Writing Success is an ART Part 1: Accountability

I recently shared that rejection is not failure. Instead, it’s proof of your effort.

The hours we pour into our writing uses energy beyond our actual writing. And those hours help us to be better writers, especially when we focus on ART. That’s…

Accountability

Reading

Time

Your goal might be for a publisher to pay you for your manuscript. But you don’t have control over what the publisher does. You have control over how you write, revise, and submit though. (Google “SMART goals” if you want more ideas about creating the right kind of goals for yourself.) How we work determines our success.

Accountability, reading, and time contribute to your success as a writer.

We need to be willing to accept responsibility for our own actions. That’s accountability. Lots of people have a dream to write. Only you can make your writing dream a success.

Accountability with Critique Partners and Writing Groups

Writing relationships are necessary—even for introverts like me! Branch out and meet other writers in your own genre—at conferences, workshops, and even online. (I recommend some good Facebook groups in this resource sheet.)

Critique partners invest in each other. They value each other’s skills and talents and recognize one another’s strengths.

I’ve learned so much from my critique partners. Oh, their feedback is immensely helpful, but I’ve also learned a lot from reading their work. My writing is better by reading their writing!

"I write alone, but I depend on others to help me write well." (Visit the link for some more thoughts on the value of feedback for writers.)

Accountability isn’t just about the words we write.

Accountability Sets Limits

Sometimes we need accountability just to sit down and write. Other times we need to be nudged to stop revising and start submitting.

For some of us it’s about staying off social media. If that’s an issue for you, consider a website blocking app. Self Control is the choice for a lot of Mac users. The rest of us have options like Facebook Limiter and Cold Turkey. If you need these apps help you to focus, then use them!

As writers, accountability helps us to focus on our creative ART to be better writers.

In my next post, we’ll talk about the R in ART…Reading.
Then we'll look at T for Time.

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