I set myself three goals at the beginning of this year, one of which was to write my next book, and I’m not anywhere near getting the progression on that I need. So, I have to take action.

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Last summer I was inspired by Shelley Wilson and her books, How I Changed My Life and How I Motivated Myself to Succeed (click on the titles for my reviews), to lose some weight. After all there is only so long that you can get away with the ‘I’ve just had a baby’ excuse, and as that ‘baby’ was, in fact, just going into his second year at university, not even I was buying it any more.

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Image courtesy of Pixabay

I have always considered myself to be a bit overweight but I had been particularly trying, and failing, to lose weight, and keep it off, after I spectacularly managed to put on two stones practically overnight in 2015. To try something different I joined Slimming World, which is the first time I have ever joined anything like that, and I’m now on the cusp of having lost two and a half stones, am near my target weight and I feel fantastic (thank you, Shelley, and of course Mandy and my group!)

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Image courtesy of Pixabay

I have been diligent in attending each week, yes, even on those weeks which have come after one of my hedonistic weekends of indulgence, and I’ve stayed to group. After this experience, where there is a certain level of accountability of having to get on those scales each week, I wondered if I could apply the same to my writing. That is why I am here.

To borrow a quote that Shelley uses:

‘A goal without a plan is just a wish.’

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I need that plan, and to put it into action. Here’s what I’m going to do. Each week I’m going to be accountable to you by posting, on this blog, an update of where I am in my efforts to get this book written.

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One of my problems has been that I have been somewhat indecisive about what to write, and I’ve been using that as an excuse, along with the vast amount of day job work I have on. That has to change.

Project B – Hill of Beans (a working title) – something new with fresh characters, setting and situation.

Project C – the unexpected sequel to Parallel Lies – as yet untitled (Crossed Truths? Anyone? No, okay I’ll keep working on that ;-))

Another thing I’ve been doing which is helping me make this change is that I have started listening to writing podcasts again (there will be posts on these). One of these has reminded me of two things.

Firstly, too often I don’t start to write because I don’t have the time available to get down 500 words. No, I don’t but I always have the time to get down 50 words – start there.

Secondly, when I have these tiny pockets of time it is difficult to open up my MS and start from where I left off. It takes time for me to get back into what was going on. However, it is nowhere near as difficult for me to leap forward and write the bit I’ve really been looking forward to writing. That bit where the words pour out as fast as I can get them down – start there.

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This is where I am now:

Project B – Hill of Beans –  4998 words

Project C – Parallel Lies sequel – 45 words (can’t believe I’m actually telling you that!)

I shall also be attempting to update you on other things that have cropped up during my week as I’m intending on still managing to fit in doing some marketing each day. My sales have been going really well recently and I don’t want to let that go as things tend to when you’re writing. We are, after all, coming up to May which has been dubbed by Rachel Thompson, of #MondayBlogs fame, as #NaNoProMo – that’s National Novel Promotion Month. So there’s that to do as well.

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I’m not setting deadlines or word counts, I’m just not capable of that at the moment, and I still have the day job, that hasn’t suddenly disappeared, but I don’t want to be back here each week, and particularly next week, with no progress to show you. Watch this space…

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Image courtesy of Pixabay

Do you have any words of wisdom to share on helping me tackle any of the above? Feel free to comment.

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14 Responses to Accountability Post #1 ~ To Reach That Goal ~ #amwriting #MondayBlogs
  1. Good luck – let us know how you’re getting on! Good to hear you’re doing a sequel.

  2. Well done with the weight loss, Georgia. I agree with what you say about having to refamiliarise yourself with your work. I’ve been keeping a schedule of scenes with a one or two line description about each scene to enable me to quickly recap. I also read the last scene or chapter I’ve written to get my head back into that space (if that make a sense). I totally agree with you about writing out of sequence too.

    • Thanks, Heather. Rereading does certainly help but when I do I have a tendency to start editing rather than getting those words down – haha! Still, I guess that saves more editing later on.

  3. Lots of goals and plans. Good luck!

  4. […] what have I been up to. Well just before I started this new accountability stuff (my first post is here if you missed it) I had run a workshop for writers wanting to self-publish and I had all the […]

  5. Bloody hell G, well done on the weightloss and what a fantastic project. You have really inspired me and I’m going to set myself some targets now.

  6. Great job on the weight loss. I too decided to take action after menopause weight gain. Doubt I’ll ever be in a size 4 or 6 again. But am happy to be down to a size 8 since starting working out last October. Hired a trainer and am getting stronger every month. I’ve only lost 10 lbs but muscle weighs more than fat. Lol
    But I have lost inches. Over 2 inches now and I look better in my clothes. It’s amazing what 40 minutes twice a week in a gym can do. I’m 67 so if I can do it so can you. I’m up to 5 sets of 15 sit ups as of today. You go girl. And the healthier you get the more you can do and still have energy to write those wonderful books.

    Debi

    • Hey! Well done you! 😀 You are so right about having more energy when you get healthier and thank you for the lovely comment about my books, that is great to hear. I have got a whole new wardrobe as well now I can get into all those clothes I’d grown out of yet hadn’t thrown away, which is a bonus. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting, I do appreciate it.


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