I'd meant to be triumphantly reporting that I've met my goal from last Monday and completed the draft of the manuscript that's due in only a few short weeks.
But despite countless hours of sweat equity, what will be Book #20 threw me a curve ball, demanding changes, changes, changes as I began finessing the scenes for a complicated climax into place. Since I'd rather have the book done right than simply have it finished, I haven't yet reached the end. Still, I'm getting closer each and every day.
Yes, this means I'm occasionally breathing into the little paper bag I keep by my computer over the daily panic attacks this struggle is inducing. So wish me luck as I do the white-knuckle slide into the home stretch. I WILL have this draft finished by next Monday. I'm absolutely determined!
Hope you'll let me know how you're doing on your weekly goals. Any successes, failures, or readjustments (c'mon, gang! make me feel better, will you?) to report?
Showing posts with label goal setting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goal setting. Show all posts
Monday, October 24, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Weekly Goals: They're Not Just for NaNoWriMo
With my deadline looming, it's time to put the hammer down on an ambitious goal: finish the draft before next Monday.
I've always been a big proponent of breaking down huge, overwhelming tasks into manageable chunks with monthly, weekly, and at times daily goals. These goals needn't be back-breakers--indeed, if you want writing to be a sustainable lifestyle and no just an annual National Novel Writing Month binge that leaves you with bleeding eyeballs, carpal tunnel, and an aversion to writing for the remainder of the year, you'll need to come up with a plan that you can live with longterm.
Once I've finished the early, exploratory work on a book and am getting down to completion mode, I try to tack on just a little bit more than the lazy side of my brain thinks it can do for my goal-setting. Then I write down the projected page or word count goals (Since my current publisher uses computer word counts rather than page counts, I've recently switched over to daily word count goals to keep myself from "cheating" with a lot of chapter breaks and other white space) on my handy-dandy, low-tech calendar. In ink. (Gasp!)
Blowing a daily goal bugs me, but it's bound to happen sometimes. Blowing a weekly goal calls for a serious course correction (i.e. giving up evening relaxation time or weekends) when I'm on a tight deadline. When the deadline's not quite so daunting, it's the monthly goals that I adhere to most closely.
I know other writers who procrastinate 'til the last possible moment, then blaze through the draft in a period of weeks (or even days.) This is the only way that works for them. Goal-setting is the only way that works for me.
So what's your goal for this week? And do you use goal-setting as a regular strategy?
I've always been a big proponent of breaking down huge, overwhelming tasks into manageable chunks with monthly, weekly, and at times daily goals. These goals needn't be back-breakers--indeed, if you want writing to be a sustainable lifestyle and no just an annual National Novel Writing Month binge that leaves you with bleeding eyeballs, carpal tunnel, and an aversion to writing for the remainder of the year, you'll need to come up with a plan that you can live with longterm.
Once I've finished the early, exploratory work on a book and am getting down to completion mode, I try to tack on just a little bit more than the lazy side of my brain thinks it can do for my goal-setting. Then I write down the projected page or word count goals (Since my current publisher uses computer word counts rather than page counts, I've recently switched over to daily word count goals to keep myself from "cheating" with a lot of chapter breaks and other white space) on my handy-dandy, low-tech calendar. In ink. (Gasp!)
Blowing a daily goal bugs me, but it's bound to happen sometimes. Blowing a weekly goal calls for a serious course correction (i.e. giving up evening relaxation time or weekends) when I'm on a tight deadline. When the deadline's not quite so daunting, it's the monthly goals that I adhere to most closely.
I know other writers who procrastinate 'til the last possible moment, then blaze through the draft in a period of weeks (or even days.) This is the only way that works for them. Goal-setting is the only way that works for me.
So what's your goal for this week? And do you use goal-setting as a regular strategy?
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