Deadline day

One of the differences between being a traditionally published author and an author who self publishes is that dreaded word ‘deadline’. There are both advantages and disadvantages to not having a deadline, but for independent authors we can be tempted to use the absence of a particular date as a reason to prevaricate and write yet another draft. It’s easier to hold on to a book than let it loose on the big bad world.

I thought today I would share with you a couple of tricks that might make you a little more disciplined and help you to focus on finishing your book.

Three and out

Discipline yourself to write only three drafts of your manuscript. Your book will never be perfect, and after three drafts, some of the spontaneity and creativity will be lost. That simple discipline will make you focus on the task and mean that you are less likely to wait years to publish your book.

Set your own deadline

It’s easy to let time slip away and you will always find reasons not to finish a book. Whether it is simply life getting in the way or concerns about how your book will be received, without a deadline, you are more likely to stop yourself from publishing.  Why not choose a date that is significant to you as your publishing date? Last year I published a book on my mother’s birthday. If you choose a date that means something to you in the year ahead, you can use it as a target. It’s amazing how many more words I can write in a day when I know that day is approaching.

These two simple techniques won’t turn you into a writing machine, but they will help you to set and meet goals and help you to publish your own books regularly.

For training and tips on how to self publish, pop over to Indie Authors Scotland.