The funny thing about time.
I’ve found that most writers I work with have a funny relationship with time.
Given any “container” of time, they assume they can do approximately two to four times as much as they’re actually capable of.
Similarly, they assume that tasks will take half to a quarter of time as they will actually take.
It’s a combination of mistaken assumptions, and it can wreak havoc on plans, productivity, and goal setting.
Incorrect predictions.
Writing never happens in a vacuum, but our plans often pretend that it does. That also feeds into the assumptions we make about time.
You believe that actually writing 1000 words of draft only takes you two hours, because you’ve done that. But you forget that you wrote that much after two straight weeks being stuck and “noodling” your way through the problem, and you had the house to yourself for a weekend when you wrote it, with a fully stocked fridge, and your best writing friend wanted to do sprints (which you’re no longer doing because she’s between projects.)
So you make assumptions about what you can do at any time based on your best set of circumstances. It’s a flawed prediction.
Contributing factors.
Sometimes, as authors get closer to the end of the year, they suddenly remember all the goals they made the previous January, and they panic.
“I’ve GOT to finish this book!” they shout to themselves, and then perhaps type away in a frantic dash… only to realize that the problems that kept them in that position (stuck plot, problems with character foundations, etc.) are still spiking the wheels of the story.
Or they forget that their family has holiday traditions of some sort that include perhaps travel, or additional celebrations and social expectations, or whatever.
Or they realize that their day jobs also had year end goals that they are now under the hammer to fulfill.
Learning experience.
First: I’m not saying you can’t do the mad scramble to meet writing deadlines if you want. Some people need the adrenaline push (or have convinced themselves they need it) in order to complete things, and there is a dopamine release after. As they say, you do you.
But if you find it one more thing in a monumental list of things, and you’re pursuing it with a sense of doom – blaming yourself for “one more failure” – then let me give you permission:
You don’t have to do the thing, whatever that thing is, by December 31st.
Not meeting your goals for 2024 doesn’t mean that you’re a bad writer (and it certainly doesn’t mean you’re a bad person!) It’s going to be disappointing, sure, but that’s not the same.
What it might mean: you’re setting goals incorrectly for who you are as a writer… and as a person.
There’s a different way.
I sincerely believe that you can strike a balance between writing, marketing, and the rest of your life.
I’m going to be launching a course in the new year that lays this system out. I’m excited to share it with you, because I feel like it’s something writers need, and it’s a cause that’s near and dear to my heart.
Have any questions? Is there anything you’d like addressed?
Please email me!
As I’m pulling this together, I’d love to hear anything specifically you’d like addressed or that you’re stressed about when it comes to writing.