The Relaxed Writer

Writing Your Novel - When to Quit, When to Finish? (Ask Coach Marla)

Writers: want to see your biggest, burning-est time management, life balance or how-to-get-out-of-my-own-way question featured in an upcoming Ask Coach Marla post?

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Question:

"How do you tell whether you should just move on to something else? I have three partly written novels, but I'm not sure any of them are worth my time." 

--Carolyn Cordon

Answer:

Three partly written novels?  Sounds like you're suffering no lack of creativity, Carolyn!

Before you can get clear about which writing project to pursue, you first need to get really honest with yourself. You need to explore two important questions:

1.  Why you're writing in the first place. 

• Because you find writing fun in-and-of-itself? 
• To learn the craft? 
• To get published?  Make a buck (or more)? 

2. Why you quit.

Keeping your motivations in mind, take a look at each manuscript. You need to ask yourself:

• Did I quit because I ran into a technical problem I just couldn't solve?
• Did I quit because I'm not sure  this story really should be written as a novel?
• Did I quit because the storyline bored me?
• Did I quit because I got bored with the writing process itself? 
• Or, honestly, did I quit because I got scared of actually finishing?

Many writers I've coached find that finally finishing an important writing project is incredibly empowering.  I can't suggest this enough:  after you explore your answers to the above questions, choose one of your manuscripts and decide to realize it fully.  See it through to the end. 

As you work, remember that this first novel need not necessarily be your last.  Allow yourself to learn all you can about your craft.  Allow yourself to learn all you can about your ways of working, too.  If you're mindful, you'll discover your own "most effective ways" to get started, power through and finish each writing session.  The fruits of your labor will be with you throughout your writing career.

How about you? Got an unfinished manuscript (or two) in the drawer?  What's been stopping you from finishing?

image credit: JessicaMullen (Flickr.com)

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How to Finish What You Write: Be Your Own Project Manager

Welcome!  This is the first post in The Relaxed Writer's new "How to Finish What You Write" blog series.  Don't miss future installments. If you like what you read, click here to subscribe to this blog.

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Finish What You Write:  Show Up as Your Own Project Manager

It sometimes surprises me how often savvy freelancers overlook the need to direct and manage their own creative projects (and then wonder why their novel, marketing project or book proposal isn't yet done)! 

Are you showing up as your own project manager?  Here's how to get started.

1.  You balance your long-term vision with shorter term (monthly, weekly) goals for your novel-writing, book proposal or other marketing project.

Sounds paradoxical, but many creative types thrive within boundaries and structure.  With no editor, client or boss, it's up to you to create your own project plan and deadlines.  Take time to look at your project's scope and outcomes and plan how you're going to get there.  Doing so will help you relax as you do the day-to-day work.

2.  You "meet" once a week to review your progress and performance.

Keep it simple (15-25 minutes will do), and schedule this meeting for the same time each week if you can.  If you need a model, check out David Allan's "Weekly Review" model (in his seminal book on personal productivity, Getting Things Done).

3.  You invest in R&D.

Don't do your work in a vacuum.  To stay creatively fresh and relevant, each week devote some time dedicated to keeping up with your profession and continuing to develop your craft.  Each month, make some time to learn about and try on some new ideas:  creative, business or both. 

4.  You don't yell at your team.

 No one can work well in an atmosphere of intimidation, belittlement or doubt.  Believe in your writer (that's you).  Treat the writer with respect.  Value his work and believe in his ability to get the job done.  We often rise to the expectations of others. Set yours just high enough to really challenge and motivate your writer-self.  Stretch goals are fine;  unrealistic expectations (read: perfectionism!) are self-generated setbacks.

5.  Every time you sit down to work, you know what you want to accomplish.

Does all this project planning mean there's no room for spontaneity or freedom?  Not at all.  If you need a to spend a work session or two freewriting about your character, by all means, do what you need to do.   Just consciously choose a focus for your work session, and make sure that what you're choosing to spend time on makes sense in the context of your overall project.

Remember to always adjust your definition of "success" to meet that specific day's tasks.  No fair beating yourself up for not adding pages to your manuscript draft when your purpose that day was to deepen your own understanding of a character, 'k?

6.  You expect and learn from setbacks.

Did your writer have an off-day, an off-week?  Keep your writer-self accountable, but help her examine what stymied her progress and brainstorm other options for next time.  They say good organizations are always learning.  Study your setbacks, adapt this model to your writing life and thrive!

photo credit:  "psd" on Flicker

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Stay tuned for post #2 in the "How to Finish What You Write" blog series.   

Got a topic you'd like me to cover?  Please comment below or visit my Facebook Fan Page to leave your ideas on my Wall.    

Thanks for reading,

Marla

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Follow Me on Twitter:  @MarlaBeck