Goals, Dreams and Deadlines #writetoday

A goal is a dream with a deadline.
Napoleon Hill

My weekend writing view off the bow of our boat.

 Writing for fun is a completely different animal than writing for publication - and anyone that tells you otherwise is full of crap.

Writing for publication, whether it's for a traditional publisher or if you are going it alone as an indie, is a JOB. It's a BUSINESS. You cannot only write when you're inspired or when you "have the time."

You have to make time, you have to write through good days and bad, kids screaming and anything else life tosses at you.

We all start with the dreams of seeing our names on covers and touching people with our stories and characters. To get there takes planning, lots of hours at the keyboard and it requires some serious goal setting.

This year we became boaters - which means a good chunk of my weekends will be spent on the water, soaking up the sunshine, being inspired by the beauty of the water - but also seriously cutting chunks out of my normal writing routine.

In order to make my deadlines, I'm going to need to learn to write while bobbing on the sea.

Here's a few tried and true tips to add some writing time to your day:

* Become an early riser. I find I am most creative in the morning and when the house is quiet I get more done.

* Become a night owl. Some people find writing at night works best for them. Some find a great way to reduce the stress of the day by letting their creative juices run wild.

* Always carry a pad and pen or learn to record your voice on your phone. You never know when you might have a few minutes to get an idea down.

* Set the timer for 15 minute writing sprints. No internet, no distractions...everyone can find a few 15 minute time slots in their day somewhere.

*Find a writing buddy to hound support you. Cheer each other on with texts, emails, messaging, etc. 
 


How do you adjust to a changing schedule over the summer to meet your deadlines?