One of the essential keys for success as a romance writer or a writer in any genre is the ability to be disciplined.
That “butt in chair, fingers on keyboard” mentality can be a really tough policy to stick to. In addition to distractions, sometimes the writing muse just isn’t singing.
Between snacks in the cupboard, pets that need to be walked and fed, soap operas that need to be watched, dishes and laundry that need to be cleaned and errands that can be run…well, there’s a lot to distract you.
How Do You Find Discipline?
I’ve found that different things work on different days. After all, there are a variety of reasons why we may have trouble focusing. Here are a few solutions that work for me and other writers:
- Create time to write – every morning, for example
- Have a special place you like to write – a place that inspires you and is free from distractions
- Have daily writing goals – 1000 words for example, that’s about four typed pages.
- Have a plan B – If writing isn’t working for you, edit, plot, fill out a character worksheet do something that helps your novel progress.
- Have a system/routine – often a system or a routine to ease into your writing helps get your brain prepped for the task.
- Reward yourself – I’m a huge fan of rewarding myself for a job well done. In fact, I probably get carried away but hey, if I can’t reward myself then who can?
Anyway, after a week of meeting your word count goals or making significant progress on a manuscript or romance novel, reward yourself. Buy a book, open a bottle of champagne, eat a double chocolate chip cookie while watching True Blood in a bubble bath, buy that pair of red cowboy boots – whatever gets that but in your chair and your fingers on your keyboard!
To be disciplined, you don’t have to get out the whip or the handcuffs, though if you’re writing erotic romance you might want to for inspiration! Take a look at what’s preventing you from getting your book written and develop a strategy to overcome it!
To your success!