Marg McAlister

Writing for success. That's the name of our business, and it's the name of our website, and of course, the name of our regular tipsheet. But what does 'writing for success' actually mean? What is writing success all about?

You can probably guess what I'm going to say before I say it: "success in writing has to be defined by the individual". What writing success means to you is not necessarily what it means to anyone else. To you, success might be defined totally by whether you can get your book accepted and published. To another writer, success might be simply finishing a novel, whether it gets published or not. To a third writer, writing success might be defined by whether they can earn an income using their writing skills, whether it's as a technical writer, a novelist, a copywriter or a ghostwriter.

Take some time to decide what "writing for success" means for YOU, and write it down. This will help you to formulate your goals. If 'success' means that someone pays you for your work, then the steps towards your goal will include whatever is necessary to achieve this (e.g. developing editing and proofreading skills, advertising your services, building a portfolio of work). If 'success' means getting a novel accepted and published, then you will need to include goals about regular writing times, getting feedback on your work, writing query letters and so on.

Why am I writing about this at the end of the KickStart Program, rather than at the beginning?

It's simple. As you work on your writing, and begin to have an insight into why certain things do or don't work for you, it's likely that your goals will change. Many writers have discovered that what they THOUGHT they wanted is not what they really want. They realise that they prefer writing non-fiction to fiction, or they enjoy one genre more than another. They may find that once they start treating writing as a fun hobby rather than an I-must-get-published-or-else chore, writer's block can disappear. Or the opposite might work better: as soon as they look upon writing as a job rather than a pastime, their productivity soars!

I can't possibly predict what will work for you - and often, nor can you, at the beginning. Give yourself the time to find out. The eight weeks of the KickStart Program might be enough to know what you really want, and how you define success. It might take longer: three months, six months, a year. In the end, it doesn't matter how long it takes to find the system that works for you. All that matters is that you DO find it.

This might be a good time to mention that you don't have to fit in with what others expect of you, either. If you have started off, for example, thinking that you'd like to write romance fiction, and then discover that you enjoy thrillers much more, then don't feel you're stuck - even if you are in a romance critique group! Just admit that your interests are taking you in a different direction. Many writers are adept at writing in several different genres, or at least read books in widely differing genres. Your present critique partner might well be happy to continue, even if you change your target readership.

DON'T keep writing something that you're no longer keen on, just because someone else urges you to continue. You're giving up a lot of time for your writing. You have to like what you do. There's a saying that I've always liked: "Do what makes your heart sing". It's a good one to live by.

Now, for your convenience, here's a summary of the steps in the Writing4Success KickStart Program:

WEEK 1: CLEAR THE DECKS

To succeed, you need to set new habits. First, get rid of the clutter in your life - mental, physical and emotional. Set up your writing space; de-clutter your surroundings; set up a simple program for fitness and health. Clear your mind; get rid of unwanted commitments. Decide what you really want to write.

GIVE YOUR WRITING "PROJECT STATUS"

Think of your writing as a project. Give it a timeline and a set of defined steps - but make your timetable and set tasks as flexible as possible. Expect problems to arise; have contingency plans to deal with them then get back on track. Make time for 'fun stuff', family and friends, then establish a bank of hours from which to draw for your writing time. Use a task-oriented approach rather than time-oriented. Create your exercise plan and decide where it fits into your life.

WEEK 3: MOVE PAST ROADBLOCKS

Expect roadblocks! Remember they are temporary - don't allow them to become a permanent obstacle. If you have 'no time', decide whether you really want/need to write. If you do, something has to go. If you have 'no motivation/no energy', look at your diet, exercise and sleeping habits at first. If there's a problem there, address it. If not, understand that motivation comes from without - nobody is making you write. Focus on the rewards and move on. If you have 'no ideas', take time out to prime the pump. If you have 'no support or feedback', take time to find other writers who can support you and give you feedback. Find them online or through local writing groups. If you have 'no money', get a job (full- or part-time) to take the pressure off, and write in your spare time; if you have no computer book time at the library.

WEEK 4: GET SUPPORT AND FEEDBACK - AND USE REWARDS

Ideally get support at home and with other writers. The least you need is cooperation from your family so you can have time to do what is important to you - write. It's almost essential to find a way to get feedback - either paid or through a writer's support group. Try to find 3 people to proofread your scenes, chapters or manuscript - another writer at your level or above; someone who regularly reads in the genre, and someone with strong skills in grammar, punctuation and spelling. Build in rewards for your efforts - short term, mid-term and long-term. Make sure they are rewards you'll look forward to receiving!

WEEK 5: IMPROVE YOUR STYLE AND TECHNIQUE

Aim for constant improvement, but don't let this become an excuse for never completing your manuscript. Understand that you can't master everything overnight. Take it slowly; keep a list of what you need to work on and work through it systematically. Build a reference library of books on the craft as well as downloaded articles and e-books (print them out and file under easy-to-find headings). Update yor professional resources regularly. Get feedback to ensure that you know what you need to do to improve your style and technique.

WEEK 6: CREATE A PLOT THAT WORKS

Test your idea for plot-worthiness: ask yourself "Who will want to read about this?". Think very carefully before basing a story on your own life, even if you are rationalising your decision by saying "It will help others". Make sure your main character has a definite goal to reach or problem to solve; make sure there's plenty of conflict; make sure the characters are believably motivated; make sure you can visualise at least one satisfying end to the story. Go through the plotting process in a way that suits your personality - e.g. cluster diagram, notice board, sticky notes, file cards, or standard plot outline in writing.

WEEK 7: CREATE INTERESTING CHARACTERS

Whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction, make sure that your characters are interesting. You should LIKE your lead character, since you and the reader will both be spending a lot of time with this person. Do not create a self-pitying, violent or nasty 'hero'. Make sure each character's motivation is believable for whatever he/she does. "Think" your characters into life by daydreaming, visualising them while you are exercising, or observing the passing parade at a shopping mall.

WEEK 8: REFINE YOUR DEFINITION OF SUCCESS

Decide what writing success means to you and refine your writing 'project' accordingly. Write what you want to write, not what others want you to write. It's okay to change your mind - about genre, about publication, about attitude. Create a writing life that works for YOU.

Your goal for Week 8:

Go through the KickStart Program, Weeks 1-8. Create a checklist of things you need or want to do for each step. Tick them off as you accomplish them. If any item on your checklist doesn't work for you any more, cross it off or create a new checklist. Print out a calendar for the next year, one month to a page, and write down monthly goals. Do this in pencil so you can change them if temporary roadblocks occur. Buy a wall planner and put it on the wall in your writing space; pencil in deadlines (created by yourself or by your editor). Remind yourself that goals are guideposts; they're not immovable objects!

Finally - GET STARTED.