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Whats a realistic daily goal for writing a book?

I'm trying to write a novel but I'm having trouble with my focus....I've been planning and taking notes for months so I'm definitely ready to write, but it's going real slow and I'm not getting much done...Does anyone have daily goals for writing or tips that help you? Is there a certain number of hours you work for in a day or a certain number of words or pages you aim for? I need focus...I want to be done with this before the end of the year....Please help

Public Comments

1. I suggest A PAGE A DAY AT LEAST A PARGRAGH A DAY IF YOU CANT DO A WHOLE PAGE.
2. I never used to set goals for myself but then I started procrastinating way too much and hanging out on facebook and it became a huge distraction. Now when I write I will be making goals for myself. Like for example writing so many pages in a day. So yes I think making a daily goal is important and I think it's best to focus on pages rather than words. What usually helps me stay focused is music. I try to turn the TV off cause sometimes that's a HUGE distraction. Please help me with my question: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120118114921AAmAMI0
3. Half a chapter a day is what I do. About 4-5 1/2 pages. Sometimes when I'm feeling a bit lazy, I write 2 pages.
4. The most helpful thing I can tell you is make a habit of writing. This means doing it at the same time every day. If you wake up earlier in the morning that's extra time there. If you cut out watching TV you can get more sleep. But make writing a routine. You will need to wait and see how much you can get done every day. If you have nothing else to do, write several hours over the day. But do it every day at the same time.
5. Writing a novel is actually supposed to be a slow process anyway, so don't worry too much. My goal everyday is to write something, even if it's just a sentence. When i'm having my off days, sometimes I end up writing something and then deleting it straight away, or sometimes I can't write at all. On my good days I can write first drafts of 3-4 chapters at a time! Don't push yourself, writing is supposed to be passionate and relaxing.
6. Write as much as you can everyday. Carry a notebook with you, it can be small if you travel a lot, and whenever you get an idea write it down and keep writing. It does wonders ;D
7. It can be hard to build up the discipline to maintain a steady writing pattern, and even harder to get back into it if you hit a slump. What I find as the best method is to set up a sort of reward system. Forbid yourself something until you have written at least a page, then indulge in that little something while taking a pause to gather your thoughts. Using this method I was able to write about five pages a day non stop for several years.