Love, love, love this! Finding the particular process that works for you is like pushing back the coats in the wardrobe and seeing snow on the ground in Narnia. Amazing!
Love this approach and congrats on your first draft! I’m wondering if a similar approach might help me through the revisions I’m in now…small and steady.
Thank you so much for this piece and for the shout out! The mini word count goal has really worked for me as part of a wider process.
- I set 100 words every working days a goal and probably end up writing about 500 words, 3 times a week
- I have a Google drive folder called CP writing which acts as my store for everything I write and is a really good source for my Substack posts too. Even if I only have 100 words on a topic, I can expand on it to make it a post - less daunting than a blank page!
- And having a word goal has helped me expand out of nonfiction anti oppression and anti-racism writing into poetry! Not for sharing but just as an outlet.
1 - That momentum to go from 100 words to 500ish is incredible. One of the reasons I love the 100-word daily goal is because of how often I'm able to trick myself into writing more.
2 - Oh! I love that 100 words here and there are starting points for posts. THAT IS SO SMART. I'm going to try that, too!
3 - Okay secret poet! Your regular writing is so necessary, and also probably heavy at times. It's wonderful you have this creative little corner just for you.
Thank you so much for sharing how things are going with you, Collette. I really appreciate your generosity.
That's so great that you were able to finish your draft! I really want to build a consistent writing habit-- a word count goal doesn't resonate with me right now but a daily commitment that is too small to fail sounds perfect. Maybe something like: at minimum, three lines in my journal, with the option to do a freewrite or a more focused writing session as a bonus? That sounds doable!
Yeah, word count goals don't usually do it for me, either. I'm a little bit nervous for when I need to give myself an itty-bitty goal for revising hahaha.
Yessss that's definitely doable. Please tell me if you start and how it goes! One of the things that made this commitment feel so good is that I would secretly hope to blow past 100 words while also promising myself to NEVER be disappointed if "all" I did was get my 100 down. I hope you have a similar experience.
No, I think the point of having such a small goal (at least for me) is that it should be doable every day-- so no days off planned in advance, but of course if something unexpected happens or whatever, no big deal as long as the trend is kept!
Yes, that's how I did it, too: no (planned) days off.
When I had a family emergency in early April, I ended up taking an entire week off--but because my goal is soooo itty bitty, making up for even seven whole days was manageable.
I love that you're doing this! Thank you so much for telling me.
Love, love, love this! Finding the particular process that works for you is like pushing back the coats in the wardrobe and seeing snow on the ground in Narnia. Amazing!
Gahhhhh this image! THANK YOU.
Love this approach and congrats on your first draft! I’m wondering if a similar approach might help me through the revisions I’m in now…small and steady.
Thank you! I've been talking about it sooo much and am still stunned I did it, haha.
Revising is my happy place; I hope that however you get it done, you enjoy it.
What's your favorite part of the process?
Thank you so much for this piece and for the shout out! The mini word count goal has really worked for me as part of a wider process.
- I set 100 words every working days a goal and probably end up writing about 500 words, 3 times a week
- I have a Google drive folder called CP writing which acts as my store for everything I write and is a really good source for my Substack posts too. Even if I only have 100 words on a topic, I can expand on it to make it a post - less daunting than a blank page!
- And having a word goal has helped me expand out of nonfiction anti oppression and anti-racism writing into poetry! Not for sharing but just as an outlet.
So thank you for your tip. It was truly gold.
Holy moly there is so much good news in here!!!
1 - That momentum to go from 100 words to 500ish is incredible. One of the reasons I love the 100-word daily goal is because of how often I'm able to trick myself into writing more.
2 - Oh! I love that 100 words here and there are starting points for posts. THAT IS SO SMART. I'm going to try that, too!
3 - Okay secret poet! Your regular writing is so necessary, and also probably heavy at times. It's wonderful you have this creative little corner just for you.
Thank you so much for sharing how things are going with you, Collette. I really appreciate your generosity.
That's so great that you were able to finish your draft! I really want to build a consistent writing habit-- a word count goal doesn't resonate with me right now but a daily commitment that is too small to fail sounds perfect. Maybe something like: at minimum, three lines in my journal, with the option to do a freewrite or a more focused writing session as a bonus? That sounds doable!
Thank you, Kate!
Yeah, word count goals don't usually do it for me, either. I'm a little bit nervous for when I need to give myself an itty-bitty goal for revising hahaha.
Yessss that's definitely doable. Please tell me if you start and how it goes! One of the things that made this commitment feel so good is that I would secretly hope to blow past 100 words while also promising myself to NEVER be disappointed if "all" I did was get my 100 down. I hope you have a similar experience.
Ok, so I’m two days in and going strong! Seems to be working so far!
Oh YAY. Are you going to take weekends off?
No, I think the point of having such a small goal (at least for me) is that it should be doable every day-- so no days off planned in advance, but of course if something unexpected happens or whatever, no big deal as long as the trend is kept!
Yes, that's how I did it, too: no (planned) days off.
When I had a family emergency in early April, I ended up taking an entire week off--but because my goal is soooo itty bitty, making up for even seven whole days was manageable.
I love that you're doing this! Thank you so much for telling me.
(If you are: enjoy the time away! If not: I'm rooting for you!)
I desperately needed to read this.
So this is perfectly timed. I was having one of those does-this-even-matter moments about this post, and then I saw this! Thank you for telling me.