I’ve realised that I have been approaching this year’s challenge in the wrong way.
I told the world that I had 11 novels that I wanted to finish this year and I said that I would try to work on one a month. I even said which order I’d do them in.
That was my first mistake.
Five days in and I was facing a block on this month’s chosen project. The voices in my head fell silent, I found myself bereft of inspiration. I started to worry as I could see my word count was going to fall behind where I wanted it to be. Not by much but if I wasn’t careful, it would soon start to creep up until I needed to write more than 5,000 words a day just to keep up.
The answer was obvious, I had to change the project I was working on.
As I said, there are plenty of choices, not just the novels, there are a few short stories that also need finishing. As long as I get them all done this year, does the order I work on them really matter? It’s not as if I’m going to release them all to follow some particular plan. Being Indie means I have no editor or agent/publisher breathing down my neck, telling me what to do and when.
The whole idea of a list of things to do and a regimented way of dealing with them have been anathema to me through my working life, why should it be any different now that I’m (supposedly) writing for pleasure? Jobs should be prioritised by importance or done at the optimum time.
None of my novels falls into any sort of critical category, if I can’t do one, then the logical thing to do is move on and try another. By the time I get bored or lose motivation for the last idea, I will probably find myself ready to start the first one again.
Now I just have to decide where to direct my energies. I can go Sci-fi or Cozy Crime, Space Opera, Psychological Thriller or just mess with a short story.
Incidentally, I’ve managed just under 9000 words so far this month.
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Jack Eason
I thought you would have realized before now young Richard me lad – planning and books are bad bedfellows!
Richard Dee
I might have a plan, the voices in my head frequently have other ideas.
Paula Harmon
I sympathise! I’d intended to have a 90k novel in draft by end Dec. I think I have 30k, but I’m not sure the chapters are in order and I suspect at lot will have to come out, which was a process I was hoping to avoid. Be kind to yourself!
Richard Dee
Thanks, good luck with yours. I have a lot of repetition to sort out, it means I’m not as far on as I thought.
Joy Lennick
Who was it said “WRITE A PAGE A DAY, AND WITHIN A YEAR YOU HAVE ANOTHER BOOK?” If you write three pages, that’s three books…Not bad, eh?! You have to ask yourself, just how hard am I pushing myself. The ball is in your court. The very best of British! And a Happy New Year. x
Richard Dee
That is sound advice. It’s best not to set yourself unrealistic targets, it only leads to angst. Happy New Year to you too.