Kate Dylan

So here's a secret about me: my daily word goal is 200 words. No, that's not a typo. I meant to say 200. A tiny, why-even-bother number.

Except, 200 words a day has translated to 3 full novels over the last 6 years, plus two half novels (1 abandoned, and 1 wip), as well as countless rounds of edits, revisions, pitches, concept chapters, synopses, bios etc. etc.

Small. Goals. Work. Why? Because they're achievable on my *very worst day*. So those days when my boss is an ass, or I was out late, or I'm sick, or just tired of life - those 200 words still get done.

Most days, I write more - I'd say it's more like 300-400 on work days, 500 on weekends. Often, just forcing myself through those first 200 inspires me to keep going.

But when it doesn't – when I have to fight and claw for every word – I can still make my goal. I still feel accomplished. And more importantly, I don't feel like a failure.

As a writer your brain is going to spend all its time conspiring to make you feel inferior; don't give it another way to do that by setting yourself up for failure. Work out what's *realistic* for you and make that your goal. That's how you form a *sustainable* habit.

Aiming for the moon is great and all, but absolutely pointless if you burn up in the atmosphere and give up before you ever get there. Here's another tip for forming a habit: accountability.

When I first started, tracking my word count in a spreadsheet worked wonders for getting me to write every day because I loved typing in the numbers and seeing the overall word count grow.

These days though, it's my writing group that keeps me accountable. We meet once a month so my goal is to have at least *one* new chapter to share each meeting. Often, I'll manage two. (Sometimes I accidentally vomit 16k words on them in one go - but let's not talk about that.)

The really important thing to remember is that your goal is whatever *you* need it to be. It doesn't matter how many words Stephen King writes, or JK writes, or that dick, Bob, in your writing class who can write a book in a week.

Eyes on your own paper. Find your natural rhythm and don't let anyone shame you for it. I am a slow writer. I have always been slow, and I probably will always be slow. But I get the work done, and that's all that matters in the end. Thanks for coming to my Ted talk.