… one means to an end. (a variation of this post appears on my substack: “Do You Know Where YOUR Story Is?”)

Someone in a group commented on what they perceived as my persistence or dedication in writing. I generally have 3 to 4 manuscripts underway, sitting on various burners in my creative fire. The person’s comment got me to thinking about how I reached this point.

To be fair, I’ve spent a large part of my life not working outside the home. That time was mostly spent raising our children and volunteering as a writing coach in their schools. On the side I freelanced with reviews of computer software and cookbooks, as well as writing feature articles for various magazines and local papers. Having publications that were interested by my spec articles and thereby interested in paying me to write for them helped me learn to be more business-like about my writing.

As I grew into writing book-length fiction, I was also learning about self-publishing (a story for another day). The thing about book-length fiction, whether ultimately traditionally or self- published, is that it takes time, and time—for everyone—is at a premium.

I learned my best way around that when I participated in NaNaWriMo, the event where you promise to write 50,000 words in 1 month. Now, that can only be done one way: sit down and do it.

How do you do that? You have to choose whatever method works best for you. For me it was a perpetual glass of iced tea, music or low TV in the background, a sign that warned “Do Not Disturb Unless There’s Blood” and either paper and pen or computer in front of me. (Despite being a computer geek of sorts, I also like writing notes/outlines/troublesome scenes in pen.)

It was through NaNoWriMo that I discovered Scrivener from Literature and Latte, a program which allows you to make different kinds of notes, organize them, or simply write and compile your manuscript. An automatic feature keeps track of word count for each session and the entire project. (Trust me, there’s a lot more to it than that, but check out the link for a better idea of its features.)

Some NaNoWriMo participants like to meet together at a library for a couple hours of writing–a “write-in”. Others prefer absolute solitude. As a mom, well, neither of those were likely scenarios, but I managed many late-night sessions working in the reflected light of the computer.

The bigger point of all this was I learned to take my writing seriously. Instead of having to answer to an external editor or deadline, I had to answer to myself. I had to organize my work sessions in such a way that I could meet the word count goal while turning out a reasonable, or at least manageable, draft.

And the way I did this goes back to Scrivener’s organizational medium. See, Scrivener sets up your components under one umbrella. You can think of it like a box; it contains your writing materials, your notes, your character sketches, your setting descriptions, your research, your outline–if you use one, and your actual manuscript. Each of those things has a place in the box, and the result of their combined functions will culminate in your manuscript. The box would be labeled “Project”.

“Project” is how Scrivener labels the whole of the parts involved in you creating your manuscript. And “Project” is how you should think of it. “Project” is a formal word, often used in business or at many kinds of work or school. A project has deadlines. It has purpose, goals. A project carries its own importance–projects must always be completed.

That is the psychological trick you can play on yourself to give your unfinished work validation and the importance it needs to stay on your radar and be completed. Your work commands respect simply because you are doing it; you are trying to create something out of whole cloth. If you are passionate about the story or novel you are trying to write, then the question of completion is a non-issue. The trick is in figuring out how to do it, how to find your own story.

Getting to publication is still part of the noveling process. Writing it is certainly the bulk of it, but if our goal really is publication, we owe it to ourselves–and to our stories–to be business-like about the entire process.

I don’t necessarily mean creating a 9-to-5 work schedule, although that will work for some. At-home parents recognize that a stern schedule is pretty much out of the question, but you can reserve hours of your day—or a certain number of hours (or minutes) per day to aim for. It’s taking it seriously that matters.

Also, keep records of writing-related activities: how many hours did you spend writing last week? How much time did you devote to research or finding new markets for your work? You can keep track of your time to gauge either productivity or dedication. How many stories have you submitted to a publisher, be it magazine or book or online site? You should be tracking what is going on with every story you write once it is complete and ready to fly on its own. That is to say, you should know where each story is in its process. Make sure it gets out of the nest and stays in the air until it lands on a perch that says ‘sold’. Yup, that means keeping track of every rejection, too. Oh come on, the greatest publishing stories begin with a massive number of rejections before the longed-for acceptance notice. You want to celebrate it right, don’t you? Keep track of the numbers.

And don’t forget to keep track of the materials and equipment you use in writing—for taxes. Even as a small-time journalist, I was able to deduct mileage used in getting to and from interviews. And while you need to be cautious, you might be able to deduct other expenses. Self-publishers need to track sales, because at a certain point, you will need to pay taxes on the income they generate, and if you are selling in person, you will have inventory numbers to keep track of. I’m digressing into a rabbit hole, but you get my point.

All of this began with my undertaking not simply ‘trying to write a novel’ but a Project, something I was building, something I was going to complete. So much of the process is about attitude. If you are writing for publication, then you are a creative entrepreneur, and you need to take it seriously and be business-like about it. Even if you don’t like the entrepreneurial side of things.

The published professional has learned how important it is to do things right. If you want to join the ranks of published authors, it’s it is time to include some professional business tasks in your process. Balance out the creative process with taking care of business as well. By making the whole effort into a project, you’ll have channeled that dedication and discipline into a completed work. And isn’t that what the noveling process is about?

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