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Title: When The Writing Gets Tough Post by: Daniel Franklin on October 25, 2007, 03:41:43 PM Recently I was the guest "speaker" in a chatroom discussion at WritersChatroom.com and we talked a bit about why it's important to be clear about why you're writing. We talked about having a plan for your book, not unlike a business plan, where you outline the marketing of your book and the results you want from having published a book. Having such a plan and being clear on what you want will help improve the outcome of your book. But it does something else as well: it helps you continue writing when the going gets tough.
p> Having the End in Mind If you've ever read Stephen Covey's "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People", you'll recognize this as Habit #2: Begin With the End in Mind. He calls it the habit of vision. The idea is that it's easier for you to work toward something if you know where it is you're going. It's the carrot being dangled in front of you to egg you on. Now, the question is: what does the carrot look like? Can you envision it? Visualizing the Big Picture I believe visualization to be hugely important and I practice it regularly. I have big visions (all written out, of course) that include the type of home I want and the kind of work I want to do, and even who is around me. I also have what I call mini-visions. While working on my first novel, I did most of the work at a space called The Writer's Room in New York's Greenwich Villiage. It happened to be next door to a Barnes & Noble bookstore. Every so often (usually when I felt stuck or the work wasn't going well), I would end the evening by going into the Barnes & Noble and browsing through the new fiction section. But I wasn't looking at the books. Not really. I was imagining my book on the shelf among the others. I thought about what the cover might look like--the colors, the images, and how thrilled I would feel to see my name there with the other "S" authors. Then I would go upstairs to the space where authors gave readings and I would picture myself there in a crowded room reading from my novel and signing autographs. I'm smiling in this vision--I'm really happy and feeling blessed to see all these lovely people who have come out for me. These thoughts warmed me to the point where I had forgotten about how tough the writing process was. I knew I'd go back to my desk and begin again. My vision kept me going. What's Your Vision? Take some time this week and create your own vision for your book. Write it out with as much detail as possible. Really get a feel for it because if you feel it, you will do it! If you need help, use these questions as guidelines: --Is there a physical manifestation of your goal? What does it look like? Is it a book award, your name in the library catalog, an office, a big fat check from a publisher, your name in a magazine? I wanted to see my name on one of those "Meet the Authors" posters at a Barnes & Noble. (Yes, I did such a reading and the poster is now hanging in my office!) --What emotions do you feel in connection with it? Ideally the feelings are excitement, anticipation and the like. --How will your life change as a result of achieving your goal? Are the changes small or large? Do you like what your potential life looks like? --Are you different? How? Once you've written out your vision, keep it in a place where you can refer to it when the going gets tough. Put it on a bulletin board in your office or carry it around in your notebook. As long as you can see your vision you will move towards it. © 2006 Sophfronia Scott Author and Writing Coach Sophfronia Scott is "The Book Sistah" TM. Get her FREE REPORT, "The 5 Big Mistakes Most Writers Make When Trying to Get Published" and her FREE online writing and book publishing tips at http://www.TheBookSistah.com Sophfonia is also author of the bestselling novel, All I Need to Get By. If you liked today's issue, stay tuned for more because The Book Sistah also offers FREE audio classes, FREE articles, workshops, and other resources to help aspiring authors get published and market their books successfully. The Book Sistah 230 South Main St. Ste. 319 Newtown, CT 06470 203-426-2036 [email protected] http://www.TheBookSistah.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sophfronia_Scott |