The end of the year is approaching and I’ve decided to pursue a goal. My goal is to make this year—on track to be my worst year of production since I began tracking—into my best year, by 10,000 words.
The math.
| Best year | 268,191 |
| This year | 104,676 |
| Difference + 10,000 words | 173,515 |
| Words to write every day to get there | 2,169 |
It is without a doubt beyond my current skill level to write 2,169 words every day. On the other hand, it’s a short-term goal, because this is mid-October and this will all be over on December 31. So it’s possible I could average a high enough word count to do this.
Since it’s possible, I’m going to try.
The fact is, I believe I can do it. The problem is, I haven’t ever done it before. But—and there is a but!—I have record of the following numbers.
February 2003: I averaged 1,836 words a day for the month.
November 2015: I averaged 1,761 words a day for the month.
April 2016: I averaged 1,908 words a day for the month.
To make this year my best year by 10,000 words, I only need to average 2,169 words a day for 81 days. Then I can flake out and go back to 500 word days and it won’t matter at all for this particular goal.
Writing 2,169 words a day isn’t something I’m going to stew over every day since I’m already trying to write 3,000 words a day. My daily minimum remains 1,000 words. But now I have something to explain my desire to write more each day and that’s going to be helpful when my contrary self rears up and demands to know why I’m pushing myself so hard to write more.
There you go contrary-self. I have reasons. :-)