by CJ Myerly, @mdippedinink

Our characters start with a goal, motivated by good intentions, when conflict arises that sets them off course. In fiction, we plunge our characters into disaster, hoping to bring them to change they desperately need. But fiction reflects reality. In our writing lives, there are times when our goals are upset by disasters. 

For example, in 2020, I set out to complete my edits by the middle of February. Then, my four-year-old ended up with pink eye. At the same time, my six-year-old was hit with a stomach bug. Then, my husband caught strep. All in one week. But it was only one week. Right? Except, I ended up with strep. February arrived with me nowhere near my deadline. 

Now what? 

What do you do when you fall behind on your writing goals? 

Reevaluate Your Expectations. I’m an unpublished author, which means I don’t have an editor or publisher assigning me a deadline. However, I’m training myself to adhere to deadlines, knowing that one day my situation will change. When I don’t meet my goal, I ask myself two questions. 

Were my expectations unreachable? 

Did I waste time that I could have used for my writing? 

This is where My Brilliant Writing Planner comes in handy. I record my to-do list on the schedule. Then, at the end of the day I circle anything that didn’t get accomplished. From this, I noticed every Wednesday my writing was circled. I realized why very quickly. On Wednesdays, my husband and I lead the youth group at church, and I spent my afternoon baking cookies for the teens. By the time we arrived home, tucked our kids into bed, my mind was fried. So, by keeping track of the days when my writing goals weren’t met, I knew not to schedule writing on Wednesdays.

I also realized that I’m a mom of young children, and everyone knows that January is prime time for sickness to invade and ruin your beautifully laid new years’ plans. I left no margin for error in my schedule. My expectations were unreachable. But, I also wasted time I could have spent writing by watching movies and reading too many books. Not that those are bad things. Movies and books are great opportunities for research and learning, but not when it interferes with your writing. 

Create New Goals. Once you’ve narrowed down the problems with your schedule, create an attainable goal. Estimate how much writing time you have in a day and how much you can accomplish in that time. From there, calculate a deadline. If you’re a published author or an author under contract, figure out how to meet your deadline with the challenges you’ve faced. Eliminate wasted time. If you have family who can help with your kids, enlist their help. 

Don’t Give Up. No matter what stage of life you’re in, you have obstacles to your writing career. Disaster will strike. But if God’s given you this crazy and beautiful dream, don’t let those disasters keep you down. Keep pressing on, even when you fall behind. 

What obstacles are you facing? How can you overcome them?

CJ Myerly lives in Texas with her husband and two children. She’s passionate about teaching and writing, which she accomplishes by homeschooling and writing contemporary romance. She has a love-hate relationship with electronics, stairs, and blank pages. CJ is an active member of the ACFW and My Book Therapy. She was a 2017 Genesis Semi-Finalist and a 2017 First Impressions Finalist. To connect with her, find her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram