I was chatting with some writers recently about our biggest struggles. A few issues came up over and over including ‘lack of accountability’. It’s hardly surprising that this is a biggie for many of us. We often don’t have bosses, so it’s entirely up to us to find the self-discipline, drive and determination to sit down and write day after day.
Here’s a quick tip
One of my clients had a really fun, but ingenious idea to bring some more accountability into her life – she used a box of coloured crayons!
Let me explain how it works. Her big struggle was with marketing herself. She needed to be regularly introducing herself to producers – sending emails, connecting on Linkedin, Twitter or at events, but she kept on putting it off. It was her bête noire!
We agreed on a target – 10 new connections per week – and to help her achieve this, she came up with this fun and awesome visual cue:
A box of crayons!
She put two boxes on her desk, one empty, and the other filled with 10 crayons. Each time she reached out to a contact, she moved one crayon from the full box to the empty box – until she’d moved all the crayons across. And it turned out to be a brilliant yet simple way to track her progress every week.
Why not give it a try?
If you’re struggling with the marketing side of your work – or if you can’t get yourself to sit down and write because of a lack of accountability, try using a box of crayons.
Set yourself a target of 10 pages per week or 6 writing sessions per week – whatever goal fits your situation. See if the box of crayons helps!
If you prefer gold stars, make yourself a reward chart and buy some fun stickers! Anything to help you get the work done – the quirkier the better!
I hope you find this helpful. I’d love to know if you have any ingenious ways to hold yourself accountable!
Free Writers’ Meetup!
Also, if you’re looking for a bit of external accountability, come to my monthly London Writers’ Meetup. It’s always inspiring and we each set a goal at the end of the session and hold each other accountable. The next Meetup is happening on Tuesday 12th October at 7.30pm (it’s free!)
Struggling with a big dream goal?
What if, no matter what you try, you still can’t reach your dream goal? Read on, my friend.
I help passionate writers overcome blocks and hurdles, like procrastination, struggling to focus on the right things or simply having a horrible block. Together we figure out a clear plan, and I provide accountability, insight and guidance to help writers stay focused and make amazing progress towards their dream.
I can take on just 5 clients before Christmas.
If you’re interested – or want to find out more, there’s loads of info about my 3 coaching packages on Pick Up Your Pen.
But I’m also happy to have a complementary call and answer any questions. Send me a note and we’ll set that up.
Thanks so much for reading! If you’re new to my blog, I’m Katy Segrove – animation writer, children’s author, writing coach and mum to cheeky 2-year old Otto.
If you enjoyed this, sign up and get an email each week or so. I share tips on all aspects of writing, productivity, habits and different ways of marketing yourself and your writing. You’ll also get a free 7-day writing course.
Happy writing!