Most authors overestimate their capabilities and underestimate their limitations. This results in drafting of writing goals that are overwhelming and far from reach. Seldom are these goals met and this causes writing to become a demotivating burden on the author.
Always being unable to successfully achieve your writing goals can push you into the trap of writing block. Sometimes, it can also poison your mind and make you believe that writing is just not meant for you and so you should quit. Because of these detrimental traps that feed on your helplessness, it becomes necessary to pay close attention to your writing goals and understand how they work and how they affect you as a writer.
Writing goals are not entirely harmful; definitely not even a bit, if done right. These goals serve as motivation to continue writing, they help you develop a writing routine, they make sure that you stay connected to your story, and they help you complete your book.
Now that we know why writing goals are important and why it's even more important that they are set correctly, let's look at a few tips regarding the same.
1) Understand - The one thing that most authors don't realize about goals is that there is a much deeper purpose to them than just hitting a set word count. Writing goals are meant to push you to achieve your dreams. For this, you need to understand why you are writing your book, when do you want to finish it, how important it is to you. Once you have your answers, you are ready to start planning.
2) Plan - The above understanding will give you a date. This date is the approximate date that you wish to have your book completed by. Now, keeping this date in mind, create a long term plan and a short term plan. The long term plan should be a rough estimate of how much you need to get done, the general flow of the process, and how much time you have.
After this, divide the entire duration up-to your desired date into equal number of weeks or months. Each equal division will be a segment. Create a short term plan for each of these segments.
3) Realistic goals - It is quite easy and satisfying to set unimaginably high goals. We believe that we can achieve them, or, at least, we wish that we could. Either ways, they don't really work.
Taking one segment, create a short term plan. Count all the days that you have available for writing and all the days that are booked by other obligations. Now make an estimate of how much time you will have available for writing on the days that you can write.
Take into consideration all other activities apart from writing. These will inevitably take your time, so make sure to realistically calculate the time.
Once you have an estimate, it is time to do a little experiment.
Set a timer for thirty minute and write. It doesn't matter what you write, just write. When the timer goes off, check the word count that you have achieved in the particular time. This will give you an idea about your writing speed.
Now, keeping in mind your writing speed and the number of hours you have for writing, create your goal. From the final word count goal, reduce about four or five thousand words. This is compensation for any untoward events and unexpected busy days that will not allow you to write.
4) Discipline - Decide on a time and place to write. Keep it the same everyday. This will help you fall into a writing routine. Follow this schedule with sincerity and discipline.
5) Inspiration - Don't wait for inspiration to strike. Focus on your writing goals and strive to achieve them.
6) Rewards - Reward yourself for every small achievement and every short term goal that you meet. This will motivate you to work hard.
7) Accountability - Try to find someone who can help you in your journey. Report your daily word counts to this person. Being accountable to someone is helpful in motivating you to reach your goal.
I hope these tips will help you to reach your writing goals.
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This article was written by Kulsum. Kulsum is the best selling author of the title, Love of a Stranger.