Tag Archives: Writers Resources

Why I don’t set daily word count goals.

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Forever, like just about every writer I know, I set a daily word count goal and a project goal.

I thought I had to do that.

I use Scrivener to write with. It allows me to set a word count goal for the project and it calculates what my daily goal should be based up one where I’ve set my deadline, which is usually three months out.

But after struggling to write since finishing the book in December, I decided to use the writing formula I had for that one.

For that book, I created a playlist, which gained a few followers on Spotify, wrote for 25 minute sprints, with 5 minute breaks.

I’ve tried doing that since but I always got distracted by the internet.

On Saturday , I created a new playlist on Spotify, keeping it secret, and busted out 2916 words in the four sprints.

I took away the project goal, which when I took took away the deadline in the program eliminated the daily word count goal. I still have a deadline for the end of July, but taking that off the program increased my focus, which was my goal of following the formula.

I wrote 86k on the December project in that month, I’m not sure I’ll replicate that, but it would be great to write like that again.

I changed how I write because I felt stymied by what I was doing. I couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t putting words on the page but after changing things I believe I’ll be crushing my word count for this project.

I don’t have a daily word count goal, I write until my four sprints are over, then I look at my word count. But I don’t have goal in mind before I start writing. I only want to get clean, truthful words on the page. With this formula, that’s what I’ll be doing.

How is your writing going? Are you having the same issues as I have?

Try changing your music, where you write, or event what you drink or have beforehand. Those little things can change everything.

Have a good Monday and happy writing!

Don’t work for free.

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Let me start this post by saying, welcome to all the new followers.

Okay, that’s done, now down to what I want to say.

This past weekend I let it be known I was probably going to publish a book on Amazon soon. I wrote about this decision on Monday’s post.

I’ve been debating this decision with myself and I’ve talked it over with my wife. We decided the book will not get any better than its current iteration and that I should publish, now back to the point.

One of my friends thought I’d give him a feee signed copy of the book when it’s released. I truly care about this person but they don’t write or doing anything creative, that I’m aware of.

This being the case, they don’t understand how hard it is to be a creative.

There are only two people who would get those signed copies, for free; my wife and my mom.

They have been my biggest supporters throughout my writing journey.

I have a date selected for publication and I’ll be going over the draft leading up to that date.

I’ll let all of you know when that will be in the coming weeks.

Happy writing and don’t work for free.

How I’m ignoring things that disrupt my writing.

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As a writer, there are many times when I’ll be compromised by disruptions.

I’ll be working on a project, and, BAM!

New story idea, new way to adjust or improve the current project, a way to fix previous project. That’s the moment I want to scream, but don’t.

I’ll write down what the thought, idea, or whatever and get back to what I was working on.

It hasn’t always been this way.

It took me a while to ignore those things.

That pretty new thing sounds wonderful, but it will take you away from your current project and you’ll never finish a book!

I’m only 10k in on a new project and my brain has made multiple attempts on sacrificing the current project for another one.

It got to the point where I had to take a step back. Think about why my brain was doing that.

I came to the realization that there is a story I want to tell with another book, but I have pushed it away to focus on the current project. The other book is connected to the one I talked about here.

I’m trying to focus on writing something that is terrifying this year.

In other projects I didn’t do that until the second draft, but after discussing my writing with my wife(always my rock), she said I should go as dark and horrifying as possible. That’s something I’ve been afraid to do. Mostly out of fear of judgment. My wife told me, “Why care about what someone will say when they won’t read the actual book only the blurb?”

This changed my writing. I’m working on not only improving those things and the prose but shoveling those thoughts out with the trash.

I have a better grasp on my writing than I ever have before and avoiding shiny objects, not caring what people think and enjoying the whole process of writing, yes, even editing, is making me a better writer.

Anyway, have a good weekend and happy writing.

Finding your voice.

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There is always talk about voice. But there isn’t a great description of what it is.

I’ll give it to you easier.

Voice is that part of your writing that is you. That little part that sounds only like you.

Here’s how I do it.

I only have the things I’ve experienced, the life I’ve lived and I pull from those things.

We each have the moments we’ve experienced in our lives. Each of us can only think like ourselves, with those thoughts, we’re able to find our voice.

When you think about how life was growing up, when you’re thinking about what that time you ate dinner at your friends house and their family interaction was vastly different from your own, those are the types of moments you should pull from.

The awesome thing is, you can write with that type of knowledge in every genre. Everyone gets uncomfortable at their friend’s house. All of have been there at some point. Use it.

How you perceive the world around you is different from how I do or anyone else. Use that perception and build your characters with it.

While building you’ll discover a voice that is authentic to only you.

A journey to get done…

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Recently, I’ve become aware of the improvement in my writing.

It happened by my wife reading the first chapter of the book I wrote in December.

She commented on how different and how much it improved upon a separate fantasy novel I wrote a couple of years ago.

To see my wife, who has shared my writing journey as my biggest supporter, pushed me the hardest to improve on how far I can push the scare factor or the limits of what scares me to put on the pages, enjoy and compliment me on improvements, makes me smile.

As a writer who is working toward publishing, this year if everything works out, I believe being honest and working on what you’re afraid to write is important.

I didn’t always feel that way.

I didn’t want to write what scared me. I didn’t want to push the boundaries of what I was comfortable with.

Now I am.

Pushing the limits of our own creativity is important. To me it is singularly the most important thing we can do.

I’m working on something new and if you follow me on Instagram, you know where I’m heading with this one.

I have a lot of stories to write and I hope you’ll continue, or begin to follow me.

Happy writing!