Last week we talked about lighting the fire under your dream of becoming or remaining to be a published author. Hopefully, you’ve done that because you have to do the first step in order to make today’s post work for you. You have to fan the flame and you can’t do that if you haven’t lit a fire.

So how can you do that? Here are a few things you can do in order to make your writing dream sizzle.

Write, plan, outline, or think about your story every day. Yes, I do mean each and every day, including Sunday’s, holidays, vacation days and birthdays. That blows the breath of life across the embers of your soul and keeps the flame burning hot.

Plan your entire week at the same time. If you know what you need to accomplish for the week, it makes it easier for you to chop it up in manageable chunks that will keep you productive without having to sacrifice the summer fun. You’ll also be able to track your progress at a glance.

Write early in the day. After a long day at the beach or a dozen volllyball games, it’s much more difficult to concentrate on your story. On the contrary, you’ll be able to relax in your lounge chair and watch the waves after you’ve completed your word count.

Use the activities as a reward for your writing. First you write. Then you celebrate. It’s always in that order. Don’t deviate from it. It will motivate you to do the work. It will also keep you on task. After all, you sure don’t want to miss the family backyard barbeque, do you?

Keeping on track with your writing project during the sizzling summer isn’t difficult. It just takes a little bit of planning and some discipline to honor your commitment. You’ll still be able to eat roasted corn on the cob and sip sweet tea. I promise.

So what are you going to do today to fan the flame? Share it here!