You have a book you want to write but you find yourself struggling to finish it. You are not alone. It takes a lot of time and effort to write a book – especially in the Indie and self-publishing world. You don’t just have a book to write. You have a book to write, edit, publish, and promote. It’s a lot of work and it can seem overwhelming.
Finding an accountability system that works for you can make a huge difference in the timeline of completing your book. Accountability helps you stay on track and comes in many different forms.
Set Goals and Show Up
When we’re talking about accountability, it’s important to set goals. The end goal is most likely a published book but there are many smaller goals along the way. This could be reaching a certain word count or writing for a set length of time. Setting measurable goals lets you see your progress. Celebrating when you meet a goal can increase your motivation to keep moving forward.
When it comes to showing up for yourself, it’s important to mention the book Publish and Flourish by Tara Gray. (insert affiliate link) In her book, she gives a 12 step method for training like an athlete and building your writer muscles. One way to do this is by writing for 15-20 minutes a day. This helps you build a habit without the burnout that can come from binge writing. Use brief regular writing sessions to show up and meet your goals one step at a time.
There is a lot of distraction and overwhelm going on in our world. Most of us are not full-time writers. This means we often have a lot of other things on our plate in addition to writing a book. Working on your book at the end of the day can sound overwhelming. This is where the brief daily writing habit can help. Fifteen minutes seems like a doable commitment at the end of a long day.
Find Others to Keep You Accountable
Finding others to keep you accountable can make a big difference in your writing habit. Checking in with someone else adds an additional layer of accountability to your daily writing habit. An accountability partner or group can also help you work through some of your obstacles. They can help you figure out what is keeping you from moving forward with your book.
If you don’t want to invest in a paid accountability program, you can find someone else that’s in the same place as you. Then, you can check in with each other about your progress and goals. Regular check ins can help keep you on track for meeting your goals and finishing your book.
Finding the perfect accountability partner can be a lot like dating. You might have to go through a few different partners before you find the perfect match. If you and your partner are not on the same page about success and goals, the accountability will not be as strong and could create more stress than you need.
Invest in Accountability
One way to avoid the mismatch with an accountability partner is to join a paid accountability group. When you invest money into something, it increases your overall investment in the task at hand. When there is money on the line, we tend to look at things in a new light. People don’t like to waste their money.
Let’s use exercise as an example. In today’s digital age, there are lots of free workouts available. You could say that you’re going to do it on your own at home without spending money. This works for some people, but often, we find ourselves not committing to our workout goal when nothing is on the line. However, when you invest in a gym membership, you suddenly have money on the line. If you don’t show up to the gym, then you are essentially wasting your money. This small investment increases the chances of you showing up for your goals.
The same principle can be applied to writing. If you try to do it all on your own using free pieced together resources, you are less likely to meet your goals. However, if you invest your money into your writing, then you create another layer of commitment. Joining a paid monthly membership will also connect you with professionals and other motivated writers. Motivation is contagious which you’ll quickly discover when you’re celebrating your wins with others.
