Yesterday, I posted on Twitter that I had finally met my word count for the day. I was hugely relieved. I realized, as I posted the news, that perhaps I should explain. I have daily word count goals that I have set for myself.Now, I publish in the e-publishing world. For the most part, that means I am not given dates by which the publisher wants my work done. No, any 'deadlines' that I'm making are deadlines I've set for myself.
Why, you might ask, do I set deadlines and insist on making them if I don't have them pressing on me by an outside source? Well, I would answer, because if I don't push myself every day to write at least 3000 words than I am not preforming at my maximum capacity. The more books that I can write (and write well, I do self edit and have a critique partner and Beta readers) the more books I have available to any readers who might be interested in buying them.
If I have a series--lets say the Conditioned--and Eye Contact is published, I don't want to leave the readers without the second book just because I can't reach my own word count goals. So, I'll continue to push myself to write 3000 good words a day and delete the words that don't work as I go along.
How about you? In your own life do you set goals and meet them?
Yes, I set my own deadlines! ;-) And usually stick to them as well... but I've been indie publishing for years in the zines world before turning to e-publishing, and I'm pretty efficient in my writing routine by now...
ReplyDeleteKudos for the word-count! As I hand-write my first draft I usually say "this should be finished and typed by..."...
Barb