This page is for you. I put it here so that you can post your writing goals, and I can help keep you accountable. It’s amazing what can happen when you take your dreams, ideas, and goals out of your head and put them out into the world. We all need external motivation, deadlines, and accountability, and I believe external motivation turns into internal motivation.
What I’m asking you to do is to comment below with one small but specific commitment you can make to your writing. You may choose to write on certain days of the week or at a particular time every day. Maybe you will commit to a number of words each week. Maybe you’ll make a list of some sort. Whatever you decide will work best for you is great, but the commitment must be specific, measurable, and time sensitive.
In one week’s time, I expect to see a second post from you, restating the commitment you made to yourself, whether or not you fulfilled your commitment, and any reflections you might have about the process. You can even post a bit of what you’ve written, if you’d like.
I will be checking in with you in seven days to see if you’ve completed your goal.
Ready, set, GO!
12 Comments
sarah jossart
I plan to organize notes from my mother about xenophobia ( so much in the news today) towards a hired hand in our home in the 1950’s. It will be fiction based on a real person-for several reasons. It is a story planned for 5th, 6th grade readers. A very rough draft has been written (my 8th grade granddaughter read it and cried). I need to add the depth to the story the notes should provide.
Patricia
Great job. You have set a very reasonable goal. I’m so excited to hear about your working rough draft. Well done. Your decision to add such a modern and relatable theme is impressive. I can’t wait to read it. Keep up the good work.
Tomorrow is a free chat session. Here is the link to register:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/5d34f7ebd4d9757734538d7d4481ef37
Hope to see you there! Well done!
Patricia
I sent a reply. But now I am not seeing it.
Well, just in case, I’ll reply again. Organizing notes will add more details to highlight your theme. The xenophobia theme is a very relevant and relatable topic. I’m excited to read your story.
Kit Dwyer
Dear Patricia, Thank you for conducting the webinar last evening. I don’t even have my eyes on a prize so big as a whole book, like you described in your book launch story. At least not out loud! My one small commitment is to write for 20 minutes about a memory every week for these next three months (March, April, and May 2017). That will give me at least 12 little stories, or story ideas, for newsletters and blogs, that I can expand on later or add to. I don’t have any income right now, so am unable to sign up for your reasonably priced writing classes. However, since hearing your advice, I intend to make a solid plan for making myself accountable. I will choose little rewards or give consequences that I rule myself, or action power I give to a buddy. You see, I am already drawing from the wisdom of the stories and advice you shared last night! Thank you for doing this valuable work, Kit
Patricia
You have made an outstanding commitment. Twenty minutes a week breaks down to four minutes a day, Monday thru Friday–very doable. On the Writing Your Life page, you’ll find writing prompts and I’ll be posting prompts on Facebook. Thank you for letting me know you want to write about memories. I’ll keep that in mind when constructing the prompts.
Thank you as well for participating in the free webinar. Tomorrow night is another free event. I’m hosting a chat session to answer any writing-related question guests might have. I hope you will join us. There is no obligation. I just want to help you write your story.
Here is the link to register for the chat session:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/5d34f7ebd4d9757734538d7d4481ef37
Keep up the good work. Well done!
Patricia
I sent a reply, Kit. Did you get it?
Patricia
I sent a reply with more free events.
Here is the link for the free chat session on March 7:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/5d34f7ebd4d9757734538d7d4481ef37
20 minutes a week is very reasonable. I’m sorry my first reply seems to have disappeared. I’m excited to see what memories you write about. well done!
Kathy Elbert
My goal is:
I am going to add (at least) 500 words to my first draft of “Finding Home” every week day (Monday through Friday).
Patricia
Five hundred words a week is a very good goal. That’s about one to two paragraphs a day for five days. Have you written today? How many words?
Remember: as long as you write something, you are making progress. And don’t stress out if it’s not perfect. You can always edit. Enjoy the process.
Keep up the good work.
Patricia
And thank you for attending the webinar last week. Tomorrow night at 6:00 p.m. EST, I am hosting a chat session. I hope you’ll be able to join us. You can ask me any writing-related question. Here is the link to register:https://zoom.us/meeting/register/5d34f7ebd4d9757734538d7d4481ef37
Kathy Elbert
So far I’m keeping up with my goal. Before, I was expecting myself to write on the weekends too and I was burning out, I think. I may still do work on my novel on the weekend, but now I’ve given myself permission to read or work on an outline–things like that. Also, the chat was wonderful. I hope you’ll do that again sometime soon. Thank you so much for everything!
Patricia
Outlines are a great way to get started. As with any writing, don’t stress out if it’s not as perfect as you think it should be. You want to get the facts down. A good way to recall memories is to think of sensory details–things you could see, taste, touch, smell, hear.
You can also do a timeline sort of outline to put events in order and verify dates. I know a lot of people who use webbing as well. Great commitment.
Have fun with it. Keep up the good work!
Tomorrow, I am hosting a free chat session. Here is the link to register:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/5d34f7ebd4d9757734538d7d4481ef37
You can ask me any writing-related question. I hope you’ll join us.