Four Years as a Full-Time Author

05
Jan 22
1

Four Years as a Full-Time Author

Have you heard the old adage:

It’s true.

I spent the first 9 months of 2021 doing exactly what I’d done in 2020. Which was procrastinating on a project until I got frustrated enough to give myself an almost impossible deadline, then writing manically to meet said deadline, pushing my beta readers, pushing my editors, and getting the books out on time by the skin of my teeth.

To say I was frustrated would be the understatement of the day.

I even stopped writing my Flash Fiction Friday stories because I was so stressed.

In September of last year I decided to make a change. Something that had been circling in my mind for a few years, but something that I’d never taken decisive action on before.

What is it, you ask?

Well, I’m a writer. One would think that would mean I was writing every day.

Hah! False.

The only time I’d write every day was when I had a self-imposed, looming deadline.

Since those things give me migraines, I wasn’t a terribly happy writer last year.

So, after much thought and positive self-talk, I made a goal.

The goal was to write a chapter each weekday of Q3 of 2021.

That’s it.

5 chapters a week.

20 chapters a month. (Give or take)

50 chapters before the end of the year. (Two weeks taken out for conferences and holidays)

Did I do it?

I missed three days, and those were because I had to go back and fix my outline so I wouldn’t be writing garbage.

Three days out of sixty-ish? Not bad. Not bad at all.

Not only did I get my Christmas novella finished, but I also finished the rough draft of my YA Space Opera that’s been kicking around for a few years!

All because I committed to one thing.

On a good day I can write a chapter in an hour. On a bad day it takes me two hours. On a really bad day it might take me all day, but it will get finished!

I’m hoping the consistency will be a game changer for me. It should help me set reasonable deadlines, avoid migraines, and still get books out.

Watch out, this year might be really exciting. 😊