One Thousand Words a Day

That’s my goal for 2010. To write 1000 words every day. I know some writers manage much more than that each day. Some writers write less. But I know from past experience that even with the day job, I can average 1 thousand words on most days as long as I focus on the story and don’t spend too much time on the internet or in front of the TV. I have to work on that.

Consistency is key to being productive. 1 thousand words a day means about 30 thousand words a month. That’s a novella in one month. A category romance in 2 months. A single title in 3! How many books could I write in one year at only 1 thousand words a day?

Accountability is another key factor. I bought a calendar to tack up on my wall and I will write down the number of words I write each day. It’s easy to see at a glance how I’m doing. And I’ve arranged with a friend to send her my word count weekly and she’s going to do the same. We both hope to get a lot more words written in 2010 than we did in 2009.

I already know that it may not always be possible to write 1 thousand words every day. Some days I might be plotting or researching. Some days I might be editing and - horrors! cutting some of those hard-won words. Some days I might be writing blurbs or synopses or proposals - and we all know those words don’t come as easily or as fast as first drafts. Some days I’ll have galleys to go over. Some days life will intrude on my best laid plans. But by making this goal and sticking to it as much as possible, I know I will be able to write down more of the stories clamoring in my head to be told.

Now if I could just discipline myself to write my 1000 words before I check my e-mails… As I said, I need to work on that :)

Ask me next January how I did!

Natasha
www.natashamoore.com