Accountability Tips for Authors
Because the hardest part about writing is often the writing itself!
Slowing down to write can be daunting. With our lives getting busier all the time, it can seem impossible to find the energy to put eighty plus thousand words on paper, let alone revise, edit, and publish your book. It’s so easy to set aside your writing and procrastinate, jump on social media, check the news. You name it, and there’s a writer who has used that thing as an excuse to not write.
But reaching your writing goals doesn’t have to be overwhelming. If you set your mind to it, put a plan in action, and stick to your chosen parameters, you’ll find that taking accountability for your goals can be manageable and even enjoyable. Here are some of my favorite resources that help writers become better at self-accountability so we can reach our writing goals:
The Four Tendencies Quiz – Gretchen Rubin
Before setting your writing goals and plan in place, a good starting point is to better understand what motivates you. Gretchen Rubin theorizes in her book The Four Tendencies that there are four ways people react to expectations. Depending on your tendency, you may find different ways to hold yourself accountable. This quiz helps writers identify our tendencies to help piece together what motivates you.
Next, take it from one of the greats. It never hurts to take advice from someone whose tried-and-true practices have led them to a successful career as a published author. Stephen King does a stand-up job of explaining, as a writer, what it takes to reach writing goals, day by day. He goes into what he does to achieve his own goals as well as explores setting goals and putting parameters in place. Plus, King’s insights into writing are motivating as well as educational.
When you’re ready to establish your goals, finding a good productivity planner can help you establish a realistic writing plan and put your goals onto a tool that will allow you to track your progress. Setting smaller milestones that ensure you reach larger milestones will help spread your writing into manageable pieces rather than letting you procrastinate until your goal is too large to get done in the time you have.
Social Media
Don’t be afraid to go public. Sharing your goal with others will not only make you more likely to hold yourself accountable, it will also provide an avenue for others to keep you on track. Each encouraging comment can support your drive, and every time someone asks how the book is coming along, you’ll want to have made progress and give them the good news! But if sharing your goal with others seems too daunting, try talking about the process. You’ll be surprised how many people share not only the need for accountability but are willing to support others on the path.
Install a Distraction App
When writing, try focusing solely on the task at hand. Limit any distractions (I’m looking at you, cell phone) and hold yourself accountable during your designated writing time. There are plenty of apps that help close down your apps based on your preferences. For example, when you’ve spent a certain amount of time already that day on your screen.
Pomodroido, PomoDoneApp, Be Focused, Tomato Timer
Use a timer to help concentrate your writing time. When you’re allotted only a certain amount of time to reach your goals, you don’t have the liberty of wasting even a minute of that time by getting sidetracked. The pomodoro technique uses a timer to break up tasks into short windows of time to help focus and keep the brain engaged. By writing in twenty-five minute intervals, you might find you’re less likely to acknowledge distractions or allow your concentration to be broken. And at the end of the designated time, you’ll be able to see real word count add up. I keep track of my word count after every twenty-five minute session so I have a fairly accurate estimate of my average writing speed. This comes in very handy when planning deadlines and juggling multiple projects with very little time to waste.
Work with a Coach or Accountability Partner
Sometimes a writing or productivity coach or accountability partner can be the best form of accountability. Not only does it make you put your money where your mouth is (if you hire someone…you can also search out people to swap with!), but working with an expert provides valuable education that can make your writing easier and results better.
Accountability can be tricky to master without the right tools and resources. But when you succeed at holding yourself accountable to your writing goals, they become far easier to achieve. Strong support, good practices, and consistent reinforcement can make a world of difference. So take the leap, put a few tips and boundaries in place to help hold yourself accountable, and start meeting your writing goals today.
We’re building an accountability tool just for writers that we’re hoping to release this summer. What tools do you use to set and reach your goals? What would you like to see in an accountability tool? You can stop reading now and get back to writing!
Man, I know all too well about getting the writing done. I'm great about writing, but finishing edits is toughest for me. My best tools are my checklist on my iPhone and a small notepad. I have all my tasks on the phone, then write them down plus additional action items in the notepad.