| Many things can cause an otherwise worthwhile | | | | well as the grander requirements of structure, |
| writing project to founder. Your writing coach will | | | | theme and consistency. Writing training of this |
| keep your project, your writing career and your | | | | calibre will make you a professional. |
| writing ambitions safe. Your writing coach can help | | | | 4. Organise your research |
| you: | | | | Having too little material is rarely the problem. |
| 1. Set clear goals and deadlines | | | | Having too much is more usual. And, as you |
| 2. Organise your life as a writer | | | | move more deeply into the project, the |
| 3. Identify training needs in the genre of your | | | | goal-posts may shift. In a novel, for instance, as |
| choosing | | | | characters take on their own life, the ensuing |
| 4. Organise your research | | | | structural changes can be seismic. And, during this |
| 5. Start writing and keep going to the end of the | | | | process of seismic change, your coach will hold |
| first draft | | | | your agenda, calm your panic attacks, and help |
| 6. Handle feed-back, edit and re-write | | | | you understand what information from your |
| 7. Publish, broadcast or share in other ways | | | | research the reader needs to know and what |
| 1. Set clear goals | | | | information is merely distracting - especially apt |
| Where do you hope to go with your writing | | | | for historical fiction writers! Your coach will work |
| project? Following your nose can work. But | | | | with you to develop a flowing chapter block-out - |
| sometimes planning can help you arrive where | | | | outlining chapter contents and arranging them in |
| you want to be more quickly and with better | | | | the most effective way. This will also be useful |
| results. So, some writers start work, bristling with | | | | when you come to write a synopsis for potential |
| diaries, 'road maps' and post-it notes - lending a | | | | publishers. |
| writing project the air of a military offensive. If | | | | 5. Motivation - start writing and keep going |
| you favour this style - and many do - your | | | | Your coach will help you to deepen your |
| writing goals may benefit from the strong-minded | | | | commitment to your writing and become aware |
| application of management principles. Your writing | | | | of those values you hold both as a person and as |
| coach can guide you here. | | | | a writer. You will then understand what motivates |
| The SMART formula is currently popular. Adopt | | | | you and how you can use this not only to start |
| this and consider: | | | | your writing project but also to keep it going. |
| 1) Is your writing goal Specific? (What form(s) of | | | | Writing a novel, for example, is a long haul, |
| writing do you want to work on? A novel? A | | | | possibly using up two years of your life. You need |
| radio play? An academic treatise? The ultimate | | | | to have the clearest idea of your motivation |
| letter of complaint? ) | | | | before you start. |
| 2) How will you Measure your success? (Do you, | | | | You'll also avoid procrastination. All working writers |
| for example, want to hold your published book in | | | | have tricks to help them keep writing and |
| your hand by the second August Bank Holiday?) | | | | minimise displacement activities - such as the |
| 3) Are you Able to produce this piece of writing? | | | | washing up. For some, for example, the electricity |
| (Or do you need more training?) | | | | bill can be a major motivator. But, you may need |
| 4) Does this piece of writing Relate well to who | | | | something more subtle. Work with your coach to |
| you are and what you want from your life? (And | | | | find out what motivates you to write and anchor |
| does writing mesh well with your other hopes and | | | | this. |
| aspirations at this time?) | | | | This done, when you wake in the morning, the |
| 5) What is your Time-line for this goal? (Deadlines | | | | first thing on your mind will be making use of the |
| work wonders for some.) | | | | insights which came to you in the night. |
| Meeting your own promises - Commitment | | | | International creativity guru Eric Maisel calls this |
| Once you've shaped your writing goal, of course, | | | | journey to your workplace from your bed the |
| you must then consciously to commit to the | | | | most important and the most dangerous walk of |
| process. According to the American Society of | | | | your day! Distractions abound. But it is also, he |
| Training and Development, conscious commitment | | | | says, the walk that gives your life its meaning. |
| enhances your chances of success in any project. | | | | A Word on Writers' Blocks |
| And the probability of success, it is said, ranges | | | | More serious than daily displacement activities, the |
| from 25% - if you decide to do something - to | | | | writer's block can make your project founder. It |
| 50% if you plan how you will do it, to 95% if you | | | | presents as fear - a rabbit in the headlights |
| 'have a specific accountability appointment' with an | | | | moment - in face of the blank page. You may be |
| independent person. A writing coach, perhaps? | | | | afraid of starting, of rejection, of the perceived |
| Being accountable to a coach is powerful. Knowing | | | | imperfections of your writing, your inadequacies |
| you'll have to explain yourself can override your | | | | as a writer, even success (and what happens |
| natural instinct for, say, making the family | | | | next). Your fears may be a very mixed bag. |
| porridge or walking the dog. Imagine how you'll | | | | A real block may need some effort to remove |
| feel when your coach asks you 'Where is Chapter | | | | but the constant support of your coach will help |
| 3?' and you have to reply 'I haven't done it.' | | | | you regain control of your project. And your |
| According to a 2002 survey, 81% of adult | | | | coach will keep hold of your agenda even when |
| Americans wanted to write a book - and feel | | | | you lose sight of it and be able to suggest |
| they should have done - but only 2% of these | | | | strategies such as free writing; or modelling |
| did. With your coach's support, and your | | | | yourself on other blocked writers who've |
| commitment, you should be able to join the 2%. | | | | successfully moved forward. Or a laser coaching |
| At least, if you don't, with coaching, you'll | | | | session. Ten minutes on the phone can do the |
| understand the reasons why. | | | | trick! |
| 2. Organise your working life as a writer | | | | 6. Handle feed-back, edit and re-write |
| Your working style contributes to the success or | | | | At the end of the first draft, you may feel |
| failure of your project so you may need to | | | | you've done enough. Unfortunately, not. Editing is |
| identify the best working style for you. If you | | | | an essential part of the process and re-writing |
| hope to be a writer, words - and books - | | | | happens as often as needed to make the |
| probably suit you. But do you ever feel that you | | | | manuscript as perfect as possible. There is no |
| work better with music in the background? Or | | | | escaping this and feed-back is a useful guide. |
| that people telling you their stories is preferable to | | | | Avoid friends who will just rubber-stamp your |
| spending time in the library with psychological | | | | brilliance. This is when you need to ask for honest |
| treatises? Or pictures inspire your writing? | | | | feedback, not just to assess the viability of the |
| Different approaches - or a blend of these - may | | | | project - you should already be convinced of that |
| work better for you than keeping office hours at | | | | - but to iron out inconsistency, flag up inaccuracy, |
| your desk. But, for some writers, office hours | | | | and identify absolute nonsense. You may choose |
| work best. Discussions with your coach will help | | | | whether or not to integrate suggested changes |
| you strategise to optimise your working style. | | | | but those who make them are invaluable in your |
| You'll also benefit from considering life-style issues | | | | process. Receiving feedback - the when of it, the |
| which can influence your project's outcome. | | | | who of it and the what to do with it now of it - is |
| These include:o Work/Life Balance and | | | | only the start of the sixth phase. |
| relationshipso Wellness for writerso De-cluttering | | | | 7. Move on to publication |
| your working space and your mindo Time | | | | This is the sharing bit of the process. |
| management and productivityo Handling rejection | | | | Communication demands someone to receive |
| and starting again.o And much more. | | | | what you have to say. None of us works entirely |
| 3. Identify your training needs and develop writing | | | | in a vacuum - even though you may feel that |
| skills | | | | writing for yourself alone is enough. Or you may |
| The important issue may be whether your words | | | | want to be published or broadcast and need the |
| on the page say what you want them to say. | | | | support of a coach to move out of the cocoon |
| But publishers aren't noted for their patience in | | | | of your writing life and into an industry which like |
| wading through poor presentation to discover this. | | | | any other exists to make a profit. |
| You may also lack confidence regarding your | | | | Your coach will help you when you need to |
| grammar, punctuation or your choice of words | | | | consider:o Preparing your manuscript for |
| and, if you do wish to publish, you could need an | | | | submissiono Covering letterso Writing a proposal |
| intensive programme in these skills. With practical | | | | for a publisher or editoro Marketing for writerso |
| exercises and recommendations for further | | | | Beginning the next book. |
| reading, your coach can customise a programme | | | | Good Luck! |
| to help you with the nuts and bolts of writing as | | | | |