Recently an writer friend asked me about my daily word count. When I said, “I don’t really have one,” I think he was kind of disappointed. What I should have said is that “I don’t necessarily have a daily word count, but I *do* have a daily writing goal.”
I’m not saying one is more important than the other. In fact, when I’m starting a new book, my daily writing goal is, typically, also a “word count” goal. But other days, it could be anything from spit-balling titles for a new series – hey, that’s a writing goal! – to starting a new story to finishing a blog post (ahem).
If I’m writing something like a short story, say, my daily writing goal would probably be to finish the story. The next day, my goal might be to take a 2,500-word rough draft and weave in another few thousand words until it hits 4,000- or 5,000-words.
If I’ve just gotten edits back from a publisher, my daily writing goal might be to accept or reject the small, grammatical or spelling/type changes, then move on and address the “big ticket items.” That might be a day, or two days’, or a week’s worth of writing goals, depending.
I hear people talk a lot about their muse; waiting for their muse, looking for their muse, listening to their muse.
I’ve never had one. I don’t sit around and wait for inspiration to strike because I don’t have that much time! I have a full-time freelance writing career to keep afloat, a wife who would like to see me occasionally and, you know, it’s nice to actually LEAVE THE HOUSE sometimes.
So since I can’t wait for my muse, I have to kind of manage her, or him, or it. Here’s how I do it:
• Set realistic goals: If your muse is MIA, don’t sit around staring at a blank page until he/she/it comes back. Do something, do anything, writing related. If you know you’re not in the right frame of mind to hit a page count or word count goal, have a daily writing goal instead: brainstorm a title, outline a new project, read an interesting or compelling new YA title to see how they handled a certain twist or turn. Fill your brain or empty it out. Just set some type of writing, reading or researching goal and work hard to meet it. If you do, great. If not, at least you got worked up over trying. Some days, that’s enough!
• Sometimes, less IS more: Back in the day, I would start a book on Monday and try to finish it by that Sunday. I wouldn’t write in micro-bursts. I would write until I burst! That’s great when you’re inspired, but lots of times I was just writing to finish the damn thing, and that’s not always the beeline to creativity. Now, when I write a full-length YA novel, I’ll try to write a minimum of 1,000-words a day. Oftentimes I’ll write a little more than that, then stop myself so that I’ll attack the next scene/chapter fresh the next day. It can be hard to do for a workaholic like me, but in the end I think it’s better for the book.
• Timing is everything: I know myself and I know that, if I just sit down and start a story, I’m generally going to finish it. If I don’t, it’s because it just wasn’t the right story at the right time. Either way, it’s win/win because if I’m just not feeling it after a few days, at least I won’t waste a few months by finishing it just to finish it. And if I do keep going and find my groove, then I’m so happy I did!
• Always move forward: A word, an inch, a title, a concept, a note on a wet cocktail napkin, a movie stub, an inspiration, a chapter or “the end.” These are all steps in the right direction: forward. Just. Keep. Moving. Forward. The best way to find inspiration is to go looking for it. Usually, it’s in front of you – not behind you.
I’m no expert on creativity, but I am an expert on how I create. I know that I’m not the kind of writer who springs out of bed at 3 AM, suddenly inspired, and sits hunched over the laptop in his underwear denying food and drink until his “masterpiece” is done. That type of “muse whispering” just doesn’t work for me.
But, I do know that I must do something writing related EVERY day to ultimately reach my professional and personal goals. That does work for me. I hope whatever small guidance I’ve offered in these few tips works for you – and your writing goals – as well.
Yours in YA,
Rusty
I’m not saying one is more important than the other. In fact, when I’m starting a new book, my daily writing goal is, typically, also a “word count” goal. But other days, it could be anything from spit-balling titles for a new series – hey, that’s a writing goal! – to starting a new story to finishing a blog post (ahem).
If I’m writing something like a short story, say, my daily writing goal would probably be to finish the story. The next day, my goal might be to take a 2,500-word rough draft and weave in another few thousand words until it hits 4,000- or 5,000-words.
If I’ve just gotten edits back from a publisher, my daily writing goal might be to accept or reject the small, grammatical or spelling/type changes, then move on and address the “big ticket items.” That might be a day, or two days’, or a week’s worth of writing goals, depending.
I hear people talk a lot about their muse; waiting for their muse, looking for their muse, listening to their muse.
I’ve never had one. I don’t sit around and wait for inspiration to strike because I don’t have that much time! I have a full-time freelance writing career to keep afloat, a wife who would like to see me occasionally and, you know, it’s nice to actually LEAVE THE HOUSE sometimes.
So since I can’t wait for my muse, I have to kind of manage her, or him, or it. Here’s how I do it:
• Set realistic goals: If your muse is MIA, don’t sit around staring at a blank page until he/she/it comes back. Do something, do anything, writing related. If you know you’re not in the right frame of mind to hit a page count or word count goal, have a daily writing goal instead: brainstorm a title, outline a new project, read an interesting or compelling new YA title to see how they handled a certain twist or turn. Fill your brain or empty it out. Just set some type of writing, reading or researching goal and work hard to meet it. If you do, great. If not, at least you got worked up over trying. Some days, that’s enough!
• Sometimes, less IS more: Back in the day, I would start a book on Monday and try to finish it by that Sunday. I wouldn’t write in micro-bursts. I would write until I burst! That’s great when you’re inspired, but lots of times I was just writing to finish the damn thing, and that’s not always the beeline to creativity. Now, when I write a full-length YA novel, I’ll try to write a minimum of 1,000-words a day. Oftentimes I’ll write a little more than that, then stop myself so that I’ll attack the next scene/chapter fresh the next day. It can be hard to do for a workaholic like me, but in the end I think it’s better for the book.
• Timing is everything: I know myself and I know that, if I just sit down and start a story, I’m generally going to finish it. If I don’t, it’s because it just wasn’t the right story at the right time. Either way, it’s win/win because if I’m just not feeling it after a few days, at least I won’t waste a few months by finishing it just to finish it. And if I do keep going and find my groove, then I’m so happy I did!
• Always move forward: A word, an inch, a title, a concept, a note on a wet cocktail napkin, a movie stub, an inspiration, a chapter or “the end.” These are all steps in the right direction: forward. Just. Keep. Moving. Forward. The best way to find inspiration is to go looking for it. Usually, it’s in front of you – not behind you.
I’m no expert on creativity, but I am an expert on how I create. I know that I’m not the kind of writer who springs out of bed at 3 AM, suddenly inspired, and sits hunched over the laptop in his underwear denying food and drink until his “masterpiece” is done. That type of “muse whispering” just doesn’t work for me.
But, I do know that I must do something writing related EVERY day to ultimately reach my professional and personal goals. That does work for me. I hope whatever small guidance I’ve offered in these few tips works for you – and your writing goals – as well.
Yours in YA,
Rusty
