I’ve always been slow at it. But I’m here to post a breakthrough. I just wrote a novel (New World 3: Here Be Dragons) at four times my normal speed. Here are three points about how I did it.
(1) I set a goal that was easy.
I’ve learned that failing to meet a writing goal is quietly devastating to my writing psyche, but achieving a writing goal consistently will unleash a poweful fuel — an explosive mixture of confidence and habit. The best goal is one that you can achieve on your worst day.
My goal was 500 words per day, no matter what. The number doesn’t matter. Yours might be much more or much less. What matters is…
(2) I achieved that goal with machinelike consistency.
I wrote when I was tired, when I was busy, when I didn’t have time. As the words piled up, I learned that I could do it. Some days, I didn’t get my 500, but I always made up the difference the next day.
It began to feel normal. And that’s an important feeling.
(3) I changed nothing.
I felt ready to raise 500/day to something more ambitious. But I didn’t. I got smug, then I got bored… but I wrote on, stopping somewhere after 500 and never holding myself to more. I noticed which days were easy and which were hard, which scenes were easy and which were hard.
I call this phase “Sustain and Observe.”
I want do do 1000/day or 2000/day, but I need to take the time to get strong (writing is a muscle) and notice my strengths and weaknesses, so I can amplify my strengths and sidestep my weaknesses.
The novel’s finished. Now it’s editing time. I’ll start the next one August 1, 2018, and I probably won’t change the wordcount goal. I might go another year at 500/day — and when I finally raise it, I’ll raise it to something I can achieve on my worst day. It’s a long game.
Keep the goal easy, always hit it, and sustain.
(I need to give credit to fast writers Rachel Aaron and Chris Fox, who inspired me to look closely at my process.)
Sam the Novel Dog
Novel Dog 