There are more frustrated writers out there than you’d believe.
I know, because I talk to writers, and would-be writers for a good amount of time each week, and also, because Himself STILL hasn’t finished the book he started in 2012.
We all have excuses and lives, and we’re all busy and then the kids get sick and the dog needs the vet, and the fish is off-colour and suddenly a year’s gone past and you’re making New Year resolutions. It seems like such a brilliant, fresh start that you decide that THIS is the year.
This year you’ll write your book.
Right? And if you’re lucky, that resolution lasts, and you do write. More often than not, you’ll peter out. It’s just the way it is. Just because this resolution involves writing doesn’t make it any easier to keep.
And if you do keep on?
It’s a slog.
There’s nothing else for it but to acknowledge that, and accept it. Writing is hard. Sitting down to write is harder. I’d be lying if I said I actually enjoyed it – though it is satisfying.
There are pitfalls and traps for the unwary, though, and it’s easy to hit a difficult patch in what you’re writing, and just give up. Other ideas come, and they beckon with siren songs of loveliness and ease – you won’t be in the word mines with this one, they say, it’s easy! And shiny! And will practically write itself!
Don’t believe it for a second.
Stuff your ears with the wool from the sheep onboard, and keep your eyes firmly on the horizon. They are Sirens, these new ideas, and you need to navigate away from them as fast as you can to be safe, and to see your project to completion.
Following are some tips for you to try when you want to give up on your project, and start something else that sings to you a Siren song.
Remember: you can only do one thing at a time
Well duh. Of course you can only do one thing at once.
But it’s an (extremely) rare author who can juggle two books. In fact, I’ve never heard of any at all.
So it comes down to this: do you choose to be a writer who completes things and gets them out there for people to read, or a frustrated writer who is never heard of?
If you choose the former (yay, you!), then choose one thing – JUST ONE – and write that.
You’ll soon know if it’s working or not, and if it trails off and you cannot think of anything else to say on that particular topic, then chuck that one on the “was worth a try” pile, and pick another idea.
But just PICK ONE first. And stick with it.
Get accountable
There is no substitute for the feeling that if you don’t write, you’ll be letting someone down. No-one wants to be that person who stands others up.
Leverage this in yourself, and you’ll be writing like the wind in no time.
I personally have no less than 3 people I’m accountable to for the book I’m writing right now.
One is my creativity buddy who I have a Skype call with once a week (Hi Jo!).
One is my everyday work accountability buddy, with whom I have a deal that I write for one session on my book before I do any client work for the day.
The third is someone I exchange a writing snippet with daily.
I have also signed up for Camp NaNoWriMo for April.
I have let three forums that I belong to know that I am writing my book this year
That’s a whole lot of accountability, right there – seven separate pieces, if you count – but while it might seem excessive, it’s the amount I needed to tip the scales and force me into writing, when really I’d rather sit about talking about it all night.
Figure out what you need, and how much of it you need to actually make writing a reality for you, and make sure you get it. Give it to yourself, and watch that word count grow.
Set a deadline
While you’re busy getting that accountability set up, ratchet up the stakes by setting yourself a deadline.
The art of deadline setting needs both a sledgehammer blow, and the finesse of a bonsai master pruning a tree.
You need a date and a word count that both scare you, but are ultimately realistic. If it’s not at least a little wild a figure, you’ll feel that reaching it will be humdrum and not such an achievement. Make it too high though, and you’ll suddenly become that champion of procrastination that we all know too well.
You don’t have to set the finish date for the whole book, either.
For example, my current deadline is to hit 30,000 words by the 7th of May. It’s most of the way through April now, and I’m on about 17,000. The stakes are high, but it’s not unreachable. I am very clear that I am writing first draft material here, and the aim is to get the stuff onto the page, as best I can, and allow the story to unfold. I’m not editing, or critiquing, or even going back to re-read on a regular basis.
I’m just laying words on the page.
So my deadline is helping me stay focused on the word count goal I’ve set, and my accountability setup is helping me reach it
Stop talking, start doing
If there is anything that I could say to wannabe writers, it’s this: STOP TALKING ABOUT WRITING, AND JUST FREAKING WRITE.
It’s irrelevant whether you think it’s going to be crap or shining gold.
It’s irrelevant how you actually feel about writing.
And it’s irrelevant whether or not you’ve read all the books there are to read on the craft of writing.
Your book won’t get written if you talk about it.
It’ll get written if you write it.
And ONLY if you write it.
That is the reality.
Get to it.
Write. Every day, even a little.
Because that will get you further than if you don’t.
And that’s all you’re after, isn’t it?
PS: I have a Facebook group for writing writers, to get accountability and get the job done. It’s free. If you’re serious about getting that book done, come and join in.
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