how goal-setting inspires creativity

When I joined the NaNoWriMo crowd 23 days ago, I had little hope of achieving the 50,000-word count by the end of the month. As of today, I've written 36,099 words. No rounding; every word counts.

That's why I'm not going to spend too much time writing my blog today. I need to get back to my novel.

First, three things I've learned about goal-setting.

1. Setting a daily word-count goal gives you a visual target. Your inner writing-ego won't let you leave the project if you don't achieve that number.

2. Setting a daily word-count goal pushes your creativity into a corner that you must escape from. This requires more creativity. If you think the chapter's finished, but it's under your word-goal, how about beefing up that description of your protag's jacket or the sound of the rain or make it rain.

3. Setting a daily word-count goal exercises your writing muscles. It's like taking up running. At first, your goal is to get around the block. After a few days, you up to two blocks. Before you know it, you're jogging across town and back. Set reasonable goals then push yourself a little more each day. (Warning: don't set a goal so high that writing becomes a chore. Keep it fun.)

​Want more inspiration? Try these articles from the experts at NaNoWriMo:

Tackling the saggy middle.
​Putting the fun into your story.

If you're writing, good luck. Have fun. You can do this!
Write on!

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