My Advice

Ah, the good ol’ pitfall: A new and brilliant idea.

How do we stick to our one book and finish it? Even when all these new ideas are hitting the windows of our mind and they are begging to be let in? The answer? Perseverance, discipline, and determination.

Okay, let’s quickly look at the definitions of these words (Thank you, Merriam-Webster!):

Perseverance: “the continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition”

Discipline: “control gained by enforcing obedience or order ; orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior ; self-control”

Determination: “a firm or fixed intention to achieve a desired end.”

If you want to write a book, and finish it, you have to persevere (despite all the opposition of new ideas). You have to be disciplined (so, control yourself). And you have to be determined (be firm in keeping to your writing of that book).

Easier said than done, I know. Those new ideas are tantalizing. Your mind is spinning with all the potential hiding in that one idea. You are busy with this book, but your mind is on that new idea. And before you know it, you are certain that the new idea is just a better project to work on for now.

But stick to your book, even when you hit the bottom and writer’s block is drowning you under all the emptiness.

Another tip I read once is to get yourself an accountability partner. If you are accountable to another person, you are more likely to get things done. Or...use the rewards method.

The latter method allows you to work toward a goal that you really want to complete. When you reach the finish line, you get a reward (usually something that you REALLY want; just be realistic in setting this reward, please). You could even add in a reasonable deadline, with a punishment for not making the deadline. Maybe the punishment is that you don’t get that wished-for reward, but when you finally finish the book you get something else...Still a reward, just not something you want as much as you wanted your original reward.

Anyways, that’s my advice. But, who am I to speak? I am busy working on my fifth book, or so. Are its predecessors complete? Nope...Why? Because I found a new idea. So, I’m still learning. But I’m desperately trying to follow my own advice, and maybe I’ll finally get somewhere now.