My Plan of Attack

What do you do when faced with a dilemma?
You think about the issue, write down the pros and cons, gather your thoughts and then hey (hopefully) presto, you have sorted it all out.

Sooooooo, I kinda did that.

I need to have my third novel written by the end of October this year. My decision, totally my own  madcap idea.

How do I make this work? From now until the end of the October, I've got limited time. I want my weekends off, so Monday to Friday, I shall write.
I work out the word count I think will be needed, based on my last novels.
So this gives me my daily word count with weekends off.

Can I do it? Hell yes I can!

So my third novel, Cregane Court (Working Title) shall be tackled with determination and discipline and hopefully I will be posting here in November about how successful I've been.
If not, I will be eating chocolate and happy that I at least gave it ago.

“A dream written down with a date becomes a goal. A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan. A plan backed by action makes your dreams come true.” Greg Reid

#motivation #amwriting #success

Guilt Be Gone

September already and so far this year the many writing plans I had in mind last January have taken a backseat. But that's okay, although for months, I battered myself with guilt. It really was only over this weekend, I realised I don't need to be stuck to a timetable or need permission to not turn up to the page. Writing like everything else in my life will have its moments.
It's not like I've sat back and ignored the two novels I began months ago, or the hunt I wanted to go on for an agent, the marketing ides I need to come up with to sell my books, I didn't. It was, that other equally important matters as my writing life, needed my attention.
How many nights did I twist and turn thinking how I will sit at the desk in the morning and write thousands of words, knowing deep down, it wasn't going to happen. Life happens in cycles like the seasons of each year, there is a time for everything.
Family and health took priority so far this year and rightly so. Now that I am on a more even keel with both of those issues, my time can once more be diverted to my writing. It feels right now to sit and type, or think, or plan, or whatever is required for what I'm dealing with, novel, short story, promotion etc.
If you've missed some time at your desk, relax, it will right itself. A writer is never off duty, if you are not writing you will be thinking about it, breathing it, so let the guilt go.
Plus the year isn't over yet, I might complete all I want to do yet and so might you.