Being a writer is a tricky thing, and aside from that being because it’s um…hard to write a novel, that’s because there’s only one person to rely on. Yourself.
So what does it mean to take responsibility for your writing journey, when you’re already the one responsible? Read on to find out.
Taking responsibility can be a tricky concept to master. This is because sometimes things happen around us that change our days, and so if, for example, we decided to write for an afternoon, and then a friend showed up on the doorstep and asked to come in for tea, we would feel obliged and would watch our afternoon of hard work float miserably out of the window. Now then, it would not be our fault that the friend had shown up unannounced, it was not our decision and therefore was nothing really to do with us.
I’m going to slip effortlessly from fourth person narrative to second person now to prove the responsibility point.
It might not be your fault, but through the very act of them showing up at your door unannounced when you had planned to write, it is now your responsibility.
Your time is your responsibility. Your writing is your responsibility. Life throws all sorts at us, from work to laundry, to everything else that we deal with on a daily basis, but it is the act of taking responsibility for that time that gets things done.
The way I take responsibility for my writing journey is by planning it every week. I write down my weekly goals, which correspond to my quarterly goals. I make sure that everything is colour coded so that I know what I’m doing just with a glance, and I hold myself accountable.
By doing this, I make sure that there’s no room for procrastination, and I remind myself that I am the only person who is responsible for this novel getting written.
If it weren’t for me writing it, it just would not get done.
I am also responsible for self-care and the care of my loved ones. This means that I ensure I put time aside for rest, cooking, shopping, cleaning, reading, gaming – all the stuff that needs doing and that I want to do goes into my plan.
That means that I can realistically rest and relax, and hit my Goodreads 2021 reading goal while making sure that I’m writing during the times I have set.
In short, by reminding myself frequently that I am responsible for everything in my day, I give myself the power to move ever closer to my goals – whether they are reading that book that I’ve been hoping to finish for ages, or writing another thousand words of my work in progress.
So, what would I do if that friend showed up unannounced? I would tell them that I was unfortunately busy, compare diaries, and fix a time that works better for me. After all, nobody wants a resentful coffee, and everyone wants a friends full attention.
Are you looking for a way to create a routine and take responsibility for your writing life? Get in touch! I can help you build a routine that works for you, so you can finally that get your novel written.
