Goal setting for writers – a seven step approach

Did you set New Year resolutions related to your writing? Are you on track to achieve them? If not you need to identify achievable goals in order to improve your productivity, hit your deadlines and achieve your dreams.

Step One - start by making a list of what you want to achieve over the next year, at this stage they can be general statements. These might include:

·         Write a book
·         Enter more competitions
·         Write a submit article pitches and short stories to magazines.

Step Two - make these SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time bound. Your list might now look like this:

·         Write a 70,000 word novel by November 27^th 2014
·         Enter one writing competition a month
·         Submit two article pitches to magazines each week
·         Write and submit one short story a month.

Step Three - where necessary break the bigger goals into smaller chunks; these should be written as SMART goals e.g. complete first draft of novel by August 14^th 2014. Write 10,000 words of first draft of novel each month.

Step Four – identify any individual tasks needed for each goal; your tasks for writing articles may look like this:

·         Select topic
·         Identify/select suitable magazine
·         Research detail
·         Write first draft
·         Complete and submit.

Step Five – plan and diarise when you will complete each task. You can choose to work on one project at a time or add variety to your week by working on a different project each day. Aim to plan the month ahead.  Your diary entries may look something like this:

·         Monday 19.00 – 20.00 – write 500 words (novel). Note that based on 10,000 words a month and 500 words in a three hour session you will need twenty sessions a month; ensure you diarise these.
·         Tuesday 06.00 – 7.30 – write first draft of short story.

Step Six – do it. During each diarised session sit down and write. Do not get distracted.

Step Seven – monitor your progress. Tick off each session as you complete it. If you miss your daily target then decide how you are going to stay on track. Do you need to add additional writing sessions? Do you need to turn off your Internet connection (emails, social media)? Or do you need to review you goals, maybe a novel in a year in not realistic for you at this time. If you review your goals you need to go back through the steps to ensure you still have daily actions.

Adopt this approach and write every day and you see real progress being made towards your dreams and goals.

Happy writing.

Using YouTube to promote your book

Have you considered creating a video to promote your book? Millions of people access YouTube looking for information or entertainment so why not create something that will direct people to your book.

Don’t be put off if you hate the idea of being in front of the camera or don’t like the sound of your recorded voice, just start off with a simple presentation set to music or ask someone else to provide the voiceover.

Follow the hints below to create your video or presentation and start to see your book sales increase.

•          Create something informative, ultimately you want viewers to buy your book however the viewer wants to learn something or be entertained.
•          Stress the benefits of this information to the viewers; what are they going to get out of watching your video.
•          Read aloud a short section from your book.
•          If you have written a fiction book then create a video about some of the places that inspired you.
•          Keep the video short. For a first video aim for between two and five minutes. As you gain a following you can increase the length.
•          Make it personal – tell the viewers a bit about yourself.
•          Hint at what the next video will be about.
•          Include a link to your website so viewers can purchase your book.

Have fun using this and use your creativity in new ways.

Happy writing.

Free online writing courses

If you are looking for ways to improve your writing or to try out new types of writing then why not consider a writing course. Whilst there are many good courses available there is often a cost attached; even though they may offer excellent value for money as they provide useful feedback on your written work and assignments you may decide that now is not the right time to pay for such a course.

There is an excellent alternative – free online writing courses. Many institutions offer their course notes or videos at no cost. Some of these offer a valuable insight into techniques you could use to improve your writing.

Have a look at these and try out some of the exercises.

The Open University - http://www.open.edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/culture/literature-and-creative-writing/creative-writing/start-writing-fiction/content-section-0

Purdue University - http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/1/1/

Creative Writing eCourse available on iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/course/creative-writing-master-class/id550002605

Happy writing.

Stop procrastinating, start writing

How many floors have you cleaned this week? OK, it may not be a floor but if you regularly find other “must do” jobs to do instead of sitting down and getting your writing done then you may have become a serial procrastinator. 

You find yourself tidying up, putting some washing on, cleaning the car, in fact anything that does not involve sitting at your computer and writing. And when you finally get to your computer you check emails and surf the Internet. Before you know it the day has gone.  If this is you then follow the tips below to become a more productive writer and achieve your writing goals.

Schedule your writing and stick to the schedule. Identify your writing slots throughout the day, make a record of your plan and then follow it no matter what. You can decide what works best for you; if you like to work in one hour stints followed by half an hour doing other activities then create a plan that supports this. If you prefer to write for a three hour session each day then create your plan to match. There is no right or wrong, it is about what works for you. If your scheduled writing session starts at 10.00 in the morning then start writing at 10.00, never just finish whatever else you are doing, it has to wait until later.

Plan what you are going to write in each session. This might be a word count, a specific article or editing. Planning what you are going to write prevents you from sitting at your desk and staring at your screen wondering what to do. This is particularly important if you are working on multiple projects.

Note your progress; this can be as simple as ticking off each task as you complete it or noting your word count. This will help motivate you if you feel you have not achieved much during the week.

Revise your schedule if you need to but this should be an exchange of time slots or activities rather than simply losing a writing session. If you find there is an emergency or genuine opportunity that prevents you from undertaking your 10.00 morning writing session then perhaps schedule and complete an evening session instead.

Finally, enjoy your writing.

Happy writing.