Setting Realistic Writing Deadlines

Every writer knows that without writing deadlines, it is all too easy to keep procrastinating, to keep putting ones writing on the back burner until eventually, it becomes a distant memory, a niggle at the back of your mind that can soon be forgotten!

Creating realistic, achievable goals and giving yourself writing deadlines will keep you organised, motivated and making progress. It will also ensure you keep writing regularly, and regular writing is the best way to get better at it.

But what are the best ways to work out how to set writing deadlines, ones that keep us motivated but aren’t so tight they are impossible to keep (and then probably do more harm than good)?

Here are some useful tips.

Be clear

Don’t make your goals vague or your deadlines flexible. Be completely clear about what it is you need to achieve and when you need to complete it. Don’t leave any room for manoeuvre or to make excuses, the more clear-cut your goals are, the more likely it is that you will achieve them.

Be detailed

When setting your goals write them down in as much detail as possible. The more detailed you are, the easier it will be to work out exactly what it is you need to do, and by doing that you’ll know for sure if your deadline is realistic and the tools and time you need to achieve each one.

Break things down

Don’t set goals that are too huge or too far in the future that they already seem impossible. Creating realistic writing goals is all about making life easier for yourself so instead of a goal being ‘finish book’ make ones that are far smaller like ‘write 500 words by the end of the week.’ The result will still be the same, but you’ll feel much less daunted by and more capable of achieving the latter.

Make them visible

Once you have set your goals and writing deadlines, write them down and stick them up somewhere visible. It’s easy to make a plan, feel motivated at the time and then forget all about it. So print out your writing goals and put them up somewhere you’ll see them regularly. This way you’ve got no excuses not to stay on track.

Reward yourself

It’s much easier to stick to your writing goals and deadlines if you know you’ve got a reward coming your way if you do! Try to keep yourself geared up to achieve those goals by treating yourself every time you hit a target.

Setting realistic writing deadlines will help keep writers writing - and that is the most important thing a writer can do!

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

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