Success?

In a writing group I belong to someone recently asked that question that pops up monthly it seems: 

What is your version of success as a writer?

I started thinking about book sales, reviews, fans, money...then I realized that success for me is that I'm still moving forward--still in the game. 

A very wise screenwriter friend once said about writing, "You can't fail, you can only quit." 

As long as you are still writing, still learning, still growing and building--you have not failed. So inversely, if I am still moving forward, I consider that a success.

Sales come and go.Reviews come and go (especially with Amazon randomly pulling them...grrrr). Money comes and goes. Fans hopefully stay and bring friends ;).

Would I love for all of those things to just keep moving upward in a giant spike of goodness? Heck yeah! Is it a reality in this business? Nope. Even those big guns, the folks who we watch as they climb to writing stardom have bad days, weeks, years. But they keep going. As Dory the fish said, "Just keep swimming".

So for me, and hopefully others, writing success is to just keep moving. Failures will come--that's a given. But we just keep moving forward. Then we've succeed. 

#IWSG Moving forward

Welcome to the wonderful world of writing known as the Insecure Writer's Support Group! Writers from all over join forces once a month to share hopes, dreams, and terror ;).

Join us!

http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

It's the first week of the new year, so, like most people, my thoughts have been on what I can do and what tools I need to push my writing career into the next phase.

I got a planner. Not just any planner, mind you--a magic time traveling one. I'd seen it on Amazon and it looked full of useful nooks and crannies. I love extra place to cram stuff. It has goal setting for the year (month by month on a single quick scan page) and then each month breaks down that months MOST important goal, reason for it, and steps.

It also has days broken up and a lovely two page at a glance month calendar.

The magic part came when I started filling it in. My goal this year is to hit an average word count of 1800 words (about six pages) a day six days a week. I'm aiming for four books this year, plus a novella. I am also in a program for advertising and will be running regular ads. I have a lot on 2018's plate.

But when I started writing everything in the planner I saw how feasible it actually was. Yes, I'm going to be pushing myself this year, but the time IS there. I have to want it. 

My magic planner sent me to the future, made my dreams workable, and is damn pretty besides :).

Defining and writing down your goals, makes them real. Everytime you look at those words, it reinforces the realness.

I hope everyone has a great IWSD! (and here's my planner if you're interested ;)) 
 Tools4Wisdom-Planner-2018-14