Helpful Tip #1 - Set yourself goals

This is a great tip not only for your future career as an author but for life in general. Goals can be anything. They can be something small to something huge, but remember to always be realistic.

In regards to your writing always set yourself a word goal on the days that you are writing. You don't have to write everyday but, in the beginning, it is a good idea to do so. Even if it's just a short passage or two, it helps you to "build your muscles" as we've heard it described. Just like your arms, legs and abs, your brain needs to get a work out in each day. Now we're not talking about power lifting 10,000 plus words in a shot each and every night. That would make anyone insane and, since we all have lives, it's not practical for the most part either.

So, set a smaller goal on your busy nights. If you've got soccer, ballet, school plays or hockey with the kids, do a light 500 to 2,000 words. On nights where nothing much is going down, do a bigger number and, if you have Sundays (for example) all to yourself, do the bigger numbers then. But set yourself a routine and help your brain get used to this. If you miss a night because something went late, or you forgot you had plans with a friend or whatever and don't end up writing, do not freak out!

We are all busy people.

As a budding author you are not supporting yourself on your writing career yet and, unless you are the next Stephen King or JR Ward or whomever, it's highly doubtful you will ever be able to fully support yourself and provide for your family on your career as an author. Sorry, but there it is. You are writing for the enjoyment of writing and having it published to share that joy with others. Yes, it's a lot of work and yes, it can seem like it's not worth it now and again, so what. If you are enjoying constructing and telling your stories - do it!

That's all we've got tonight, shocker! Not all of these posts will be super long winded. That being said, get out there and don't forget to warm up before settling in to write, you don't want to pull a "muscle".

The Moderator