via Invisible
I’m asked a lot (A LOT) what it takes to become an author. I can’t help but pause each time I hear those words. “Is it a trick question?” It might be, but the answer is simple—WRITE!
It really is that simple. If you want to be a writer/author then all you need to do is practice a smidge of self-discipline, sit down, and write. That’s it.
Of course, that’s the answer in its simplest form and none of us are prone to leading simple lives. Family, friends, work, school, fun—a million-and-one things pop up every day to distract us from our goals. Don’t let them.
I don’t mean to let your personal life go by the wayside, but I do mean for you to carve out a dedicated time for your goals. In this case: being a writer. If you have the author dream, stop calling it a dream and make it a plan.
Take me for example. I’m a single mom of three small children, running a business (which I consider myself blessed to be doing with my closest friends and respected peers) and going to school full-time. Busy doesn’t quite cover it. But I still find time to write. In fact, I have a novel set to be released this summer. I can’t explain the joy it gives me when I see my work go to print. I know I have taken a childhood dream, turned it into a plan, and can say—I’m an author.
It’s not easy. It takes diligence, perseverance, and a willingness to say no. Yep, “no.”
You have to learn to say “no” to things that do not push you forward in your author journey. There’s still time to have fun, don’t worry.
15 Minutes a day is all you need to take your story from idea to finished draft in about 90 days. 15 minutes! What can you do to give yourself that all-important 15 minutes a day to write?
15 minutes a day X the average of 60 words per minute=900 words a day. 90 days X 900 words a day=81,000 words. That’s it. In 90 days you could be typing “The End.”
Can you explain to yourself why you haven’t allowed 15 minutes a day into your schedule to pursue your goals? I couldn’t, so I carved out the time and have a finished product to show for it.
What’s your commitment to yourself? Leave your comment in a reply to this post and winners will be randomly selected to receive the Write Askew outline worksheet.
The Askew Blog 
Good advice but if I manage 50- 100 words in 15 minutes, I am lucky. My poems are sometimes less than 50 words and take MUCH longer.
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Poetry is a different animal since there’s so much consideration to give to meter and rhyme. Perhaps a rough draft could be done in fifteen minutes with other times allocated to crafting it into meter and form. Thank you for being Askew. Happy writing!
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That’s a great way to break down writing into doable chunks. And I like the meme to start calling it a plan. Sadly, I only write about 250 words an hour. That’s 4+ words a minute! Ugh. But I still love it. 🙂
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Every bit counts! As long as you’re making time for writing, you’re winning!
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It’s difficult to find the time to write when there are so many things that need done each and everyday like clockwork.
In that clockwork, I’ve changed my mindset and made time to fit me into that daily schedule.
Little by little, I am achieving more than doing nothing daily.
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