My Tips on Getting and Staying Disciplined...

I don't post a lot of how-tos for writing on here because first—I'm not a pro by any means (I consider myself a wide-eyed student, second—there are trillions of blogs and articles and other fabulous resources out there that say it so much better than I ever can, and third—I'm embarrassed to say, I'm not really even sure I know what I'm doing most of the time..

But every now and then, I think it's good to pass on some of the things that are working for me...just in case they'll work for you too.

So this month, being NANOWriMo, I thought it'd be great to cover some of the ways I try to stay disciplined.

1. Make the time. Everybody complains about lack of time, but when I made the leap to get serious about writing, I found tons of time (and yes I have 2 kids and a full-time day job). For starters I evaluated the TV programs I was watching every week. I mean would my life really cease to exist if I didn't follow Grey's Anatomy, American Idol, Private Practice, The Bachelor, Biggest Loser, Desperate Housewives, and Dancing with the Stars. Once I narrowed down to my absolute can't-miss favorite shows, I found I could DVR them and enjoy them for a few hours on Friday nights...after the kids were and bed and my writing was done. And for even more time, stay away from the computer games. Don't let the reason your book is never written be because you had to harvest your crops on Farmville...

2. Clue the family in. It wasn't easy coming forward to the family about the whole 'writing thing' and asking for their support. And although I've heard the occasional story about a writer not telling their spouse until the agent contract shows up in the mail, I think for the most part writer's need that support if they are going to succeed. In my experience, it took some time to get that support. At first, I'm sure it seemed to my husband like another craze of mine that would fizzle out (I am an INFP afterall), but the harder I work and the more I produce, the more support he gives.

3. Set Goals. I do this weekly. Every Sunday I plan out what I want to get done for the week, and break it up over the week. Then each day I attack the list starting with the stuff I want to do least working my way up to the more exciting tasks (yes I always ate my veggies first). Some people have set hours they write. Personally I don't—that never seems to work for me. I just don't go to bed until my list is complete. So if I want to sleep...

4. Utilize online resources. The internet is a goldmine for writers. Use it. If you are writing your 1st draft, check out 750 words and/or Write or Die. I'm always jumping between the 2 depending on my mood. Check out Scrivener if you're in the outlining phases—there is even a Windows version now. And if you're editing, the grammar feature on Microsoft Word will tell you the percentage of passive sentences in your document, and your manuscript's reading level. Or try EditMinion. Informative and fun. And if you find random internet searching is keeping you from your goals, check out Freedom. For $10 you can shut off your internet connection for a specified period of time.

5. Reward yourself. When it comes to writing, especially pre-published writing, it's a lonely road. There is no boss there to tell you "good job", no clients or customers praising your services, no raise on your paycheck. You gotta count on yourself for that. So when you make your goals for the week, give yourself a pat on the back. Go watch your favorite TV program, start that new book you're dying to read, or go get a DQ Blizzard (and bring me one too). And when you're lucky enough to receive praise from somebody else, save it and savor it. On a bulletin board over my writing desk, I keep those treasured mementos—the note my husband wrote after I let him read my 1st novel, the letter from an essay contest I won, the e-mail from the first person outside my friends and family that said 'I love your writing', the picture my daughter drew of her and I writing together...Save those. You're going to need the 'little things', if you're gonna be able to hold on long enough to reach the 'big things.'

So what kinds of tips do you have for getting and staying on task?