Last week we talked about setting goals to help you achieve your New Year’s Resolution of self publishing a book in 2013. This week, I want to talk about being faithful to those goals. They are useless if you don’t actually work to achieve them. Here are four ways you can be faithful to your writing goals.
1. Figure out what works for you.
Not every writer is the same. Some people need to get up early and write before the hectic day begins. Other writers are most productive just before bedtime. Some people can write during their twenty-minute train ride. Others don’t write during the week but dedicate several hours to the craft on the weekend. If you want to stick to your writing goals, you have to make sure they are realistic for your schedule and personality.
2. Write it on the calendar.
Once you figure out when and where you plan to write, mark it on your calendar. Writing needs to be a priority just like any other task on your to-do list. You are more likely to stick to your goal if you see it written on the calendar than if you just tell yourself in your head that you need to make time to write.
3. Check in periodically.
You need to hold yourself accountable. Every day, week or month, check in on yourself and see if you are accomplishing your goals. How many days are you writing? How much time are you spending writing? How many pages have you written? How much research have you accomplished? How many pages have you edited? How can you be more productive?
4. Reward yourself.
After checking in, reward yourself for being faithful to your goals. You could treat yourself to a nice dinner, buy a new book, or spend an afternoon out with a friend. Whatever you do, don’t make the treat detrimental to your goals. Taking a day of writing or extending a deadline is not a reward. It is an excuse.
I’d love to know, how do you stay faithful to your goals?
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ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 20 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path. |
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