We all have ideas of what we consider will be success as a writer. Some of us simply want to
1)
A
dream is not a goal – recognize the difference between your writerly
dreams, and what would really satisfy you. Ask yourself why you write – would
you be surprised to find that the answer isn’t necessarily ‘to get rich’ or ‘to
be famous?
2)
It's
not just time – you need a plan - despite what you may have been
told about writing every day, there are lots of successful writers who hold
down full time jobs and squeeze in their writing at weekends. Their secret?
They plan their work and work the plan.
3)
A
dose of reality – if you’ve considered #1 above, you know where your ‘success satisfaction’
lies. Now decide what sort of writing will take you there.
4)
Writing
is hard, lonely work - why
are you doing this to yourself? What can you do to ensure your precious writing
time is your own without becoming a hermit? Consider setting up a ‘support
network’ of other writers (the Internet is a great resource for this!) There
are lists where writers share triumphs and setbacks and encourage each other –
but who understand that the writing always comes first...
5)
Whittle
away the fat - identify
your writing goals. Having a road map for your writing career will help prevent
you from going off at tangents that steal time, energy & creativity and
prevent you from reaching your writerly destination.
6)
Knowing
what you want to achieve - and drawing up a plan gives you an overview. This
overview allows you to list the actions you need to take. These can be broken
down further into ‘Baby Steps’ which let you utilize even small segments of
spare time to take your ambitions a little further ahead.
7)
Setting
up your goal calendar which outlines the tiny steps forward and shows
where the giant leaps and bounds can happen.
8)
Be
open minded - so many
different types of writing work – novels, articles, copywriting, teaching,
editing, speechwriting, speaking….oh my! Keeping an open mind about
opportunities and where they might lead you will help you pick the best writing
and promotional opportunities for your career.
9)
Career
planning 101 - now that
you know where you’re going don’t forget to pencil in some time to evaluate
each stage to make sure you’re on track, or if you need to adjust your plans or
change direction. Stuff happens!
10) Learn to cope with distractions - be decisive in handling everyday crises
and don't let the little things become big time stealers. You need to keep all
those plates spinning at once – family, friends, day job, health, etc. – and
still write. Believe me, cars and appliances break down, kids need you to
volunteer at school, relatives need care, big projects will come up at work, and
friends need a shoulder to cry on. All these things will continue to happen
whether you’re writing or not. You will be calmer and more cheerful about
dealing with them if you’ve been able to do your writing quota! There are many
resources with tips for writing & coping with living – search the Internet
for your own favorites.
By Glenys O'Connell
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