Are you on the path to success with your book? I don’t mean in terms of sales. No one can predict that. The only thing I can guarantee you is that if you don’t finish and publish your book, the only people who will read your manuscript are the ones who can’t say no. So in Part 3 of this series about realizing your writing dreams, we’ll use what I learned from Bend, Oregon business coach Dave Luke to explore how to make sure you don’t get sidetracked and actually finish your book.
Critical Success Factor
I’m guessing you’re darn busy even without adding in writing time to your schedule. So you want to make sure you know why exactly why you’re doing whatever activity you’re engaged in during this writing time you’ve organized so diligently.
So ask yourself: “What are the make-or-break activities when it comes to getting my book written?”
Then ask yourself, “Is my current activity critical to finishing (or starting) my book?” If you’re writing, the answer is yes. If you’re doing active reading or research that’s vital to the project, the answer is yes. If you’re trying to nail down a bit of minutiae that may or may not prove relevant, the answer, at least for right now, is no.
Strategy & Tactics
Once you’ve identified your critical success factors, you need to figure out how to accomplish them. If research is required, ascertain what you need to read up on or who you need to interview. If it’s a matter of getting the writing done, figure out what you’re going to need in order to make that happen. Then determine your tactics.
If you haven’t been able to carve out the time, maybe you need child care or a housekeeper a couple of mornings a week. Or a regular writing retreat. Or maybe you just need to set your alarm half-an-hour earlier every morning.
If you’re drawing a blank, something so many people label as writer’s block, your strategy might involve figuring out what you’re trying to say or a way to quiet that incessant inner critic that’s stifling you. Your tactics might include free-association in a sloppy letter or hiring a writing coach with whom you could brainstorm.
It’s Up to You
Be honest with yourself. If your excuses are piling up faster than your pages, maybe writing isn’t your priority right now. But if it is, then it’s up to you to make it happen. As my cowboy friend Ron Albers always says, “Let’s get ‘er done!”
Sorry, comments are closed for this post.