Comments on: Milestones, Goals and Rewards http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/ about the craft and business of fiction Thu, 24 May 2012 12:29:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Eric http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/#comment-126175 Eric Sun, 13 Sep 2009 18:32:38 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/#comment-126175 Getting things done is itself a reward. I like to redirect it back into focusing more and more on getting things done -- it's self-perpetuating. For example, I've been working six days a week at my job, but lately I've found when I relax on the 7th day, it only makes me more frustrated and dissatisfied than ever because I haven't made time for things that make me feel good, like writing. Getting things done is itself a reward. I like to redirect it back into focusing more and more on getting things done — it’s self-perpetuating.

For example, I’ve been working six days a week at my job, but lately I’ve found when I relax on the 7th day, it only makes me more frustrated and dissatisfied than ever because I haven’t made time for things that make me feel good, like writing.

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]]> By: Rebecca James http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/#comment-125853 Rebecca James Thu, 10 Sep 2009 01:48:40 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/#comment-125853 wow - you manage a seriously impressive word count! I reckon you should go with what you WANT to do. You have such a serious writing work ethic I really don't see how you can muck that up. Good luck! wow – you manage a seriously impressive word count! I reckon you should go with what you WANT to do. You have such a serious writing work ethic I really don’t see how you can muck that up.
Good luck!

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]]> By: RKCharron http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/#comment-125836 RKCharron Wed, 09 Sep 2009 23:22:10 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/#comment-125836 Hi Anne :) Thanks for a great blog post. I was wowed when I read your word count record! The words must have come fast & furious. You must have been "in the zone". For me, as an unpublished author, I set daily word count goals. Distant goal is the completion of the novel. After that is the sending it out. And after that it is out of my hands. :) All the best, @RKCharron xoxo Hi Anne :)
Thanks for a great blog post.
I was wowed when I read your word count record!
The words must have come fast & furious.
You must have been “in the zone”.
For me, as an unpublished author, I set daily word count goals.
Distant goal is the completion of the novel.
After that is the sending it out.
And after that it is out of my hands.
:)
All the best,
@RKCharron
xoxo

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]]> By: Jeffe Kennedy http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/#comment-125823 Jeffe Kennedy Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:49:32 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/#comment-125823 Okay, reading through, what I'm hearing Ann is that your internal voices are telling you to put down SL and blast away on the other. It's what you're wanting to do in your heart and I'm a believer in following those instincts. Writers are creatures of the subconscious, after all. Okay, reading through, what I’m hearing Ann is that your internal voices are telling you to put down SL and blast away on the other. It’s what you’re wanting to do in your heart and I’m a believer in following those instincts. Writers are creatures of the subconscious, after all.

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]]> By: Betsy Dornbusch http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/#comment-125818 Betsy Dornbusch Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:03:04 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/#comment-125818 I think stay with SL and trust your betas to help you find glitches you might have missed this time. I too really like to give my betas super clean copy, but sometimes there's just not time. Especially if you really draft better in one go. Good luck! I think stay with SL and trust your betas to help you find glitches you might have missed this time. I too really like to give my betas super clean copy, but sometimes there’s just not time. Especially if you really draft better in one go.

Good luck!

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]]> By: Mark http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/#comment-125816 Mark Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:26:54 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/#comment-125816 I would do what works best. Anything else doesn't (duh). Great article. All I need to do is get those goals written down and pursue them for myself. I'm such a procrastinator.... I would do what works best. Anything else doesn’t (duh). Great article. All I need to do is get those goals written down and pursue them for myself. I’m such a procrastinator….

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]]> By: Kristan http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/#comment-125811 Kristan Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:03:16 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/#comment-125811 I really don't know how to advise you, but I just wanted to say thanks for this great post. It's a really nice little introspective. I really don’t know how to advise you, but I just wanted to say thanks for this great post. It’s a really nice little introspective.

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]]> By: Michele Lee http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/#comment-125810 Michele Lee Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:54:51 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/#comment-125810 I'm with the others, "finish" SL as best as you can then while it's in other people's hands work on Razorland. Actually that's a problem I'm having right now is that I've had sparks of inspiration and started so many things that now I don't know what to finish. I want to write them all, but it's making me feel discombobulated. Plus nearing the end of my sub list for Corpse Blood I am tempted to try to fiddle with it to make it, I dunno, better in some way. I’m with the others, “finish” SL as best as you can then while it’s in other people’s hands work on Razorland.

Actually that’s a problem I’m having right now is that I’ve had sparks of inspiration and started so many things that now I don’t know what to finish. I want to write them all, but it’s making me feel discombobulated.

Plus nearing the end of my sub list for Corpse Blood I am tempted to try to fiddle with it to make it, I dunno, better in some way.

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]]> By: Stacey Kade http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/#comment-125806 Stacey Kade Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:29:08 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/#comment-125806 If you can let Shady Lady go temporarily, then I say put it on the back burner and write Razorland, as long as you feel comfortable that will still give you enough time to meet your deadline for SL. I like taking a break between first draft and revisions--makes it easier to see how to fix things, I think! :) If you can let Shady Lady go temporarily, then I say put it on the back burner and write Razorland, as long as you feel comfortable that will still give you enough time to meet your deadline for SL.

I like taking a break between first draft and revisions–makes it easier to see how to fix things, I think! :)

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]]> By: Ann Aguirre http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/#comment-125803 Ann Aguirre Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:11:33 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/09/09/milestones-goals-and-rewards/#comment-125803 Well, I think I need the break from SL because I tried to revise yesterday and I only got through 13 pages. My heart wasn't in it. I need to put the ms down and let it breathe for a bit, so I am wearing my editorial hat when I come back to it. 5K is a cracking pace, but I had been doing 6 and 9K toward the end of my progress on SL without brain damage. I'm not sure if I could sustain 5K a day long term, but I know I can do it for 14 days. I have long suspected that our brains can do whatever we train them to. 3K used to be super hard for me; I struggled all day to hit that goal, and now that it's my norm, if things are going well, I can do that in 3 hours. I'm not sure I'm interested in training up to 5K a day as my norm, though. But for one project, it's doable. Well, I think I need the break from SL because I tried to revise yesterday and I only got through 13 pages. My heart wasn’t in it. I need to put the ms down and let it breathe for a bit, so I am wearing my editorial hat when I come back to it.

5K is a cracking pace, but I had been doing 6 and 9K toward the end of my progress on SL without brain damage. I’m not sure if I could sustain 5K a day long term, but I know I can do it for 14 days. I have long suspected that our brains can do whatever we train them to. 3K used to be super hard for me; I struggled all day to hit that goal, and now that it’s my norm, if things are going well, I can do that in 3 hours. I’m not sure I’m interested in training up to 5K a day as my norm, though. But for one project, it’s doable.

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