goals? work coutns and routines?

Jen

I've always wanted to be a writer. I understand it's a lot of work and that it's possible to have a job and write. (I have a job with different hours every week, evennigs, weekends and it's a card shop so busy times ahead for Halloween and Xmas).
I am lazy. To be honest. I spend time in work and then on a day off or when I'm finished I can't be bothered. I know, I know thta's not going to work, I either write or I'm not going to get anywhere.
So- what's your routine or goals? Do you write a certain amount of words a day?

I don't have the same hours every week and have to go in on my day off sometimes so a routine isn't possible.
Can you sugesst something that will work for me?


Sorry I was in a rush. I want to write a novel on day but I also like writing short stories because they are finished quicker- more satisfaction. I have been on here before but I don't spend much time on here.Thanks for the advice.
I know I'm pathetic. When I was at school about four years ago I was told I was self-disciplined and I am when there's a deadline- someone else's- but not about writing. I am doing a course I'm getting to the end of- surprised how many things are wrong with my writing at times but the comments are promising.


Anyway, thanks for your time. Any advice is welcome. Even if it's harsh, nobody is as harsh on me as I am. I think. I want to get somewhere, I want to write and be happy that I'm writing enough and nto feel guilty that it's not enough.

Dwight

Hi Jen. I don't remembe meeting you in Talkback before, but you're welcome.

So you want to write? I'd start with short stories. Try and find out a bit about how to write them. In fact, as you're writing your first two or three stories, I'd have a 'How to' book on the go as well, so that you are learning the technique as you go. Go into a good Waterstones, a big one where the choice will be wider, and get the assistants to show you the creative writing section. Any book called How to Write Short Stories, or anything like it will do nicely. That's how to get bitten by the bug and you won't look back.

Jay Mandal

You could aim for 100 words a day. It shouldn't take too long each day, but you'll have written nearly 40,000 words by the end of a year.

dorothyd

try looking at my How We Work thread, Jen, for a start. We all work in different ways, we could all bombard you with advice and none of it would fit. Try reading through, that and the Adjectives in Genre Writing and Description threads too. We've had some far ranging discussions on all these topics there.

The first thing to ask yourself is this: how much do you want to succeed as a writer? Is it a real burning desire? Not 'I always wanted to be' because many people do but never make it. Is it deeper than that? My feeling is that with you it is a real desire. Right, then you can write and you should. Don't put it off. Try writing something every day. Write when there is no one in the shop. Christmas is flat out, yes, but still there are times when no one is there.
You could set yourself a goal, a set amount of words. On my desk at home I have a book by Howard Spring where he discusses writing, it's there because I want a couple of poems out of it, actually, he says he set himself a goal of 1000 words every night. Note the word 'every'. He wrote 10 novels longhand.
You can do it. Borrow President Obama's campaign phrase, We Can Do It. That's you and your determination. Write something for the OWC (top of the board - 200 word story around the word given.) Doesn't matter if it isn't brilliant and award winning, the most important thing is, it's WRITING.
The course will have shown you where your weak points are, you can watch for them in the future.
Now, goals. What do you write?
Do you want to sell articles or stories? Articles are easier to sell than stories, that market is shrinking like mad at the moment.
Try writing some readers' letters.
Check out the blog I feature on Where To Start, Debs is a working writer who knows what she's talking about.
That's enough to go on with, I think!

flyingtart

If you're going to have a target I'd suggest a word count rather than an amount of time - it's easy to sit there and waste an hour doing very little but a word count really spurs you on and you can accomplish it in short bursts throughout the day. Start short, as others have said. Don't try to overreach yourself at first or you'll get disheartened. You could start a daily journal - just your thoughts and feelings about what is happening around you. I started a journal about five years ago and I find that is a helpful regular exercise to keep the words flowing.

Dudess

Could always go into charity shops and pick up short story anthologies, too, then review each one and say why you liked it. I'm rubbish at writing short stories, but I love writing (and planning!) novels. I also, like probably every second writer, have issues with discipline.

You need to find your own writing routine, including finding which authors you like, and writing those 100 (+?) words a day, on anything that's not Talkback :)

Then come back and moan/celebrate/smile with us!

shellw

Hi There,

I was like you i'd wanted to write for years but hadn't really got to the stage of the writing itself, i guess i was scared that I couldn't do it, that I wasn't good enough. I'd done bits here and there had got a basic plot for my novel but I always made excuses not to write, then I joined TB and the guys on here are brilliant and really helpful.
I've now got my young adult novel on the go and also a chic lit one going too, having 2 on the go seems to help keep things from going stale, it will prob take me a few years to get them right, but now i've started them I'm bit by the writing bug.
There are several ways to work and some of the threads on here will help you choose which way is best for you.
I have a busy life I work full time and we have a pub so I don't always have loads of time to write, but I write something every day, even if it's only a few lines in my notebook on the way to work and a few more on my lunch break, then a few more while the bath is running and it soon adds up.
I've found if you really want to write you can do it, even if you write for half an hour instead of watching tv it all add's up.
You just need to start to believe in yourself and what you can do and make the time to write no matter how short it is and as you see the word count grow each week you start to see how well your doing and it pushes you to carry on.
Good luck with the writing and you have a great group of people on here who will give you all the support you need.

casey

Jen, You can do it. You can be a writer. Stop beating yourself up for not doing it. Think about what you want to write while you're working, then make notes. You don't have to write screeds. A little every day if possible, if not, every other day. Try to schedule time for writing even if you can't make it the same time every day. Doing a course is good discipline, as you have to produce work. Build on that work, improve it, then send it out - then you're a writer.
If you're planning a novel it's also good to write some short stories, as you say, quicker results, and results is what keeps us going. As they say in Tesco's Every Little Helps.

Jen

thanks everyone.
I have been on here for a while but only come here on ocassion (visit the site I should say). I should come on here more. :)

dorothyd

If you're looking for encouragement, Jen, make it a daily visit, just to catch up and chat. It will help the incentive to write no end, to read of other's successes and share in their struggles.

Lou Treleaven

Good luck whatever methods you decide to use, Jen. You have already taken an important step - recognising that you want to do something with your writing. I would just add that doing even a tiny bit of writing each day makes a huge difference - you feel like a writer and your work is progressing. It doesn't matter if it progresses slowly. Come and visit this forum often for encouragement and you will be well on your way!

Stan2

^

LeeH

I think you need to draw a line in your mental sand. Just go for it, stop 'wanting' to be a writer and be one. There's that old saying that everyone has a book in them, that might be true, but unless you start slapping those keys they're gonna stay inside.

It does sound a little like a confidence thing too, so perhaps doing a few short stories, maybe even flash fiction a go, get that rapid satisfaction, then you'll want for more and you will find it easier to write more words a day than you did before. But also with the shorter work you can get faster critique and learn where you are going wrong. That worked for me, there's a lot of people on here who are willing to be honest and will point out what's shit, or what's good, and that's what writer's need if they want to improve.

And even if you write a pile of poo, it's still written, like going for a game of football, you might lose but you still had fun kicking the ball around.

I think the best advertisement on here at the moment will be ColB who basically the last two years has been busting a nut on his novel. But writing shorts to begin with. Now he's just been signed up with a New York Agent and the future is looking pretty shiny for him, but he earned it by sitting down and getting on with the job of writing even though he has his full-time job and a family.

My favourite quote:

H. Jackson Brown: Time Quote

"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein, and ColB." I added the last name and broke the quote, snicker.

Stan2

^^^^^^^

dora

is that the sting Stan? to stop anyone trying to drive away from this thread?



[quote=LeeH]And even if you write a pile of poo, [/quote]

I've just written one, unfortunately it is still steaming.