Hello Authors, Artists and other Creatives!
As I am sure you have noticed, we are midway through 2023. I think this is a fantastic time to take stock and see what you have accomplished.
Did you meet your goal? Did you exceed it?
WELL DONE!
Are you looking at the goal you set for yourself and finding you fell short or did not even start then the last thing you need to do is beat yourself up about it.
Now is the time to re-set. It is time to figure out what you want the goal for the rest of the year to be.
Sometimes the best way to do this is to work backwards. Start at the beginning and figure out what you want to do. Then what does that take? Example:
I want to write 50,000 words. This can be a great goal. But how many words per day can you write? Just on pure math, if you start on July 1st it is 183 days.
50,000/183 = 273 words per day
(Note: This is pure math. It is not factoring the editing, research and interruptions you may encounter.)
Now, how do we hit a goal of 273 words per day? First, I would say the goal is 300. This begins to build in a buffer.
Next, set aside the time you CAN do this. Meaning, do you need to wake up a little earlier to make this happen? Do you need to take your notebook/laptop to work so you can write during lunch? If you do not MAKE the time, you will fail at the goal from the start.
Then you should track your progress everyday. Keep a note on what was successful and what was not. Maybe you do writing sprints? Setting a 5, 10 or 20 minute timer gives you a great idea on what you can accomplish in an hour. Then you know how much time you need to hit your goal.
There are studies that say if you do something for six weeks it then becomes part of your routine. Find a way to make writing a habit gives it priority so that your goal can be accomplished.
If you need a little help, check out our Author’s Accountability Planner!
