Goals and Procrastination

I've finished the first go-round of "Bloody Murder" edits. Now I'll go through my CP edits, finish this week and get it sent to the editor by next week. I have to flesh out my plans for a Nocturne Bites (Maybe Tali and Aiden) and for Fairy Dust (Decide whether to go for YA) which actually fits my writing style better. Hit the ground writing in Colorado.



Just finished reading "Wicked Lovely." If you like Urban Fantasy, read this one. These are not Peter Pan's Tinker Bell. It's really well written, dark and interesting.



Do you procrastinate with household chores before you write? Does fear keep you from writing, fear of failure, fear of success that you need to sustain, fear that the words just won't come? I mastered some of those fears a couple of ways.



First, I work full time so my writing time is limited and complicated because my daughter lives and home and has emergencies that I have to take care of.



As a result, I set myself a daily word count goal-an achievable goal. I also, plow through the first draft without going back to edit until the first draft is finished. So, I can't procrastinate.

Instead, I have to put the butt on the chair (button principle) and write, during lunch and in the evening at least five days a week or more.



The writing goal that works for me is 750-1000 words a day, five days a week. Wimpy I know, but I can reach it so I don't get frustrated. When I can do more, I do.



I also learned to write in emergency rooms, waiting rooms etc, on my Alpha Smart and to have my writing stuff with me at all times, even if it's just a journal in my purse so I can write by hand.



Procrastination-no time if I'm going to finish the projects. This has gotten me through two novels and a novella so far. So, I will keep on keepin' on, until I win the lottery or something. The problem is, if I can stay home and write full time, it will be so much easier to procrastinate.

Productivity

A friend of mine, Rinda, wrote 6.000 words yesterday! Yes, I said 6,000. I'd be in heaven if I got 1500 words done in a day. And she did it around giving TLC to sick children. And I whine a lot about life interfering. I got to get with the program if I'm going to finishe my second book, especially since I have another project I also want to get done that I think will be so much fun.

So how do we get the concentration we need, the uninterrruped time? Everyone is different I think. I know I need to pay much less attention to both the books I want to read and shows I want to see on TV, at least until I have finished my word count for the day. Even as little a goal as 700 words a day got my last book done, I just have to do it consistantly. And, pick the time of the day that will work best and even write in ER if I have to to get the count done, write at lunch instead of eating and reading.

For me goals work, If I make them achievable. Nano, isn't achievable for me right now and that discourages me from even trying, so back to goals I can actually make, then when I go over, its even better. Write on has to be the motto.

Second is publicity. Working full time and writing on the new book doesn't leave me as much time for publicity as I need and this is the area where I fall down. I will never sell my ebook without getting my name out there. So, the resolve to better market myself.