Trying to fulfill lifelong dream of being a published writer - 3 month-plus plan

[ck1979]

This is the first time I'm being disciplined about writing. It seems almost backwards, almost fascist, trying to control "The Muse."

I have an unusual talent. I know it like I know the veins snaking down my arm. But who cares? I totally lack discipline, follow-through and focus. Which makes my talent a burden, rather than a gift.

I think I have an ambitious but realistic set of goals.

Months 1-3
GOAL #1 (The foundation): Complete my fiction novel within 3 months. If I write 5 pages a day, then a 180-pg first draft will be completed in a month. Revisions will take up the next 2 months.

To the end of this year??
GOAL#2: Send out novel to at least 4 literary agents. While I ca't control their reaction, my hope is that my novel will be outstanding enough so that at least one agent will be interested in taking me on.

GOAL #3: Have my novel published, complete with a nice advance.

I started this thread as a way to be accountable. I don't want to continue as a starving artist. It's time to put my money where my mouth is.

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Welcome and good for you for making yourself accountable. I look forward to watching your success unfold. It is sometimes hard for creative people to harness the disciplined side, but I know you can do it. Good luck.

[Jes]

As a writer, I can tell you that YOU are the one who has control over your muse. If she doesn't show up, go looking for a new one in some books or other art, and sure enough, she will fight to get you back. I made a conscious decision a while ago to refuse to suffer from writer's block, and I haven't had any trouble finding inspiration since. It's just a big, fat myth. I also lack discipline myself, but I can tell you that if you keep at it, over time you will accomplish whatever you want to accomplish. It may take a really, really long time, but slow and steady always at least finishes the race. Good luck!

P. S. Welcome to the internets. If all else fails, self-publishing is still a serious option.

[Shamou]

Robert Pirsig who wrote the classic, "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" published in 1974, which sold millions of copies, was translated into more than ten language and still a best seller today had to send his manuscript to 121 publishers before one finally decided to publish it...

So, with that in mind, you might want to review the, "Send out novel to at least 4 literary agents." part...

The very best of luck to you...

PS. If you want to be certain that your book will be published... write a book on cooking recipe... they never fail...

.

[MSC2471]

ck1979: Keep us posted in this thread on your day to day progress. What type of fiction novel are you planning on writing? I'm also in the process of developing my first fiction novel (mystery novel), after years of writing non-fiction in the music field (articles, interviews and reviews). I have the time to be able to devote now to writing as everything seems to be coming into focus between my job, my family and my personal life.

Matt

[ck1979]

Day 1: 0 pages

Day 2 (today): less than 1 page (maybe 3 paragraphs)

Ugh, I think that I spend too much time hanging out with my new boyfriend, and not enough time writing.

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Don't beat yourself up, just start again tomorrow.

[Susie]

Originally Posted by MSC2471

ck1979: Keep us posted in this thread on your day to day progress. What type of fiction novel are you planning on writing? I'm also in the process of developing my first fiction novel (mystery novel), after years of writing non-fiction in the music field (articles, interviews and reviews). I have the time to be able to devote now to writing as everything seems to be coming into focus between my job, my family and my personal life.

Matt

Best of luck with your mystery novel, Matt!

Your post resonated with me because I started to write a mystery novel last year and then kind of wimped out on it. :-/ I should get back to it one of these days...at the present time I have some other goals I'm focusing on, but...the mystery novel beckons.

Well, when you get your novel published let us know so I can buy a copy!

[John Hill]

Best of luck with your writing endeavour. I took a writing course a few years ago and now I publish a number of websites. One thing I learned from the writing class was not to put the cart before the horse. By this I mean, don't plan to have your novel published in a year plus an advance on sales of that novel when you haven't even started the novel yet.

Your goals are admirable but remember the law of action, it is not until you take action on your first goal that you can work towards extentions of that initial goal.

John

Attracting People.com

[taitouwah]

"If I write 5 pages a day, then a 180-pg first draft will be completed in a month"

very personal advice.

my experience told me that doing one thing day after day is always impossible, especially demanding task. (tried to swim everyday ,wake up early everyday , gym everyday , study everyday , read newspaper everyday but all only can maintain for few days )

its better to do it once or twice per week. Such as 20 page on monday , 20 pages on thursday rather than everyday.

If u doing the same thing to often , very fast ur subconcious mind will think " why i have to do this boring thing everyday again and again"

give few days for the brain to rest helps.

I tried to learn swimming with a teacher once a week . Because only once a week, i managed to carry on learning from him for six month .

all those target that sets on a daily basis always go down to the drain after a few days.

[Tuumble]

Originally Posted by taitouwah

"If I write 5 pages a day, then a 180-pg first draft will be completed in a month"

very personal advice.

my experience told me that doing one thing day after day is always impossible, especially demanding task. (tried to swim everyday ,wake up early everyday , gym everyday , study everyday , read newspaper everyday but all only can maintain for few days )

its better to do it once or twice per week. Such as 20 page on monday , 20 pages on thursday rather than everyday.

If u doing the same thing to often , very fast ur subconcious mind will think " why i have to do this boring thing everyday again and again"

give few days for the brain to rest helps.

I tried to learn swimming with a teacher once a week . Because only once a week, i managed to carry on learning from him for six month .

all those target that sets on a daily basis always go down to the drain after a few days.

Some good advice there.

The key is to schedule it. If you take the 20 pages as an example and set that up as Tuesdays and Fridays at 7:00pm you can let people know that this is your time and not to encroach on it.

As it stands you are seeing two days of failure and the desire to carry on is already on the wane.

If being published is so important to you make those appointments with yourself as important as a health check up or with a financial advisor. You are doing it for your future.

[ck1979]

Thanks for the advice. I think that creative endeavors are always hard to schedule (or so is my limited thinking).

Today, I start a writing workshop, which will help keep me on track.

Day 3, 4, 5: 1 page (but of different stories, not my main project)

I am battling limiting thoughts and lack of focus right now. I know what I have to do. I know what it takes to get there. However, so much of my "specialness" is wrapped up in my writing - if I can't find success, I will truly feel like a failure. If I never finish, then I will delay possible suffering.

Now I know why so many writers get jacked up. It quiets the mind.

[MSC2471]

I guess in my perspective the only way to get better at writing and get the creative juices flowing is to write something every day. It may only be a couple of hundred productive words, but the only way to improve and excel at a task is to throw yourself into writing. I'm able to split my time between non-fiction writing (interviews, articles and reviews) and fiction writing (currently on chapter 2 of that first mystery novel). It would help to have a set schedule but I do know of others that are inspired to write when the moment hits, be it early in the morning or late at night.

Keep up the good work, I enjoy reading about your current day to day situation with writing.

Matt

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by ck1979

I have an unusual talent. I know it like I know the veins snaking down my arm. But who cares? I totally lack discipline, follow-through and focus. Which makes my talent a burden, rather than a gift.

Hate to be harsh here... but what makes you think that you have the necessary talent to become a professional writer...

I can see no evidence of that from your posts in this thread...

.

[Jugga J]

Personally I think 5 pages is wayyy to much. You'll be lucky to do a good half a page, think longer, it takes time. and Shamou....you have the emotional sensitivity of a spoon.

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by Jugga J

and Shamou....you have the emotional sensitivity of a spoon.

That's a very creative and artistic sentence... I like it... you do have talent...

.

[Jugga J]

Originally Posted by Shamou

That's a very creative and artistic sentence... I like it... you do have talent...

.

why thankyou. You think I should go into creative writing as a profession?

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by Jugga J

why thankyou. You think I should go into creative writing as a profession?

I checked some of your posts... and I would say that you definitely have potential... as seen in the following....

Posted by Jugga J

Steve walked into
a Tibetan headshop
and he ate
an apple that
mangled his chi
His Dantian was
frought with worry
till Erin came
galloping in, shouting
secrets once forbiden
to all those
hidden in the
cave, surrounded by
three observant souls
who mentioned that
they were dreaming.
Not so! Said
the alien to
Steve. We are
more real than
real and less
imagined than destiny.
From the hedge
preachy perched birds
strutted about, calling
waka, waka, waka.
The banter resonated
creating harmonics that
made me horny
and gave me
reason to reflect
on my relationship
to mother earth.
Contrasting powers triggered
a cosmic paradox
of infinite dimension.
Space-bunnies; the culprits,
cosmic carrot criminals
asked, "What's up?".
Only to find
re-runs of BayWatch,
and type-2 diabetes
in Steve's forums;
which were most
fun and serious.
Frodo was discovered
with Gandalf performing

.

[Kaspian]

Originally Posted by ck1979

if I can't find success, I will truly feel like a failure. If I never finish, then I will delay possible suffering.

You'll be a happier person and find writing easier if you toss these limiting beliefs out a 30-story window. Separate who you are from what you do. Your value as a person has nothing to do with being a writer or your success in writing.

[ck1979]

Originally Posted by Shamou

Hate to be harsh here... but what makes you think that you have the necessary talent to become a professional writer...

I can see no evidence of that from your posts in this thread...

*rolling my eyes* Anyways, onto business...

Day 6: 4 pages!

What seems to help me: I was on the subway, obsessively thinking about the scene in my head. By the time I sat down in front of the computer, it was like one big vomit of words.

I'm crossing my fingers that I'll keep on vomiting words. Then, I'll go clean them up afterwards in revisions.

I just promised two friends, who are also writers, that I would have something for them to read on Thursday or Friday. It's a side project (my main project is a short novel about golfing...my side projects are mainly short stories, approx. 10 pages).

I will check back tomorrow on whether I was able to pound out 10 pages.

[bleachjt]

I entered the NaNoWriMo thing last year. 50000 words in one month. I calculated that I needed to write 1667 words per day. I ended up writing a lot more. The thing is I took a couple of days to make an outline of the story, split it up and write some detailed descriptions of the chapters and scenes within them. The Outline is only about 2 pages, but I really believe preparation is the key. If you have an outline you never need to think much what to write next. It is all there. Right now I want to write a new novel and I am going to use the Snowflake method.

Let me add that I am a procrastinator of the worst kind. I've been a "writer" for 10 years and only finished a couple of stories. I've started 100+, but having trouble finishing them.

Best of luck to you (and me)!

[Gautam]

When I encounter a writer's block I read Dickens! He's sensational and he always makes me laugh, often to a point where I forget I'm experiencing a block. It's his simplicity of literature and his queer sense of humour that always catch me off-guard.

My advice to all you writers: read Dickens!

[ck1979]

Well, I was able to pound out 3 pages.

Hmm, what is my problem? It doesn't seem to "flow." I'm not in the zone.

I think the problem with most fiction writers (myself included) - perfectionism about the first draft. And, every writer knows: the first draft is always ♥♥♥♥♥. The magic is in the revisions.

[ck1979]

Originally Posted by bleachjt

The Outline is only about 2 pages, but I really believe preparation is the key. If you have an outline you never need to think much what to write next. It is all there. Right now I want to write a new novel and I am going to use the Snowflake method.

Hmm, I've tried outlining before, but I always deviate. The character changes or I think of a whole new tangent. But then again, it was useful having the blueprint skeleton to go crazy on. I will have to try it again.

Originally Posted by bleachjt

Let me add that I am a procrastinator of the worst kind. I've been a "writer" for 10 years and only finished a couple of stories. I've started 100+, but having trouble finishing them.

Why don't you finish them?

I ask because I also have a tendency to lose commitment towards the end. I have a short story that I've been told could be publishable in a literary magazine...if I revise (especially the end). I've been procrastinating for a few weeks - why why why?