It was from my dream agent’s assistant, and she said the project “sounded like a great fit.” She requested the full manuscript, along with a two-to-three page synopsis, both of which I had at hand. As I sent them off, I took a moment to bask  — I’ve dreamt of being represented by a literary agent for almost a decade, and here I was, closer than ever.

But let me pause, and try to sum up the steps it has taken to get this close to that goal: commit myself to writing a second novel; write a first draft in notebooks; type up that draft then edit it for clarity; join a novel writing group; submit and revise chapters with them over the course of two years; read full drafts myself and do edits based on the feedback of writer friends; get through four novel drafts then send it to a developmental editor; revise based on her feedback; do a final read-through; put together a query package; get feedback on the query package; put together a list of agents and start querying; have a revelation and change the last fourth of my book; get back notes for a revise-and-resubmit; spend three months doing those edits; tweak my query letter again; meticulously research agents; wait, wait, wait.

I’ll stop there because if I started to get more specific, that list could take up the rest of the post. The above was all part of my plan to achieve my goal, and within each step there were smaller steps and deadlines. These included chapters to submit for my writing group, sections to finish editing before holidays or travel, taking a class on how to write a synopsis, and many many other tiny actions that all added up to one thrilling email.

Whether your writing aspirations are selling a three-hundred-page novel, starting a memoir to share with your family, or putting together a poetry chapbook, we can all take the same first step to achieve these dreams. We can all start by making a plan. 

Break Your Project into Manageable Pieces

In my past life leading the sales team at a voraciously growing coffee start-up, we often closed deals then had no idea how to fulfill them. There would be deadlines with roasters, cold brew production, the delivery team’s schedule, all of which interlaced into an insurmountable knot of logistics. Luckily, we had an unflappable COO who would end these meetings by making a project management sheet, breaking everything into bite-sized tasks, throwing on some reasonable deadlines, and saying, “You have your marching orders.”

Although I left the start-up world, I’ve brought the same style of project management to my writing. In addition to making a weekly plan of my writing projects, whenever I find myself overwhelmed by the simple task of, say, finishing a novel, I pause and think about my marching orders — my next steps and getting them done. 

If you’re starting out a brand new project or feeling daunted by the work it takes to finish a draft, consider pausing and getting granular. What are the next steps you need to take? They could be writing an outline, finishing the opening, or getting a first draft you can read through. Then think about how many weeks that could take. When will you finish each section? What days will you write? The more you can break your goal into achievable steps, the easier it will be to make progress towards. And once you have your marching orders, you’ll know exactly what you need to work on, rather than spinning your wheels and staring at the dreaded blank screen. 

SMART Goals

Another way to frame your goals and make them more achievable is by getting smart. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Although this framework is used across many industries, there are a few useful ways to adapt it for writing.

Specific

Yes, specific, but not too specific. For example, I’m more likely to set the goal of writing a short story and having it published than writing a short story and having it published by X Literary Magazine at Y Date. As writers, we have to acknowledge the things that are out of our control, especially when it comes to editor’s timelines and acceptance rates.

Measurable

Measurable means hours, word counts, chapters, drafts, and anything else we can put numbers on. For me, it’s infinitely more useful to say “finish edits on chapters one to three” rather than “edit the opening.” 

Achievable

This ties back to the idea of not being too specific or too time-bound. In using this practice over my writing years, I’ve found that most of my goals do happen, as long as I expand my timeline. For example, finishing my second novel is taking closer to five, not three years. 

Relevant

Is your goal deeply important to you? And how does it fit in the larger framework of your literary aspirations? Often, if I find myself contemplating applying to a fellowship or contest, I’ll ask myself how relevant to my larger goals the opportunity is.

Time-bound

Remember to give yourself some flexibility here. For example, although I’ve wanted an agent for years, when I started querying in 2022, I didn’t set the goal of getting one by 2023. Since I was familiar with the process, I knew these things take time. While it is important to have an ideal deadline, as writers this is the one where I found we need the most flexibility.  

Keep in mind that if your goal feels too cumbersome when you try to make it SMART, you might have to break your overarching goal into a series of smaller, smarter ones.

When In Doubt

Progress takes many shapes in sizes. If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, try coming back to these closing questions to ground yourself and restructure your plan. Even if all you do is think of one action you can do for each of them, that still means you’re moving forward. 

What can you do for your writing goal this week? What can you do for your writing goal this month? What can you do for your writing goal by the end of this year?

It can also be helpful to expand your definition of what counts as writing. For example, if you’re struggling to get through a round of edits, going to a drop-in writing workshop could count as part of your plan. Even editing a friend’s work is a way to take a break from your project while still getting your editor brain into gear. Be generous and inclusive in your plans, and give yourself the credit you deserve. 

Exercise: Think about one of your writing goals and build the most realistic plan around it. Even if it’s starting small and trying to write once per week, or finishing one chapter by the end of the month. If planning out your entire project is too daunting, simply plan as much as you can.

Grace Bialecki is a writer, editor, and literary coach who teaches for The Bridge and Hugo House. Her work has appeared in various publications, including Catapult and Epiphany Magazine, where she was a monthly columnist. Bialecki is the co-founder of the storytelling series Thirst, and the author of the novel Purple Gold (ANTIBOOKCLUB). 

Alongside her writing, she’s completing her Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification through the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley. When she’s working with clients, Bialecki emphasizes finding clarity and authentic voice, alongside techniques to be present while writing. To learn more, visit her website or follow her on TikTok or Twitter.

The post Prioritizing Plans Over Writing Goals appeared first on DIY MFA.

“YES!” My earworm of the morning, “Dancing Queen” by ABBA, filled my brain as I rose in victory.

I AM THE CHAMPION!

Arms bobbed and toes bounced all the way to the shower. Fifteen minutes of writing complete! I was 102 words further along on my story!

And even as the shower washed me clean for the coming day, I wished for tomorrow’s 6:45 AM writing time to arrive so the work could start again.

Reinforcing that wonderful feeling of victory makes it sooooo much easier to get back to work. Think about it—when was the last time you did something that felt like a failure? Get right in there and plop yourself into that situation. Do you want to return to that process? No! Of course not!

Now, think about the last time you finished something with a triumphant feeling. Snuggle into that memory. Do you want to go back and do it again? Absolutely!

Just like composting turns to garden dirt that grows to healthy veggies which send their post-cooking detritus back out to the compost pile, celebrating your success continues a cycle that encourages you back into your work, a joyous miracle in your artistic life!

True Celebration

We think, “How hard can it be to celebrate? Throw the confetti! Pop the champagne! Dance with wild abandon!”

However, celebrating our achievements can be a minefield. I don’t know about you, but I will take any chance I can to sabotage my own victories. Truly taking the time to savor a celebratory moment is HARD.

If there was an Olympics for undermining myself, you’d see me on the highest platform, mugging for the cameras and biting my gold medal. Oh, did I write for my fifteen minutes this morning? That might have happened, but did I hit my secret word count? And even if the word count was the one that I thought I wanted, I REALLY wanted to hit a higher number.

Oh! Here’s a good one! I do my fifteen minutes, hit my word count, and say, YES! Time to dance! Halfway through the first steps, I realize, those words weren’t very good. I could have written better words! Bouncing dance moves of celebration turn to stomps of frustration.

Or, maybe I do my fifteen minutes, hit my word count, and actually accept that I’ve done well. Instead of dancing, I immediately begin to up my word count for tomorrow, and obsessively plow back into the work without any celebration at all!

I see. You thought you were the only one who did that? Come on in. We saved you a chair.

Let me ask you a question. What would it feel like to believe you were successful with your writing? Stop before you head into the next sentence, re-read that question, close your eyes, and find that feeling in your belly.

Got it? Good.

Do you think you could believe that you were just 5% successful?

Or maybe could you believe that you were successful for just fifteen seconds?

Again, stop. Pick one of those two options, or try both.

Now, here’s the hard one! Imagine you’re celebrating finishing your next small step. During that celebration, could you act like you believed you were successful? Just while you celebrate? Just that moment?

By practicing your celebration, you begin to open yourself up to that belief that you are successful, that you can have this writing practice, and that you can have fun while you do it.

And that keeps you coming back for more.

Do You Want A Prize for That?

Why not? Why shouldn’t our celebrations include prizes? They don’t have to be anything big. For me, the prize for spending fifteen minutes writing was a silly dance to a song in my head.

That little bit of rejoicing kept my spirits high, my heart happy, and my mind resilient enough to return day after day to my writing desk.

As we work on establishing our writing habits, our celebratory prizes can also be a physical bribe.

Is that cheating? All is fair in creating that habit! Having a tangible prize for achieving what we set out to do can be the last little push that gets us out of bed on a particularly cold morning, or to our writing space at the end of a difficult day.

When selecting a reward for daily practice, a significant milestone, or any type of celebration in between, make sure the prize reflects the effort.

For example, perhaps a new pen celebrates the completion of a chapter, a salted caramel truffle finishes a section, that pair of Danskos you’ve been eyeing slip on your feet when the novel sits complete in your hard drive.

However, just like me with my dance, the prize doesn’t have to be a physical thing. Maybe you can reward yourself with a walk to your favorite tree, spend some time doing yoga, or sign up for a class you’ve been dying to take.

The prize is the manifestation of your victory! Whatever you select, enjoy it with a clear heart and let the joy carry you into enthusiasm for your next day of work.

Celebrations anchor in that fabulous feeling of accomplishment, keeping you coming back to your writing space. It’s part of our process, just as important as getting up early and putting the words on the page. And, as with your writing, practice makes perfect and a good prize helps your plot move forward.

Let’s dance!

**This post uses Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching Tools.

Tell us in the comments: What does your victory celebration look like?

LA (as in tra-la-la) Bourgeois empowers you to embrace JOY as you manifest your creative goals through her Creativity and Business Coaching. Battle resistance, procrastination, and overwhelm with her at your side, gently encouraging with humor and heart. Discover more at her website, labourgeois.biz

The post Victory Celebration Required appeared first on DIY MFA.

The answer depends, of course, on how quickly they write, how much time they have to work on their book, and how long their book is. These factors vary from person to person—and so we sit down and do the math to make a concrete plan based on the time they have available and their writing process.

But achieving a goal isn’t only about setting the goal. You must also be able to show up for the schedule you’ve created for yourself. It doesn’t matter that you’ve decided to write for two hours every Tuesday and Thursday unless you actually do it.

Showing up for our goals is hard—but it doesn’t have to be.

If you’ve found it difficult to commit to a writing schedule, you may simply be using the wrong goal type.

Finding Your Enneagram Personality Number

In this post, I’m breaking down the five types of writing goals and the best goal for you based on your Enneagram personality number. 

If you don’t know your Enneagram number, you can figure it out in under 5 minutes by taking this 2-question test. (If you want a more robust test and are willing to spend $12 and 15-20 minutes, you can take this one.)

I’m a huge fan of the Enneagram as a tool for understanding ourselves and our motivation—it’s the only life-changing personality assessment I’ve ever taken (and I’ve taken a lot over the years), and I mean that; it’s changed my life.

Once you have figured out your number, read a little about your type here.

Do you feel exposed?

Seen?

Understood to a degree that makes you feel a little uncomfortable?

Then you’ve nailed your number.

Now let’s look at the various writing goal types and which are best suited to which numbers.

Writing Goal #1: Word Count

We writers love to hold ourselves to word counts—and that makes sense since most writing contests and publishing standards are measured by them.

Word count is the obvious metric if you’re a literary journal or newspaper communicating to writers how long their stories or essays should be, or a publisher communicating how long a memoir is expected to be.

But that doesn’t mean it’s always the best tool for us writers to measure our own progress, day by day. For some of us, word count may provide much-needed structure, while, for others, it can be uninspiring or even paralyzing. How do you know?

When you think, “I’m going to write 1,000 words every day,” or “I’m going to write 5,000 words by the end of the week,” how do you feel?

As with each of these goals, only you can decide whether it’s a fit or not. As you read this post, I invite you to notice your reaction to each goal type—does it fill you with dread? Excite you? Make your body relax? Pay attention to these physical cues. Doing so will help you decide your best fit.

Benefits of Word Count as a Goal:

• Precise
• Concrete
• Easy to track if typing your draft

Downsides of Word Count as a Goal:

• Impersonal
• Inflexible
• Difficult to track if you’re handwriting your draft

Enneagram Numbers that May Like Word Count as a Goal:

1, 3, 5, 8 

Enneagram Numbers Likely to Find Word Count Confining:

2, 4, 7

Writing Goal #2: Page Count

Still numeric but slightly less tedious; page count is another way of measuring your progress. A writer who uses page count as a goal will decide a certain number of pages that they’re committing to completing every day or week. These can be typewritten or handwritten (and a benefit of this goal type is that it works for both).

I’ve preferred this as my goal type at certain times, because I handwrite my first drafts, and page count is an easy way to keep myself moving forward.

I’ll decide to write 5 pages a day, or, when I’m really moving quickly or facing a deadline, I’ll go with 10 pages a day. (This is for a novel, by the way—hence the high number of pages per day.)

What are the upsides and downsides of page count? It’s much like word count, just toned down a bit.

Benefits of Page Count as a Goal:

• More forgiving than word count
• Still concrete
• Easy to track no matter how you’re writing your draft (including handwriting)

Downsides of Page Count as a Goal:

• Still impersonal
• Can be difficult to translate what constitutes a complete manuscript, especially if handwriting

Enneagram Numbers that May Like Page Count as a Goal:

2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9

Enneagram Numbers Likely to Find Page Count Frustrating:

1, 5, 8

Writing Goal #3: Scene by Scene

By far, my favorite writing goal type for writing the first draft of my novels is the scene-by-scene method (or, if you’re not writing a narrative like a novel or a memoir, you can think of it as the beat by beat method).

This method works as follows: you decide what scene you’re going to write each day (or each writing session). Then, you write that one scene on that one day. It doesn’t matter if it’s a 500-word scene or a 2,500-word scene. It doesn’t matter if it takes you 15 minutes or 3 hours. You commit to getting it done, and when it’s done, you’re done.

I love this method because of its flexibility and its practicality: since my scenes tend to be about 1,200 words, I know that 60-70 of them constitute a full novel draft. If I write one scene per day for 2-3 months, I will have a full draft.

It’s also freeing to me: I know that I’m off the hook for the day when it comes to writing as soon as I hit my target. If that happens at 8 a.m., I’m done for the day. No guilt, no pressure.

(Can you tell that this method leaves me calmer and happy to share it? Ask yourself which of these methods makes you feel that way, and that’s the method you should go with.)

Benefits of Scenes as a Goal:

• Most flexible of the types
• Personal/customizable to your project
• Easy to track no matter how you’re writing your draft (including handwriting)

Downsides of Scenes as a Goal:

• So flexible that it can lead to imprecise outcomes (too short a draft)
• Requires advance planning (deciding ahead of time what scene(s) you’ll write)

Enneagram Numbers that May Like Scenes as a Goal:

2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9

Enneagram Numbers that May Find Scenes as a Goal Frustrating:

1, 5, 8

Writing Goal #4: Big Time Chunk

This goal type is what it sounds like—you say, “I’m going to write for 2 hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays.” 

I think this type of goal is pretty self-explanatory. The question is: how does it make you feel?

If you think, Ahh, yes, that’s clear and straightforward, and I can do that, this may be your goal type.

If you think, but wait…what if something comes up? Then you’re like me: this isn’t it.

Benefits of Big Time Chunk as a Goal:

• Simple
• Straightforward
• Can lead to highly productive writing sessions/getting into the flow

Downsides of Big Time Chunk as a Goal:

• Rigid
• Can lead to burnout
• Hard to maintain/justify

Enneagram Numbers that May Like Big Time Chunk as a Goal:

1, 3, 5, 8

Enneagram Numbers that May Find Big Time Chunk as a Goal Frustrating:

2, 4, 6, 7, 9

Writing Goal #5: X 25-Minute Sprints

The last goal type is another time-based one, but one less rigid than the big-time chunk. With this goal type, you decide how many 25-minute sessions you’re going to commit to each day, à la The Pomodoro method.

This is a good one for you if you like the idea of a time-based goal but find it too restrictive or impossible to commit to a single big-time chunk. 

You don’t worry about how much you produce while writing; you just make sure to be writing (or at least sitting in front of your notebook or computer) during those 25-minute bursts.

Benefits of 25-Minute Sprints as a Goal:

• Moveable/small
• Not based on outcome/how much you produce
• 25-minute work sessions are a proven tactic across disciplines

Downsides of 25-Minute Sprints as a Goal:

• Gear up time takes time, every time
• Still must navigate when/where to fit them
• Can make it hard to get into the flow (too fast)

Enneagram Numbers that May Like 25-Minute Sprints as a Goal:

2, 9

Enneagram Numbers that May Find 25-Minute Sprints as a Goal Frustrating:

1, 3, 8

How to Decide Which Goal is Right for You

The Enneagram is a tool to help you understand yourself and how you relate to the world—it’s not a prescription or a judgment.

My own recommendations based on the Enneagram type are totally speculative, based on my limited (and amateur) understanding of it—I’m just an Enneagram lover and a big fan, not an expert.

But I offer this overview of writing goal types coupled with Enneagram numbers as an invitation to find the write-goal type for you as a writer and to use the Enneagram as a helpful piece of data in that effort.

Writing a book isn’t always going to be easy or even joyful, but it doesn’t have to be a slog.

Choosing the right goal type can help it be easier—more manageable and more fun. A large part of this decision will be what feels right to you, but also, ask what works best for you based on how you motivate (read: your Enneagram number).

As I like to tell my writers, I can almost guarantee that you can finish a draft of a book in 3-4 months without overhauling your life. You just have to know the right way to go about it. Deciding on a goal type is an important piece of that process.

Want my handy chart to track what your best goal type is based on your Enneagram number? Drop your email here and I’ll send it over.

Tell us in the comments: What’s your Enneagram type? What writing goals are you drawn to? Do they match?

Mary Adkins is the author of the novels When You Read This (Indie Next Pick, “Best Book of 2019” by Good Housekeeping and Real Simple), Privilege (Today.com Best Summer Read), and Palm Beach (New York Post “Best Book of 2021,” and “like a sandy beach, equal parts beautiful and uncomfortable” according to the Associated Press). Her books have been published in 13 countries, and her essays and reporting have appeared in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Slate, and more. A graduate of Yale Law School and Duke University, she teaches storytelling for The Moth worldwide and runs The Book Incubator, a program for aspiring authors. 

You can also follow her on Instagram.

The post Your Best Writing Goal Based on Your Enneagram Number appeared first on DIY MFA.

Many new habits fail because we try to add them into our lives with body and soul-shocking speed, and without acknowledging our current limitations. Small steps inch us toward our goals. Their light push reduces the resistance and fear that can emerge as you integrate your new writing routine into your day.  

That integration begins with setting up parameters that accommodate your current limitations.

I know. None of us want to acknowledge our limitations. They are icky and shameful. Aren’t we doing this because we want to overcome them, ditch them, and forget they ever existed?

We must all start exactly where we are, with our ugly limitations and daily routines. This doesn’t mean that we don’t push against those old habits. By working within our limitations, we use those old supports to shore up our new writing routine until it can stand on its own.

Plus, our true limitations usually include all the things we need to feel good, stay healthy, and be creative, even if they feel scandalous to admit.

So, What Are Your Limitations?

For my first small step, I decided to write for fifteen minutes a day, five days a week. What were my limitations?

• I wake up early naturally.
• A quiet environment allows me to focus, and my wife sleeps in most mornings.
• I am at my most creative in the morning.
• If I wait to write until later, it doesn’t happen.
• If I rise too far before daybreak, I’m sleepy and grouchy all day.

Thus, I knew writing in the morning when the house was still would serve my writing, but I had to pick a time to get up that was not too early. Acknowledging these limitations supported my body, mind, and spirit as I began my new writing routine.

How do you feel about making a list of the things you need to feel good, stay healthy, and be creative?

Begin with general timing. Maybe you are at your best late at night. Perhaps you like to take a break in the middle of the afternoon. Consider when your creativity seems to be highest.

Do you like to work in the quiet? Can you take a bit of noise? Can you tune out distractions?

Do you need to define your workspace? A sign can hang on a doorknob or even on the back of your chair at the kitchen table, warning people to not disturb you. Lighting a candle or placing a totem in your creative space can move your mind into writing mode.

Of course, if you’re a parent, then your timing and space are not always your own. Do you need quiet to work? Then tucking your writing into naptime or after bedtime, may be your best option. Can you work through noise and distraction? Perhaps your writing can occur while playtime ensues.  

Give yourself the space and time to explore what you need to maintain a happy, healthy life while integrating your new writing practice. Consider how your small step can glide into your current routine, making accommodations for your lifestyle, body, and creativity equally.

Visualize How Your Small Step Will Fit into Your Life

Adding a small step, even within our limitations, means pushing against some part of your everyday life. Imagining your new custom begins your journey in a nonthreatening way. Tweak your vision until it feels easy and comfortable.

With my limitations clearly defined, I realized that rising fifteen minutes earlier than usual gave me the space to write. That meant waking up at 6:30 AM. The change from 6:45 AM to 6:30 AM seemed very doable.

Next, I visualized my morning.

At 6:30 AM, I would get up. Fifteen minutes to feed the pets and walk to my office. Time to write from 6:45 AM until 7:00 AM. Then, take my shower (½ hour), walk the dogs (½ hour), and eat my breakfast (½ hour). At 8:30 AM, get in the car and go to the day job.

Done and done.

Peace rose in my soul as I realized I’d created the space in my life for my writing to occur.

What is the tiny change you can make to your current routine to accommodate your small step? Can you imagine how it will fit into your everyday life? If it doesn’t feel doable, make changes until it feels simple.

Set Your Stage To Avoid Limitations

This part of the preparation is literally setting yourself up for success. Now that you can see your process, make sure that everything you need to write is ready to go and complete any necessary activities to make the space.

Before going to bed, I placed a pen that worked on top of my notebook. My laptop computer was charged. The writing program I prefer was updated and ready for action.

I also made my lunch for the next day so I could give that time to my writing.

Each evening, I committed to my morning writing time while chopping the veggies for my daily salad and giving my writing space that final check.

What can you do to set your stage? What items do you need ready to go when you walk into your studio or office? Are there to-dos that you can complete to make the space for your writing time?

Time to Begin

With the parameters defined, take action. Get started and see what happens. Adjust this routine as necessary to make it effective for you.

If you think that this small step can’t possibly be enough, know this. By starting where you are and getting comfortable with this tiny change, you are creating the possibility of more. When I began writing for fifteen minutes each weekday three years ago, I never imagined that it would translate into a habit that would encourage my work for hours at a time. But it did, and now I write for three to four hours each weekday.

Begin where you are. Take the action you can take right now. Once your small step has become a habit, you can allow your excitement to push you to do more.

But for now, let your parameters and the routine support you as you take that first small step.

***This piece is informed by and uses Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching Tools.

Tell us in the comments: What are your limitations? How can you overcome them and set your stage for success?

LA (as in tra-la-la) Bourgeois empowers you to embrace JOY as you manifest your creative goals through her Creativity and Business Coaching. Battle resistance, procrastination, and overwhelm with her at your side, gently encouraging with humor and heart. Discover more at her website, labourgeois.biz

The post Acknowledge Your Limitations and Set Your Stage for Success appeared first on DIY MFA.

Landing on a bestseller list, earning rave reviews and big-name awards, landing a contract that will give you some form of financial freedom (that you will use—of course—to continue to write), or simply finishing an original manuscript will not happen unless you put pen to paper. 

This does not necessarily mean you must write every single day. It does, however, require the sort of discipline that will keep you writing on bad days, when your fickle-minded muse is off rolling around in someone else’s hayloft.

First, A Caveat

I get it, fellow DIY writer on a budget. Piecing together your own education and skillset feels like building the boat while sailing. Ahead of you is a vast, seemingly unfathomable sea of writing resources and advice to navigate. 

This column is not intended to hand down immutable rules or proscriptions. Instead, I want to empower you to continue building your own boat. Of what follows, incorporate the suggestions and strategies that work for you. Let go of what doesn’t. You may find, after some trial and error, that the blueprints for our ships look very different from one another. 

Agreed? Then, read on to learn how to establish a disciplined writing practice.

Align Your Behavior with Your Priorities

Over the next two weeks, track how you spend your time. Use a basic spreadsheet or annotate your planner by hand. Be accurate and honest. Record any significant emotions or fluctuations in your energy and productivity levels. 

At the end of two weeks, reflect. Do your day-to-day actions align closely with your priorities? What are some potential pockets of time you can reserve for writing? Your findings might surprise you.

From there, build a strategic writing schedule that you can adhere to. 

Protect your creative time by blocking it out, like any other important appointment, in your agenda. It is perfectly acceptable to start small. Completing ten minutes of writing on your lunch breaks, every other day, will move you closer to a manuscript draft than idealizing four-hour weekend sessions that never happen. 

Also, look for ways to tweak hard-to-break habits. Could you, for example, place a notebook by the couch where you will reach for it rather than the TV remote in the evenings?

Set Clear, Attainable, Measurable Goals 

Nowadays, I write regularly out of force of habit, with far less of the pre-session hand-wringing and ritual I once had. When writing time is on my schedule, nestled (sometimes squished) between a part-time, in-person job and a second, at-home creative gig, I sit down and get to work. 

The more you write on both good and bad days, whether constructing prose feels near-effortless or like drawing blood from a stone, the easier and more unselfconscious it will become. 

If you are struggling with consistency, clear, attainable, and measurable goals can give your writing practice structure, purpose, and direction until it becomes second nature to sit at your desk day in and day out. 

Whether you want to write 100 words or 1000, for an uninterrupted stretch of thirty minutes or five, your goals should be concrete and challenging, but manageable enough so you can reasonably accomplish them given the current demands of your life. 

Track Your Progress

Writing is work. Immediate results are not guaranteed. 

The granular, day-to-day developments in your writing practice and craft can often be difficult to see. To stay motivated, keep track of objective data like word count, the number of first drafts you have completed, or writing session length over both the short and long-term for a full picture of your progress. 

Seeing the broad strides you make over longer periods of time can be a powerful reminder that your daily efforts really do make a difference. At the end of the quarter or calendar year, you can also use this information to set increasingly challenging goals for yourself and continue refining your writing schedule.

I happen to use Christie Yant’s Tools for Writers. Her templates are a user-friendly and inspiring addition to any writer’s toolkit. You can set up a profile on the NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) website and use their project goal and word count statistics tools throughout the year.

Even the most austere of spreadsheets can work wonders. Oh, the beauty of a set of blank cells! How heady the sense of possibility, as they call out to be populated with your data! 

Have Back-Up Prompts Ready

So, you have blocked out time in your calendar. You have your progress tracker ready. You are alone at last with a blank page. And then, nothing. You have no idea what to write about. Your inner critic cackles in delight. Now what?

Sometimes you need a backup plan when you are trying to work under less-than-ideal conditions. Writing prompts are wonderful tools, especially on days you need outside help to stay anchored to your writing practice. A quick Google search can get you started in seconds, or you can check out Reedsy prompts, Writer’s Digest, or our very own DIY MFA Writer Igniter. 

Days when you have no idea what to write or where to take your story are also great opportunities to focus on technical aspects of your craft. Why not use that session to write (or rewrite) scenes that explore and play with specific craft elements like dialogue, narrative voice, or point of view?

Use Positive Peer Pressure

While the writing life requires a certain degree of solitude, it does not have to be lonely. Today it is easier than ever to connect with local writing groups, professional associations, and the greater literary community. Other writers are invaluable sources of both professional guidance as well as encouragement. Don’t overlook them!

Many writing groups and organizations host in-person write-ins or run virtual writing sprints. Others may offer co-working sessions that you can join at various times during the week. 

Take advantage of the positive, productive energy fostered in these group settings to fill out your writing practice once in a while. It is a lot harder to blow off writing time in your calendar when you know other people are expecting you to show up (and looking forward to seeing you!)

Reward Yourself

When all else fails, resort to bribery.

A little extrinsic motivation can go a long way. If your favorite, luxurious hot beverage from a corner coffee shop, one of the books on your wishlist, or an extra hour of reading time on Sunday morning is the extra push that effectively gets you in your writing chair, that is okay.

And be sure to treat yourself for meeting your goals throughout your writing journey. What we do is challenging work, and exercising the kind of self-discipline, reflection, and stamina to create objects that move people with little more than markings on a page is certainly worth celebrating.

It’s Your Turn

Ready to set pen to paper? Here is a prompt to kickstart your week with a disciplined writing practice. 

Write a scene where one or more obstacles keep thwarting your main character’s attempts to create something new. 

If you are a newbie, set a timer for five minutes and write. When the timer goes off, stop. Pause no more than two minutes to collect your thoughts and look over what you have written. Then, set the timer for ten minutes, and continue writing your scene in sprints between 5 to 15 minutes until you get to at least 400 words. 

Tell us in the comments below: How did it go? What did you learn and apply from this article? What other strategies work for you in creating a disciplined writing practice?

The elder daughter of Korean-Canadian and Austrian immigrants, F.E. Choe currently lives in Columbia, South Carolina. When she is not at her desk trying to craft true and beautiful sentences or piecing together her latest short story, you will find her feeding the dog scraps under the table, reading, or training her backyard flock of hens to walk backwards. Follow her on Instagram @f.e.choe.

The post How Do I Establish a <s>Daily</s></p> Disciplined Writing Practice? appeared first on DIY MFA.

You know what? That kind of resistance is totally normal.

Resistance invades the artistic process at every level. In fact, resistance is so pervasive that Steven Pressfield wrote a book about it. A whole book. The War of Art. And he’s not alone. Many people have written books and articles on this subject.

So how can we overcome resistance to establish a habit that allows us to write our memoir, our nonfiction book, our novel?

Let’s work through it together, exploring the ideas introduced in my piece, “Five Ways to Trick Yourself into Writing,” over the next few months. Within this process, I encourage you to lower your expectations about what you can or will or should do (See this piece for what I think about that horrid “should”) and take the time to think deeply to create a solution that works for you.

Selecting a Goal

Between the “should” and the tip-tip-tapping of the words each day lies a chasm filled with reasons and rationalizations for why you can’t make those words happen regularly. 

So, how can you find your motivation and show up for this marvelous story you want to tell? After all, you’re dying to tell it. You dream about the possibility. Your mind pops new ideas at you all day long.

Luckily, the answer to this question lies within you. You are the only one who can know what motivates you. And what motivates you may not work for anyone else. That’s okay.

Finding that motivation makes the difference between a completed book and the dream remaining a dream.

Pick a Goal that Aligns with You

By selecting a goal that aligns with your purpose and meaning, you discover a real reason to get out of bed on frigid mornings or pinch yourself awake when you want to collapse at night.

When I speak of your purpose and meaning, I’m talking about the thing or action or feeling that brings importance to your life. We’ve all heard people talking about “finding their purpose” or “searching for their meaning,” but that bestows more gravitas on this process than it deserves.

While some of us find our meaning in saving the planet like Greta Thunberg, I suspect that most of us find meaning in smaller ways. For example, my purpose is to delight and inspire people to create beauty.

Your purpose can be just as serious as Greta’s or as light as mine. The judgments of the world or your family or your friends don’t matter. 

Realize that everyone’s purpose is beautiful.
Everyone’s purpose is powerful.
Everyone’s purpose is as important as everyone else’s.

No matter their seeming weight.

The Perfect Work Day Exercise

One of my favorite tools for finding your purpose is the Perfect Work Day exercise. 

Take a few moments and journal a detailed picture of your perfect workday. Where are you working? What are you working on? What activities are you participating in? Who joins you as you spend your day? Write your whole day from waking in the morning to going to bed at night.

After you’ve finished creating the picture, read it again and then consider:

• Which part tugs at your heart the most?
• Why? Why does that thing touch you so deeply?
• What does it do in your life and the lives of others that means so much to you?

Creating that picture of your perfect workday and answering those questions helps you begin to see your purpose in action. And that makes your dream much harder to ignore. The feeling of freedom or the joy in creation or whatever made your heart sing in that picture of your perfect day—that could be the thing to draw you out of your routine and propel you into action.  

For example, my perfect workday includes writing fiction, personal essays, and inspirations for creatives in the morning and meeting with coaching clients in the afternoon. Looking at these activities made me realize that all I want to do is delight my readers, inspiring and empowering them to create their beauty in the world. That thought made my fingers itch to get moving.

Aha! I thought. Now I can get to work! I enthusiastically leaped into writing.

I didn’t know there was one more step to finding that perfect motivation.

I knew I needed to put myself in a space where I would write more. Where I could write more. Where I expressed my ideas and communicated them in words that would inspire you to make your art, write your words, manifest your dream in our world!

Whew! Got a little full of myself there. Basically, I knew that I needed to create a space for my writing in my hectic life.

So, thinking that I needed at least ninety minutes of writing time each morning, I decided to get up at 4:30 am.

Well, by day three of getting up at 4:30 am, I thought I was going to die. Thoroughly exhausted in every way, my day job suffered from poor quality work—and if you need that day job to get by like most of us do, you know that can’t last.

On day four, I accidentally slept in until 6:45 am and felt great all day. No more early mornings, I decided. I guess I just can’t do that.

I could have stopped there, but my motivation is strong. I want to write. I want to support others to achieve their dreams. I want to make people laugh. I don’t want to die without helping everyone I can and writing delightful essays and books along the way. When I thought of giving up, my regret lay on top of me like a dusty bag of unmixed concrete.

“How can I make my writing happen?” I despaired.

And, with that question, I knew I’d picked the perfect goal.

The moment you look at your dream and say, “How can I make this happen?”—know you have picked the right thing to pursue.

And know that, on your path to your writing habit, all you need to do for the next month is find your motivation.

What motivation makes you ask, “How can I make this happen?”

***This post uses Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching Tools.

Tell us in the comments: How did you find your motivation?

LA (as in tra-la-la) Bourgeois empowers you to embrace JOY as you manifest your creative goals through her Creativity and Business Coaching. Battle resistance, procrastination, and overwhelm with her at your side, gently encouraging with humor and heart. Discover more at her website, labourgeois.biz

The post To Find Your Motivation, Ask “How Can I Make This Happen?” appeared first on DIY MFA.

If you have been eyeing the literary “super genre” but something someone once said has been holding you back, let’s dive right in and debunk some common myths about speculative fiction. (On a side note, are you looking for psychological proven exercises to improve creativity? I have something for you in the end.)

Myth 1: Speculative Fiction revolves around Sci-Fi.

When we call it a “super genre,” we really mean it. Speculative fiction is sometimes confused for sci-fi or fantasy. Or sometimes a genre hanging between the two. My guess is this has something to do with the fact that Robert Heinlein was the first person to coin the term in 1947 and it has since been largely associated with sci-fi in the 20th century. After all, sci-fi is a popularly read genre and has speculative elements.

But speculative fiction goes beyond that. It includes sci-fi, sci-fi inspired by mythology, folklore, fairy tales, fantasy, supernatural fiction, utopia fiction, dystopia fiction, urban fantasy, superhero fiction, apocalyptic fiction, post-apocalyptic fiction, magical realism, and alternate history fiction.

What I mean to say is, if it has any elements of speculation, or the story is supposed to be set in a world that is unlike ours, you’re aiming for speculative fiction. Do not let the scary myth that speculative fiction is only supposed to be sci-fi hold you back.

Myth 2: To write a good sci-fi (speculative fiction), a science degree is a must.

Stemming from the first of these myths about speculative fiction, this has to take the second spot. Although it is a myth more commonly heard for sci-fi, it is fluid in the sense that people sometimes assume in order to explain the new world and its functioning, a strong scientific backup is a necessity. And who but an individual with a science degree can provide better answers?

However, I think there is more to look at. Sure, a science degree can help through the technicalities, but the first step towards good world building is consistency. So long as there is consistency in your explanation about the workings of your world, the audience will enjoy your work. That also includes stretching the truth enough to make it seem plausible. After all, the audience knows to truly enjoy the genre of speculative fiction they must maintain a willing suspension of disbelief.

Myth 3: Pantsers can just wing it.

I will not lie, writing speculative fiction can be a little challenging, especially if you’re trying your hand at it for the first time. But mostly it is rewarding. The challenge generally lies in keeping the speculative elements consistent. There are so many details to take care of. This is why, if you’re a Pantser, it might not be the best idea to just go with the flow. You might overlook tiny details that might snowball into a plot hole later. In my opinion, keeping tabs on those details is going to make your life easier.

That does not mean you must automatically turn into a Plotter. Not to mention such a switch is extremely hard, if not downright impossible. If you’re wondering whether you’re a Pantser or Plotter, ask yourself one simple question: Do you enjoy outlining your story idea and do just that, or do you enjoy working without a set plan or outline? There is a middle ground too. It’s called Plantser and that just might be the solution you are looking for if this myth about speculative fiction plagues you.

Myth 4: World building is greater than storytelling.

Let’s just say one simple word: No. No amount of world building can replace storytelling. Think of the greatest novel, movie, or TV show you have read or watched that comes under speculative fiction. Chances are, the storytelling was just as powerful as world building, if not more. Now imagine a cool world where a lot of things are happening at once, but there is a lack of storytelling. Doesn’t sound very gripping, does it?

Because no matter how great the world building is, we only care about that world because of the story. Now, I am not saying world building is not important. It is, but only because of the characters we are going on a journey with in that world.

I will take two examples here. One of my most favorite book series: The Harry Potter Series. Yes, the wizarding world is the coolest thing ever and I am still waiting for my Hogwarts letter, but I only care about all of that because every character in that story is compelling. It has always been the characters that have drawn me in and attached me to the world, not the other way around.

For my other example, let’s think about Disney’s Finding Nemo. Talking sea creatures? Cute. A father on a mission to find his kidnapped son (might I add his only child)? Compelling.

Now, if you want to write a story that leaves an impression on your readers and you want them to remember it even years after putting your novel down, you know where to focus. If that isn’t your goal, you can continue believing in this myth about speculative fiction.

An Exercise

If any of these myths about speculative fiction have been holding you back, I hope you are now ready to pull out your notes and memos that kept your exclusive world hidden until now. Remember, writing is for everyone, regardless of the genre. If you take one step forward, it would be a step closer to your wonderful world of speculative elements.

However, if it is a lack of creative boost holding you in its clutches. Let’s try to free you from that as well. I am going to employee my degree in psychology here and give you a little exercise that can help improve creative thinking:

The constrained creativity.

Often, people who find themselves constrained in some way come up with the most creative ideas. I know it might sound counterintuitive, but putting limitations pushes your brain to focus on creating novel ideas and solutions. Let’s try it together.

Tell me or write for yourself a short story about the weather outside your window right now. But your constraint is the story must have an unusual sentient being saying it all in under 100 words. I will be waiting to read your stories!

Next time we meet let’s take the 7 Deadly Sins of Speculative Fiction by the horn and be rid of those monsters for once and for all. Together we’ll see the beauty of Speculative Fiction in all its glory. Until then!

Disha Walia is a lifelong storyteller and an enthusiastic writer and editor in love with the idea of exploring the creative world of words. While making her space in the world of non-fiction and fiction alike, Disha loves to spend even her free time daydreaming about what next to write. Connect with her on www.quillinary.com. You can also follow her on Instagram (@quillinary) and Twitter (@quillinary).

The post Welcome to Worldly Wise: Debunking Myths about Speculative Fiction appeared first on DIY MFA.

We begin the month obsessed with our “shoulds.” I should lose weight. I should write my book. I should clean my house more.

Maybe that last one is just me? It can’t be!

Encouraged by the world, we take all of our “shoulds” and turn them into resolutions. I will lose weight. I will write my book. I will clean my house more.

After throwing ourselves at them for a few days, those resolutions dissipate back into their original form, but with an added bonus of guilt from the unrealistic expectations we piled on ourselves!

And the guilt makes the “should” show up even more often.

“Should” Pressures Us

When we say “I should,” we state what we insist we must do. Actions we believe that someone else or our community or the world demands of us. Expectations that have not been met. Each time you say “I should,” an unfulfilled assumption unfurls from your tongue, and guilt breaks through the dam surrounding your soul, flooding it with disgust.

Guilt around these “I shoulds” helps no one. Guilt fills up your brain with static, refusing to allow anything else entry. 

Where is the room for your writing? Gone because you’re feeling guilty about not writing! 

Where is the room to make a beautiful home? Gone because you’re feeling guilty that you haven’t cleaned the house! 

Where is the space for your family? Gone because you’re feeling guilty that you didn’t take the time to play with your kids!

It’s a vicious cycle, and it’s one inflicted on us by ourselves.

Luckily, one radical practice frees you from this cycle.

Stop using the word “should.”

That’s it. Excise “should” from your vocabulary. Does it sound easy? Because it is not. That “should” is trained into us by our family, our schools, our community, our society. Shaking it loose takes time and effort. This is why it’s a practice—not a quick fix!  

The first step? Stopping your mouth from forming the word.

And the real trick to stop the cycle and avoid the guilt trip from yourself?

Define the expectation. 

When you stop your “should,” replace that word with another one. What’s the first word that comes to mind to replace it? Why that word? What does that word tell you about this expectation you hold?

Inquire why you must do this thing that you “should” do. 

What goal is achieved by doing it? Can the goal be met by taking different actions?

The rote “I should ” now becomes an “I can.” Or maybe, the “I should” becomes an “I don’t need to” or an  “I want to.”

And that’s ok.

This transformation of the “should” redirects your energy from wallowing in guilt into practical action. It encourages you to work on your real goals infused with your meaning rather than the goals that you imagine everyone expects.

And that is what I am asking you to do by releasing “should” from your vocabulary. 

Let’s give it a try.

One of my not-so-favorites is “I should work on my novel.”

First, I eliminate the word and substitute it with another. My first thought is to use “will” in its place. Immediately, “will” sends up a flare of alarm. That word sets up a new way to add pressure. Bye-bye, “will!”

However, “I can work on my novel” tells me that I think working on my novel is possible.

Now I ask why.

Why can I work on my novel?

Because I can physically work on my novel. I can sit down at the computer and type words into the document and write my novel. It’s a possibility.

Why am I not working on the novel?

Because I work hard all day and I’m tired at night. And on the weekend, I have to do my chores and recover from the week. And I’m at a place in the novel that is hard to write.

Now I have some good information! Instead of just feeling guilty, I can start to delve into the reasons behind my excuses. And I can find solutions to the problems.

• Maybe I can ask my wife to help with the chores and free up a little time for me to write on the weekend.
• Maybe I can rise early in the morning to write before work since I’m tired at night.
• Maybe I can let myself off the writing hook for a couple of weeks until this super-stressful deadline at work has passed.
• Maybe I can begin writing that difficult section by committing to write just one sentence a day. Or every day-ish.

Options exist. A potential solution reveals itself.

And the “should” no longer controls my thoughts.

The practice of stopping your “should” cycle is one that you will find needs constant attention, especially for the first few weeks. Once you start noticing your “shoulds,” they will surprise you with their frequency. Over time, their presence will slow to a trickle, but never quite disappear. 

Perfection in this practice may not be possible (I certainly haven’t found it yet!), but committing to the practice of inquiring into your “shoulds” can empower you to make progress toward your dreams.

“Should” happens. Inquiring into each “should” reveals the reasoning behind the expectation. Facing the actualities of each “should” reveals a list of barriers that you can overcome to achieve your real goals. Delving into the options each “should” reveals empowers you to take action.

One final thing—sometimes what the “should” reveals is that you don’t really want to pursue that goal. It’s just a goal that other people expect you to achieve which doesn’t align with your heart. 

Or it’s a thing or action that someone has told you that you need to get to your goal but the action or thing doesn’t ring true for your journey. If the answer you discover in your inquiry is “That feels wrong to me,” respect the voice of your soul and find another way.

So, for this new year, resolve only to inquire into your “shoulds.” Begin where you are. Define the expectation. Ask “why.” Try not to judge yourself for falling into the “should” trap of expectations.

We all do it.

And the lessons we learn from those “shoulds” empower us to make real change and achieve the goals of our hearts.

***This piece applies Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching Tools. Tell us in the comments: What are you going to use instead of that word?

LA (as in tra-la-la) Bourgeois empowers you to embrace JOY as you manifest your creative goals through her Creativity and Business Coaching. Battle resistance, procrastination, and overwhelm with her at your side, gently encouraging with humor and heart. Discover more at her website, labourgeois.biz. You can follow LA on Facebook or Instagram.

The post Why You Should Stop Using the Word “Should” appeared first on DIY MFA.

So, if you have ever put off a meaningful task and instead done something less important only to end up talking yourself into believing you’re lazy, put that self-depreciation talk away. 

Also, keep in mind, procrastination is not relaxing. When being “booked and busy” is the trend, the unhealthy mindset often makes people feel guilty if they take time off. I know this because I am guilty as charged. Simply put—relaxing recharges us and procrastination drains us.

If you have trouble persuading yourself to do things you would like to or should do, welcome to the club of procrastinators. 

I want to help you get rid of this habit of putting things off intentionally or habitually, so I present these six psychologically proven tricks to end procrastination:

Trick 1: Reward Yourself

One of the leading causes of procrastination is lack of discipline. While pursuing my bachelor’s degree in psychology, the best thing I ever learned was the types of motivation: 

• Extrinsic motivation (behaviors motivated by external rewards)
• Goal-based motivation
• Intrinsic motivation (behaviors with no obvious external rewards). 

Our aim should always be for intrinsic motivation. But when we are already suffering from a lack of discipline, getting on the intrinsic motivation bandwagon can be hard. It’s not a horrible idea to start with extrinsic motivation to develop intrinsic motivation. 

For example: If you have a hard time putting your phone away, try telling yourself how you’ll reward yourself with binge-watching your favourite Netflix TV Series or YouTube Cat Videos after you’ve finished the task at hand. Reward yourself until you develop the habit of getting motivated from the inside (intrinsic motivation).

Trick 2: 2 Minute Pieces

Regardless of why you’re trying to get rid of procrastination, this habit is going to save your life. Ask yourself, can you do a task at hand in under 2 minutes? If the answer is yes, do it right away.

Putting off a tiny task that literally takes 2 minutes can snowball into hours and before you know it, that one task has ruined your entire schedule. 

Here’s a classic example: doing the dishes. We often leave that one bowl and spoon to clean up “later,” then in the blink of an eye, the sink is full of dishes and you’re regretting life. 

But if you would have washed that first spoon and bowl that would literally take less than 2 minutes, you would have avoided the mess you find yourself cleaning hours (or days) later.

Trick 3: Sharing Goals

Now, this might not be a trick for everyone out there. But this is the thing about tricks—it’s all about trial and error. Do whatever works for you and leave the rest. For some people, sharing goals with others motivates them to work harder. 

Sharing a goal often makes people feel accountable. They have someone waiting for them to finish that goal. It works as motivation, especially if you share that goal with someone you hold in high regard. We always want the people we hold in high regard to think well of us. Sharing goals motivate us to finish our task because we care what this person thinks of us. 

There are studies that claim that sharing your goals can be disastrous. It can be in certain situations, like if you feel pressured. But this trick, like trick 1, is for those who have trouble in getting into the habit of intrinsic motivation.

And here’s a little insider tip: Always keep your big goals a secret. It’s okay to share the little ones.

Trick 4: Start Fresh

We have a habit of working in the same space. Naturally, we develop a habit of procrastinating in the same space as well. The idea is to break the cycle. If you sit in one spot every day, only to end up procrastinating, switch your spot. 

Really, we just need to trick our brains into thinking we are starting fresh. Take a walk, a shower, listen to new music, anything that would trick your brain into thinking you’re starting fresh. It refreshes us and when we get back to the task, more often than not, we end up being more productive. Remember, this trick is all about breaking the cycle. 

Trick 5: The Seinfeld Method

While the previous trick to end procrastination was about breaking cycles, this one is about making one. The Seinfeld method is so simple that you might be skeptical, but you’ll be shocked to learn of its powers. 

The Seinfeld method is a powerful tool to develop habits and stay consistent with your goals. We often start something with great gusto, but as life gets in the way, end up abandoning it. 

This method is named after comedian Jerry Seinfeld, who once gave away the secret to his success: “consistency.” He knew he needed a system to keep him motivated and accountable, even when things got hard. 

All you need to do is track your progress in a simple and concrete way. Set up a goal, break it down into a daily routine, set up a calendar on which you can tick off your daily progress. The calendar should be visually right in front of you. This keeps you accountable, gives you motivation, and is easy to use. 

Any writer who has ever taken part in NaNoWriMo knows how this works. Except a lot of writers cannot get through NaNoWriMo because it is present digitally. Remember to keep this calendar in front of you in physical form.

Trick 6: Daily To-Do List

If you’re one of those people who love striking things off your to-do list, this tip is for you. Make a daily to-do list instead of making a longer one. 

Seeing a long to-do list can be overwhelming and give rise to procrastination. 

A daily to-do list can help prioritize tasks, limit new tasks, and stay focused on urgent tasks. Managing one day at a time is less stressful and less tiring.

That’s it! The 6 simple but effective psychologically proven tricks to end procrastination for once and for all. 

The P-word might look like a huge fire-breathing monster with fangs that have gulped down the elixir of immortality. But don’t forget, all of us are the protagonists of our stories. And what does a protagonist never do? Give up.

Tell us in the comments: How are you going to end procrastination in 2022?

Disha Walia is a lifelong storyteller and an enthusiastic writer and editor in love with the idea of exploring the creative world of words. While making her space in the world of non-fiction and fiction alike, Disha loves to spend even her free time daydreaming about what next to write. Connect with her on www.quillinary.com. You can also follow her on Instagram (@quillinary) and Twitter (@quillinary).

The post Six Psychologically-Proven Tricks to End Procrastination appeared first on DIY MFA.

This means:

• How much money are you trying to make? 
• Is that number sustainable for you and yours to survive? 
• Can you factor in days off for vacation and sick days with that number? 
• What about a surprise pregnancy? 
• What about shopping during the holiday season? 
• And emergency expenses like a new car transmission?

The money matters. I’m passionate about this because when I started my indie author journey, nobody stressed the coin to me. And because no one stressed the importance of the coin, I lost a lot of it.

Now, I make sure I plan how to get to the bag and build a successful authorial business.

I need you to do the same. Take off your hobbyist hat. Even take off your author hat. Now put on your entrepreneurial hat. It’s time to think like an entrepreneur. It’s easier than you think to set up your next authorial calendar year for success.

To start the journey, you’ve got to plan your money.

Plan Your Money

Do you know how much money you want to earn in your business by the end of next year? I’m sure you have a lotfy idea of what number you’d hope to reach every month. Perhaps you even know what you’d like to make every week.

But what about the amount you’d be proud to bring home from your books at the end of the year after taxes?

This is important to note because your financial target will determine the activity you execute to reach your goals. 

I hope you caught that: The number you are working to earn by year’s end will determine what you do every month, week, day, and hour to hit that goal. 

It’s important for you to know where you’re headed so you can identify which paths will take you there. Once you know how to get there, you’ll then be able to see what’s the quickest way of reaching the goal.

Then you can publish with purpose.

Identify your numeric goal posts

The first step to plan your money is simple: identify your goal for the following year.

Really. Just pick a number.

Whether you want to make $100K. $250K. Or even $50K – $75K. The number is up to you. Whatever you’re comfortable making that will provide a nice cushion for you and your family, go with that.

Once you identify the number, you need to break it down. Saying you want to make $100,000 in 365 days might be terrifying. 

So work backwards:

To reach $100K in 12 months, you need to bring home $8,333.33 each month. This may still seem terrifying, yeah? No worries. Let’s break this number down.

To earn $8,333.33 every 30 days, each week your books have to earn $2,083.33. Some of you make more than this at your day job. So this doesn’t seem too much, right?

If you’re reading this and you’re still huffing and puffing—let’s break it down even more. To earn $2,083.33 every 7 days, your books need to earn $297.62 (rounding up) every single day.

This amounts to you needing to sell 12 to 13 books every single hour.

Note: This doesn’t factor in taxes, tithes, etc.

So if you sell 12 to 13 books every hour for 12 months, you’ll hit your income goal of $100,000 by the end of next year. Knowing this number will make it crystal clear on what you’re reaching for, so you can then identify how to reach it.

Identify how you’ll achieve the numeric goal posts

Knowing how you’ll reach those numeric goals is also pretty simple.

It boils down to IPAs. Income Producing Assets. As an author, you need to get clear on what your money makers are. Do you have one standalone? Two completed trilogies? 30+ books published in different series? Multiple series in multiple genres?

Sit down and identify in writing what all of your IPAs are. List out how much each costs. If you’re still writing, this is the perfect time for you to know what numeric goal you’ll be shooting for so you can determine how many books you’ll need to reach the goal.

Note: Not all IPAs have to be books. Candles, mugs, stickers, character art, pins, and all forms of book swag count as IPAs. You might have one novel, but you can package it up with a mug, candle, some art, and a journal in a box that ships for $57.00 to your readers at home and abroad. 

This is part of how you’ll achieve your income goals. Take some time to list out all the ways you can take one product (the novel) and stretch it to different income streams. Crunch numbers and make it plain what activities you need to do, and how often they need to be done, so you can hit your goals by the end of the following year.

Put a system in place to reach your numeric goals

Systems were something I stuck my nose up at until burnout knocked on my door and made a permanent home. Not only that, I lost a crap ton of money because I didn’t have solid systems in place to keep coin flowing.

Have you ever considered that each aspect of publishing requires systems? Systems aren’t only important for marketing your business to access high levels of exposure. They are also important for the writing through the publication phase.

Consider the following:

• How long does it take you to write a scene? Or 3K words?
• When are you most productive?
• What environment do you need to establish to access your writing flow?
• What tool do you use to write?
• What are you using to track your progress?

Knowing the answers to these questions is a system. How you get your work done as an author is a system. Because when it’s time to start the next book, you’ll go through this exact process all over again. 

Once you’ve finished writing a book, ask yourself these questions:

• Do you do your own developmental edits?
• Are betas involved?
• How many drafts will you do before submitting the manuscript to an editor?
• How about line editing? 
• When do you factor in time to just re-read?
• How long does this process take?

Every minute, day, week, or month different parts of the publication wheel take you to finish takes up time on the timeline of reaching your numeric goal by the year’s end.

You need a system for writing. You need a system for editing. You need a system for publishing. You need a system for marketing. You need a system for growing. You need a system for scaling.

At what point of this process can you start monetizing? What do you need to do to monetize? Are you emailing your subscribers every week? Are you texting them? Will you do reels on Instagram? Will you post creative Tik Toks? Will you go Live on Facebook? Are you going to start threads on Twitter?

What activities can you do that require the least amount of effort but produce the most amount of results? How can you write fewer books and still sell to more readers so you can reach your goal faster?

You won’t hit your goal through the sheer will of your determination and efforts. Your goals will end up submitting to the default of your systems. If you’re all over the place as an author, you can tell that monetary goal sayonara.

But if you plan your money, if you sit down and write what you’re shooting for, how to get there, and what systems to establish to get it, you’ll be tap dancing into the following year.

Make the commitment to plan your money for next year before this one ends. Planning makes you purposeful. Being purposeful makes you profitable. You can’t earn what you don’t expect. Schedule a time on your calendar with yourself, that no one can interrupt (*ahem* not your kids, not your spouse, nobody), to strategize and plan what your author career will look like in the next 365 days. 

Then, get to work.

Stephanie BwaBwa is a Christian Fantasy Novelist. She’s the creator of the universe: Elledelle – about angels in magical worlds with impressive power that mirror the human condition.

She’s the author of the YA fantasy series: The Seraphim Resistance Prequels and The Transcendents Serial, as well as the writing guide, Fantasy Fundamentals for Christian fantasy writers. You can usually catch her going for a walk through a park, or simply binging Disney+ with too many snacks. Get in contact with Stephanie directly at: stephaniebwabwa.com.

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