Day 251: Stretch goal
I suppose I can take yesterday as an object lesson in how not to go about my writing routines.
Even though I’m supposed to do only marketing today, I’m going to start off writing since I’m feeling motivated after the disastrous day yesterday, and then hopefully get some marketing done later in the day.
I decided to try harder to not be distracted, and one routine I’m going to try is to not read fiction before I get my work done. Usually I read a novel while I’m eating breakfast and lunch, but instead I’m going to try to read writing books or nonfiction. I’m hoping it will keep me in a work mindset.
Another thing I did was clean up my work area, which I know sounds like procrastination, but I realized that when I’m at a loss for what to write, I look around at all my knitting projects that were sitting around my desk. So I put the knitting away so I don’t see them. Hopefully it’ll keep my attention from wandering from my computer because of the pretty yarn lying around.
I was reading a writing productivity book yesterday and was reminded of stretch goals, things to reach for but not stress-inducing. It should be something that is a little hard for me to accomplish each day, but not impossible, and shouldn’t have dire consequences if I miss it.
When I looked at the total number of hours it took me to block, write, and edit volume 2, it came out to 168 hours (I didn’t count the outlining time since I’ve done the outlining for all the volumes in the series already).
I’m reserving Saturdays (and Sundays if needed) for marketing, so right now I’m only writing 5 days a week. If I work only 5 hours a day, whether it’s blocking, writing, or editing, I can finish a 100,000 word volume in 7 weeks and have 1 extra week for self-publishing and marketing stuff. So 8 weeks for a book.
I think 5 hours is a good stretch goal. Right now, it’s a little difficult for me to do, since I’ve been mostly doing only 3-4 hours of writing a day. The rest of the time is taken up by house chores, or blogging (which I know I spend too much time doing), or reading.
If I don’t make my stretch goal, it’s not a big deal. Even working 3 hours a day enables me to write a book every 12 weeks, and that’s still fine by me. Since I’m self-publishing, I don’t have to set a deadline, especially since they tend to stress me out.
If I can learn to write faster (without increasing my self-editing time), then I might eventually be able to write as fast as some other authors who are doing rapid release. I think increasing writing speed will only come with more experience.
I also noticed that while it took almost 50 hours for me to do the blocking for book 2, it’s only taken about 40 hours to do the blocking for book 3, so maybe I’m improving on my blocking speed, too.
I want to write more. I want to be more productive. But the way my health has been going lately, I’m hesitant to push my body and mind too much, which is why I’m going for 5 hours of writing a day as a stretch goal rather than any more. If I push too much, I’m afraid I’ll break down, and then I won’t get anything done.
I’m off to start writing today.
***
The sprinting seems to be helping me to move forward, but I don’t know if the breaks are working for me. As before, I take too long in between sprints. Even if I tell myself I’m only going to use the bathroom, I get distracted by something and end up taking longer.
I am reluctant to not do the sprinting because mentally it just helps me to get to work if I think I only have to write for 25 minutes. But I still don’t know what to do about taking too long during breaks. Maybe I really just need to not get up from my desk in between sprints. If I do 3 sprints, I think I could stay at my desk for 85 minutes without getting up.
***
I ended up doing a little more writing than I had planned. I was going to do about 4 hours, but I ended up doing almost 5.
Now I have to do the marketing items on my To Do list that have to get done today.
***
I thought the marketing would take longer than it did, although part of the reason is because I’m waiting for KDP to approve my ebook preorder and my print book release. I had forgotten that they require a day or two before approval, and there are some marketing things I can’t do until the book page is up on Amazon. So I’ll probably need to do those things tomorrow, if the books are approved by then.
Blocking: time spent: 0
Editing: Time spent: 0
Writing: Time spent: 4 hours, 54 minutes
Writing: Total number of words: 4131 words
Writing: Average speed: 1211 words per hour
Time spent doing other writing-related business: 4 hours, 43 minutes
My takeaway for today: Try not reading fiction before getting your work done to help me stay in a work mindset.
My second takeaway for today: Keep my working area clear of things like knitting so I won’t be distracted.
My third takeaway for today: Try a stretch goal of 5 hours of writing, 5 days a week
My fourth takeaway for today: I need to plan to sprint (maybe three 25-minute sprints) and not get up from my desk so that I don’t get sidetracked during breaks.
Even though I’m supposed to do only marketing today, I’m going to start off writing since I’m feeling motivated after the disastrous day yesterday, and then hopefully get some marketing done later in the day.
I decided to try harder to not be distracted, and one routine I’m going to try is to not read fiction before I get my work done. Usually I read a novel while I’m eating breakfast and lunch, but instead I’m going to try to read writing books or nonfiction. I’m hoping it will keep me in a work mindset.
Another thing I did was clean up my work area, which I know sounds like procrastination, but I realized that when I’m at a loss for what to write, I look around at all my knitting projects that were sitting around my desk. So I put the knitting away so I don’t see them. Hopefully it’ll keep my attention from wandering from my computer because of the pretty yarn lying around.
I was reading a writing productivity book yesterday and was reminded of stretch goals, things to reach for but not stress-inducing. It should be something that is a little hard for me to accomplish each day, but not impossible, and shouldn’t have dire consequences if I miss it.
When I looked at the total number of hours it took me to block, write, and edit volume 2, it came out to 168 hours (I didn’t count the outlining time since I’ve done the outlining for all the volumes in the series already).
I’m reserving Saturdays (and Sundays if needed) for marketing, so right now I’m only writing 5 days a week. If I work only 5 hours a day, whether it’s blocking, writing, or editing, I can finish a 100,000 word volume in 7 weeks and have 1 extra week for self-publishing and marketing stuff. So 8 weeks for a book.
I think 5 hours is a good stretch goal. Right now, it’s a little difficult for me to do, since I’ve been mostly doing only 3-4 hours of writing a day. The rest of the time is taken up by house chores, or blogging (which I know I spend too much time doing), or reading.
If I don’t make my stretch goal, it’s not a big deal. Even working 3 hours a day enables me to write a book every 12 weeks, and that’s still fine by me. Since I’m self-publishing, I don’t have to set a deadline, especially since they tend to stress me out.
If I can learn to write faster (without increasing my self-editing time), then I might eventually be able to write as fast as some other authors who are doing rapid release. I think increasing writing speed will only come with more experience.
I also noticed that while it took almost 50 hours for me to do the blocking for book 2, it’s only taken about 40 hours to do the blocking for book 3, so maybe I’m improving on my blocking speed, too.
I want to write more. I want to be more productive. But the way my health has been going lately, I’m hesitant to push my body and mind too much, which is why I’m going for 5 hours of writing a day as a stretch goal rather than any more. If I push too much, I’m afraid I’ll break down, and then I won’t get anything done.
I’m off to start writing today.
***
The sprinting seems to be helping me to move forward, but I don’t know if the breaks are working for me. As before, I take too long in between sprints. Even if I tell myself I’m only going to use the bathroom, I get distracted by something and end up taking longer.
I am reluctant to not do the sprinting because mentally it just helps me to get to work if I think I only have to write for 25 minutes. But I still don’t know what to do about taking too long during breaks. Maybe I really just need to not get up from my desk in between sprints. If I do 3 sprints, I think I could stay at my desk for 85 minutes without getting up.
***
I ended up doing a little more writing than I had planned. I was going to do about 4 hours, but I ended up doing almost 5.
Now I have to do the marketing items on my To Do list that have to get done today.
***
I thought the marketing would take longer than it did, although part of the reason is because I’m waiting for KDP to approve my ebook preorder and my print book release. I had forgotten that they require a day or two before approval, and there are some marketing things I can’t do until the book page is up on Amazon. So I’ll probably need to do those things tomorrow, if the books are approved by then.
Blocking: time spent: 0
Editing: Time spent: 0
Writing: Time spent: 4 hours, 54 minutes
Writing: Total number of words: 4131 words
Writing: Average speed: 1211 words per hour
Time spent doing other writing-related business: 4 hours, 43 minutes
My takeaway for today: Try not reading fiction before getting your work done to help me stay in a work mindset.
My second takeaway for today: Keep my working area clear of things like knitting so I won’t be distracted.
My third takeaway for today: Try a stretch goal of 5 hours of writing, 5 days a week
My fourth takeaway for today: I need to plan to sprint (maybe three 25-minute sprints) and not get up from my desk so that I don’t get sidetracked during breaks.
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