Book in A Week / Month.

Are you one of those people who respond well to deadlines or accountability or do you enjoy the challenge of earning self-imposed incentives?
If you are then perhaps Book in A Week/Month is for you.
What is BIAW or BIAM? Writing with accountability. Some use it as a chance to begin a new book, others to finish one, some to edit one already complete. Doesn’t matter what as long as it’s something writing related. It’s also a chance to get into a regular work habit and be held accountable.
Sound familiar? Yes, the process mirrors the deadlines set by agents and editors. The only difference is that you set your weekly goals – whether it be a daily or weekly word count, editing X amount of chapters, setting aside 30mins a day to write, aiming to write so many times a week, whatever you feel you’re capable of.
Most times you post your goal on the loop at the start of the week then you account for yourself daily or at the end of the week. It’s certainly great training to see what you are capable of as far as work production, efficient use of time and discipline.
I like to participate in the RWNZ BI50D e-loop. We’re a smallish group of writers who use the time to get a book ready for the RWNZ Clendon Award . We encourage and support one another, an important part of the RWNZ BI50D’s process. Since we formed the group a few years ago, we’ve had a number of us final in the Clendon, something we might not have done if we hadn’t “finished the damn book”.
All the loopies set weekly goals and report in daily. Usually I work with a weekly word count and reward myself at the end of the week if I achieve it – I’m a big fan of the dangly carrot theory and have discovered I’m more motivated and challenged if I’m held accountable.
Incentives have ranged from a block of chocolate, to reading a book off my To Be Read pile or a night out to dinner (I tend to save that one for when I get close to finishing my book).
If you think you’d like to try something like this then check out your writing groups or e-loops and give it a go. Both the ROMAUS e-loop and RWNZ Book in 50 Days e-loop offer this opportunity to members. RWNZ BI50D is starting up on October 1st.
May your fingers fly over the keyboard – happy writing!