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
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