According to Hillary Rettig, author of “The 7 Secrets of the Prolific” book for writers, there are four stages to the writing career. I am currently doing Hillary’s SavvyAuthors.com workshop based on the principles in this book, and she explains the below with much more detail.
But I began wondering where I’m at. I think I’m around Stage 3 1/2 (but then, I often do things in reverse, running before walking).
What about you? What stage is your writing career at?
Stage 1) You focus on just your writing process
Stage 2) You focus on process + your creative goals for the overall project
Stage 3) You focus on process + creative goals + your external (commercial, academic, or other) goals; and,
Stage 4) You focus on process + creative goals + external goals + the demands of an ongoing career.
I’m starting to move out of stage one and move on to stage two. I wrote a lot a few years ago, then stopped for a while, meaning that I had to start over when I began again. I’m just about back to where I was when I stopped.
Ah, you’re like me John, a rule-breaker – in that you’ve gone slightly backwards, lol. Process plus project goals are a great thing and I personally need to concentrate more on those two.
Intriguing. Can I be a two and a half? I was a 3 last year. Hated it.
Yep, why not. We women know the value of a good half.
LOL
I think I qualify as a two and a half as well. Pushing for three as best I can!
I’m at the early stage of three. Wish I was at stage four. I keep reminding myself “Progress, not perfection.”
I think three is the hardest of all. Letting in all those external goals is just asking for havoc. Or perhaps that’s just life.