A lot of people “play” at writing.
We tend to think of it as a hobby or a pastime. But I sometimes wonder how much great art is really created by those who don’t take their work seriously. I wonder how serious Mozart really was about his music, or how dedicated Rembrandt was to his painting, Michelangelo with his sculpture. Did any of them ever think of their work as a pastime? I rather suspect that for these people, their art was their life. It was their passion, their focus. Their service to art defined them. Perhaps it is time to get serious, and make writing a priority.
Many writers simply set “completion” goals. They say, something like, “I will write 1,000 words a day,” or “I will write one scene per day.” Those are good goals. But setting a goal to complete a certain number of words per day won’t work, unless you set aside time each day to write.
Make writing a habit.
This might mean that you need to give up watching television, or cut back a little on social media. In other words, successful writers look for ways to make writing a habit. They might say, “I’m going to get up and write at 6:00 AM every single day. I won’t read emails or play games—just write, for two hours.” That’s an excellent way to get a book or two done every year.
But as a professional, I’m not content just to write. I want to write noteworthy works, landmark novels. So I might set a goal to write high-quality works: “I’m going to do my best to win the XXX award this year.” I’ve found that when I’m devoted to writing quality, I tend to create my best work.
It may be that you have your own personal goals that you need to set for your writing. For example, you might need to cut back on television watching in order to free up some time to write, or perhaps you need a comfortable office chair so that you can write for longer hours.
Be accountable to yourself about your goals.
Sometimes with goals, it helps to write them down so that you’re frequently reminded of them, or to share them with others in your family or in your writing group. This is where accountability comes in. Having a writing group or someone who you feel accountable too will help motivate you to accomplish your goals as you begin, before it becomes more of a habit.
In short, it is time to get serious about your writing and prioritize it in your schedule.
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