tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post4013483610459906017..comments2024-03-18T01:49:03.153-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: Don't Make Resolutions. Set GoalsDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-44294636379163829582015-01-15T11:05:03.968-07:002015-01-15T11:05:03.968-07:00Sounds like a plan, Linda. I know some writer frie...Sounds like a plan, Linda. I know some writer friends who have "goal buddies" and they make sure they're all sticking to them. Accountability can help. If you can't hit your target daily/weekly word count, then you have to look at why. Did you set your goal too high, in which case, adjust down. Or did you play Words With Friends for 3 hours? Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-50169658908038079042015-01-15T10:56:12.393-07:002015-01-15T10:56:12.393-07:00Resolutions? Never! Goals? That's another stor...Resolutions? Never! Goals? That's another story. For me, goals have too long held hands with distractions because those good intentions get pulled down scenic side roads without regard for destination. Recent limitations have forced me to address those pesky stumbling blocks that trip me up on the way to my WIP. Now the plan is to put writing goals at the top of the to-do list. Agreed, flexibility is a must. To that I add the following: flexibility cannot be allowed to disintegrate into an excuse for setting aside the goals. <br /><br />Great post, Terry!Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16056682992943171805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-69909787163074780332015-01-15T10:46:05.412-07:002015-01-15T10:46:05.412-07:00And I'll add that one of the authors in this c...And I'll add that one of the authors in this category DID hunker down after having countless started books. Allison Brennan, and she's doing just fine!Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-24624420870172652592015-01-15T10:45:02.693-07:002015-01-15T10:45:02.693-07:00Debby - Hubster gets a good laugh out of those, to...Debby - Hubster gets a good laugh out of those, too!Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-87494716363054994022015-01-15T10:44:27.156-07:002015-01-15T10:44:27.156-07:00Chris, I'm not even sure the math was right! J...Chris, I'm not even sure the math was right! Just set a word count goal and see what happens.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-73713223482144762672015-01-15T10:43:08.999-07:002015-01-15T10:43:08.999-07:00And you'll succeed if you can break it down to...And you'll succeed if you can break it down to measurable steps. "Finish the Book" is a dream. Write XXX words/day is a goal. You'll do it, I know, because you've got the motivation.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-74386904156016907142015-01-15T10:41:08.204-07:002015-01-15T10:41:08.204-07:00Exactly, Diana -- you have to WANT it. I've se...Exactly, Diana -- you have to WANT it. I've seen people asking for advice to finishing a book because they get halfway through, it gets hard, and they start another one. So they have half a dozen unfinished books. If they'd hunkered down and finished one of them, they'd be writers.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-12494540865356012502015-01-15T09:57:31.440-07:002015-01-15T09:57:31.440-07:00You draw a wonderfully practical distinction betwe...You draw a wonderfully practical distinction between "resolutions" and "goals". This article offers excellent advice for writers - especially novice writers. (And I got a good laugh from your passing remark that resolutions are what you make for your husband!) debby turner harrisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-88993825590212646782015-01-15T08:47:25.504-07:002015-01-15T08:47:25.504-07:00I was with you until you got to the math thing, Te...I was with you until you got to the math thing, Terry ... the only thing more foreign to me than resolutions or goals!Christopher Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667548312923348614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-85801252460256694532015-01-15T08:11:36.543-07:002015-01-15T08:11:36.543-07:00Forgot to mention, I also have a good twin/bad twi...Forgot to mention, I also have a good twin/bad twin book I started a while ago. I plan to get that one written as well!Morgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-63908012545446954462015-01-15T08:10:42.072-07:002015-01-15T08:10:42.072-07:00I have two books I plan on finishing in 2015! I di...I have two books I plan on finishing in 2015! I did complete a special goal I had in 2014 to complete my Christmas book. Last year, I began writing it late, and didn't have time to finish it. This time, I did complete Christmas Carol, though once again I had started writing it late. This year, I will finish Always Young, the third in my Always Young trilogy, which I should have finished a long time ago!Morgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-82223740372450557872015-01-15T07:24:20.356-07:002015-01-15T07:24:20.356-07:00We all have some "leisure time" and ther...We all have some "leisure time" and there are ever-increasing demands upon it. My advice has always been write because you'd rather be doing it than playing World of Warcraft, knitting, or watching HGTV. And don't quit your day job until you are consistently making enough to replace your income and can continue to crank out books to keep the money flowing. You don't have to be an organized planner to achieve a goal. You just have to want it enough.Diana Hurwitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18216220574149672733noreply@blogger.com