing for optimal creativity and productivity. Step Three: Pick the Setting Routines are best established when they're simple. Once you've establish a time you can commit to, pick a location with the basic tools to get the job done and stick to it. Elaborate tools and writing in "romantic" settings won't bring success - you bring your own success. Making sure you have the right latte; the best voice operating software; a chair that has just the right amount of firmness and back support (but not too much or it's going to be too relaxing); the right fountain pen and paper so smooth, it's like writing on silk; etc. - you don't need these things. You need something (anything) to write with, to be relatively comfortable, and you. Keep it simple and stick to it. Step Four: Let Your Intentions Be Known In Friday's post, we mentioned: "Inform those you live with of the importance of your goal and how they can specifically help you (even if it's "don't bother me" during a particular period of time)." To expand on this further: Tell friends and family of your writing goals and your plans to achieve it. Set boundaries and include them in your efforts by sharing an idea, asking them questions, and more. You'd be surprised how much your friends and family will respect and support your writing goal if you involve them in some manner. To ensure they don't feel attention starved, plan one-on-one time with them. Step Five: Be Accountable to Your Goals If writing is really important to you, then ensure it's a priority and be mindful of that priority. Short of a life-threatening scenario, give yourself over to your writing goals no matter what. Don't let non-essentials and less important people or things draw you away from your goal. Be accountable if you miss your daily writing session by ensuring you make up for it and reward yourself when you achieve milestones.
Thousands of authors worldwide are challenging themselves throughout the month of November to reach their writing goals. It's never too late to start. Set your writing goal and get on the right track by preparing for obstacles and developing a routine using the above tips. Questions? Comments? Want additional resources related to this topic? Click here to visit this post online! |
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