The late Willo Davis Roberts, author of more than 100 books, once told me that “Writers have 24 hours in their day just like everyone else.”
Whether your life is crammed with jobs and family, or so unstructured that time seeps away like meltwater, there is only one secret to finishing that novel that every successful writer I know will swear by – setting goals.
Sounds simple, but there is an art to setting a goal. Big ideas (like winning the Pulitzer) are seductive, but they’re for daydream time, not the grind. I like the SMART goal criteria –Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely.
You want to write a book? Fine. When is it going to happen? No matter what you’ve heard, the muse is a whore who will desert you at the most inconvenient times. Exactly what are you going to do in each writing session, when are those sessions going to happen, and how will you know you have completed your goals?
Dana Stabenow, author of 20+ books including the Kate Shugak mysteries, told me she sits down in her chair at 9 a.m. every morning, and her writing day is not done until she has written five pages. If the muse has flitted in, Dana may be finished by 11 or 12. Or she might still be in her chair ten hours later. E-mail, by the way, is not even glanced at until the pages are done. With this system, she can write a novel every six months. Her sales and awards are measurable proof that her goal setting works.
My day job as a high school teacher and evening gig as a university lecturer means I don’t have the hours or stamina to write daily (I know that’s heresy – but I am studying to become a cliché atheist). Rather than by the day, I set my goals by the weekend and month. For example, right now I’m getting a manuscript ready to send out. I would really, really like to do it this week.
Hah!
My Christmas holiday goal was to research publishers. (Current market books from Amazon; on-line research into the latest books at each publishing house.) Done.
The weekend after that, I wrote my query letter template. Ready to go.
The following weekend, synopsis. Needs work, but it’s written.
This weekend, blog entry and synopsis revision. Almost finished the blog. Synopsis next.
Next weekend and the one after that, pull them together, write publisher specific queries. Make a data base of who I’m mailing to, with slots all ready for those enthusiastic replies. Start mailing by Feb. 28. Have more queries ready to go by March 31 so that when the rejections come in, I’m still psyched.
And there’s a new idea tickling the back of my mind. Begin writing that about the first of April.
I keep my dates in my head. They’re my mantra. Some people write them on bulletin boards or on-line calendars. Doesn’t matter. Make deadlines – lots of small, achievable deadlines. Keep them. Work with a writing partner (like I do with Anne) to give you someone to be accountable to. Review your progress monthly and adjust future deadlines to be realistic. Be SMART.
And put down some time to celebrate yourself for being a pro!
f & f
Susan
Monday, January 28, 2008
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Writing 101
Now that we're up-and-running, Susan and I thought this would be a good time to let you know some of the topics The Pragmatic Writer will be addressing over the next few weeks.
First up, what it takes to turn a passion into a career. We can't all write the great American -- or Canadian -- novel but we can find ways to capitalize on our published works by getting out there, getting noticed and, most importantly, getting paid.
We want to talk about setting realistic goals and how to achieve them, how to find the time and the space every writer needs, and how to develop the additional skills that will make you and your writing more marketable.
Like successful editing, with tips on: how to assess and improve your own work; how to be a considerate editor when reviewing someone else's, and what you should look for when you're ready to give your work to an outside reader -- be it friend, relative, or a total stranger!
Learning how to play to your strength is a topic which has always intrigued us. Knowing where you excel and where you don't can enchance your personal performance and increase your chances of success. Especially in a collaboration.
Over the years Susan and I have discovered there's a lot more to a successful partnership than great writing and we'd like to share some of our experiences with you. After which, it's down to the nitty-gritty with our take on:
The Query Letter
The Pitch
The Synopsis
And a whole slew of other topics ranging from the difference between writing for children and writing for adults to creating memorable characters, realistic dialogue and how to develop a story your readers won't want to put down!
On that note, I had best get back to work.
f & f Anne
First up, what it takes to turn a passion into a career. We can't all write the great American -- or Canadian -- novel but we can find ways to capitalize on our published works by getting out there, getting noticed and, most importantly, getting paid.
We want to talk about setting realistic goals and how to achieve them, how to find the time and the space every writer needs, and how to develop the additional skills that will make you and your writing more marketable.
Like successful editing, with tips on: how to assess and improve your own work; how to be a considerate editor when reviewing someone else's, and what you should look for when you're ready to give your work to an outside reader -- be it friend, relative, or a total stranger!
Learning how to play to your strength is a topic which has always intrigued us. Knowing where you excel and where you don't can enchance your personal performance and increase your chances of success. Especially in a collaboration.
Over the years Susan and I have discovered there's a lot more to a successful partnership than great writing and we'd like to share some of our experiences with you. After which, it's down to the nitty-gritty with our take on:
The Query Letter
The Pitch
The Synopsis
And a whole slew of other topics ranging from the difference between writing for children and writing for adults to creating memorable characters, realistic dialogue and how to develop a story your readers won't want to put down!
On that note, I had best get back to work.
f & f Anne
Sunday, January 13, 2008
The Pragmatic Writer
Welcome!
The Pragmatic Writer is a blog dedicated to the working writer -- the folks who are seriously planning to have or are midstream in a publishing career. Your hosts are Anne Stephenson (Brzozowski) and Susan Brown. We have been writing individually and collaboratively since we were roommates in college. Together we have published two books -- The Mad Hacker and Something's Fishy at Ash Lake -- and written and co-produced a TV show for the Family Channel, The Amber and Elliot Mysteries. Individually, Anne has written Paper Treasure, The Mysterious Mr. Moon, a column for the Ottawa Citizen and several scripts for Canadian TV. Susan has published The Black Tunnel (reprinted as Hey Chicken Man), Not Yet Summer, and You're Dead, David Borelli! as well as multiple magazine and newspaper articles. Together and individually we have taught writing classes in colleges and have been speakers at conferences all over North America.
We have taken time out from our writing careers to pursue some other interests -- Susan has been teaching in elementary, high school and university classes in Washington state; Anne has been remodeling a 100 year old house in the wine district of South Eastern Ontario. But now we're writing again. New projects, new excitement and a new intention to leap into the digital writing community.
Hope you'll drop in again to see what's happening and what information we have to offer.
Now, quit reading this blog and start writing. Good luck!
f & f
Susan and Anne
The Pragmatic Writer is a blog dedicated to the working writer -- the folks who are seriously planning to have or are midstream in a publishing career. Your hosts are Anne Stephenson (Brzozowski) and Susan Brown. We have been writing individually and collaboratively since we were roommates in college. Together we have published two books -- The Mad Hacker and Something's Fishy at Ash Lake -- and written and co-produced a TV show for the Family Channel, The Amber and Elliot Mysteries. Individually, Anne has written Paper Treasure, The Mysterious Mr. Moon, a column for the Ottawa Citizen and several scripts for Canadian TV. Susan has published The Black Tunnel (reprinted as Hey Chicken Man), Not Yet Summer, and You're Dead, David Borelli! as well as multiple magazine and newspaper articles. Together and individually we have taught writing classes in colleges and have been speakers at conferences all over North America.
We have taken time out from our writing careers to pursue some other interests -- Susan has been teaching in elementary, high school and university classes in Washington state; Anne has been remodeling a 100 year old house in the wine district of South Eastern Ontario. But now we're writing again. New projects, new excitement and a new intention to leap into the digital writing community.
Hope you'll drop in again to see what's happening and what information we have to offer.
Now, quit reading this blog and start writing. Good luck!
f & f
Susan and Anne
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