Writing Tips: Plan to Finish What You Start

Is your writing life scattered? Do you find yourself starting one project after another with good intentions but never moving far past those great ideas? If your light bulb moments stop just after the light bulb, then it might be time to create a solid plan to finish what you start.

You're not alone if you find yourself excitedly starting projects only to have them fizzle out over time or as you get busy with other things. But it doesn't have to be this way. There are things you can do to be a more productive, committed writer who doesn't give up on her great ideas. If you want to finish what you start, it all begins with some proper planning.

Here are some ideas to help you succeed in your writing endeavors:

Focus on One Thing at a Time

While it's commonplace for writers to be multi-taskers, it's sometimes essential to choose one project to focus on. While you may have five different projects going at a given time, each day or writing session should be focused to one in particular to help keep your thoughts focused on that one area, increasing your productivity. When you are too scattered between projects, it makes it difficult to actually get something completed.

Avoid Starting New Projects Until You Complete Current Projects

One problem writers of all types face is an abundance of ideas and a lack of time and energy to see them all through. Commit to no longer starting new projects until you complete current projects. If you don't want those valuable ideas to be lost forever, just jot them down in an idea book or writer's file and come back to them later but avoid starting the project and leaving it half-finished until who-knows-when.

Prioritize Current Projects

Next, take some time to look over the current projects you have, prioritize them and commit to a solid plan on how to complete them. Consider which projects are worth completing and which ones might be best trashed at this point. Sometimes you just need to let go of projects that have died or have no purpose anymore. If it's outdated, then go ahead and let it go. Of the ones you commit to finishing, create a plan to complete them on time.

Create Milestones

It's always helpful to try to complete the shortest projects first. If you are close to finishing one, go ahead and get that one done first. The relief of having completed something will free your mind and also give you motivation to move on to the next project. However, when you're starting at the beginning of a project or when you have many things to do, creating milestones will help you find that same motivation that comes with completing a project. Create realistic milestones and then celebrate when you reach them.

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