WHATEVER WORKS

Lynnette Jalufka

Stephen King writes 2,000 words a day. Debbie Macomber writes 5,000. Michael Crichton wrote 10,000. So what does this mean for you as you set your writing goals for next year? Keep in mind that these are bestselling authors who don’t have another job that takes up the majority of their day.

The trick is to set a goal that works for you. You want one that’s not so high you can never reach it. If you can write 2,000 words everyday and still hold down a separate eight-hour job plus meal and travel time, then good for you. Way to go! But if you’re like me, that goal is too high. I need to sleep. 

I use time instead of word counts to calculate my daily writing. My goal this year was to write one hour five days a week. When I wrote my hour, I put a sticker, usually a smiling sun, on the wall calendar in my office. If I reached my goal for the week, I put another sticker with an inspiring message on Sunday. It’s encouraging to see all those happy stickers shining back at me. 

In 2020, I’ve decided to change my goal since I have much I want to accomplish. I aim to write 10 hours a week. That’s a big challenge, but my novel is calling. 

Remember, however you decide to keep track of your writing, your goal must be attainable. The key is to write something every day. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle once said, “Anything is better than stagnation.” His daily word count was 3,000.