Читать книгу The 12 Week Year for Writers - Michael Lennington - Страница 24

Too often, people come up with a plan – even a great plan – and then fail to stick to it. The 12 Week Year includes a set of tools that you will use every week to align your daily actions with the goals and tactics in your 12 Week Plan. Together, these tools comprise the Weekly Execution Routine.

The first tool is your Weekly Plan. As you build each 12 Week Plan, you will align your key tactics with your deadlines. The tactic due dates will allow you to create a plan for each week. As you work through the 12 Week Year, you will take time at the start of each week to review your 12 Week Plan and create your Weekly Plan for the upcoming week. Your Weekly Plan is not a laundry list of to-do's; it is a concise list of the key tactics your 12 Week Plan identifies as critical for reaching your goals. Though you may need to tweak your plans as circumstances change, working from your Weekly Plan will keep your actions aligned with your goals and keep you focused on the most important things needed to get your writing done.

The second tool is weekly scorekeeping. Measurement drives every execution system. It is your anchor to reality. Effective measurement provides the feedback necessary to stay on track and hit your goals. For writers, this can mean tracking how often, how long, and how many words you write, along with other metrics depending on what sort of writing you're doing. Each week you'll score yourself based on what percentage of your tactics you completed and whether your key metrics are on track.

The third tool for managing your writing is the Weekly Accountability Meeting or, as I recommend to writers, the Weekly Writing Group. Studies show that groups make a huge difference in people's ability to hold themselves accountable for their actions. For writers, the benefits of weekly meetings with other writers go far beyond simple accountability. A writing group can inspire you, help you learn your craft, and give you valuable feedback on your work.

The fourth tool is your Model Week. Your Model Week, set at the beginning of each 12 Week Year, is your strategy for making sure you have blocked out enough time to get your writing done and to fulfill your other important obligations. Each week you will review your ideal time allocation as described in your Model Week, and make any modifications needed in your weekly calendar to adapt to unexpected time demands and still carve out the time needed to get your tactics done.

Your Weekly Execution Routine will help you to apply all these tools on a consistent basis. Each week you'll set aside time for a weekly review. Asking yourself how you did the previous week, you'll track your performance and update your scorecard, and review your 12 Week Plan to determine what's on your schedule for the week ahead. Every morning you'll conduct a quick “Daily Huddle” to make sure that you know exactly what tactics you need to focus on that day, and every week you'll meet with your accountability group or writing group to share your performance and your plans. By regularly following this routine, your writing will become more productive and predictable.