The Writer's GMC: Know What You Want

You have a dream! You want to write a book. Congratulations! So now what? How do you go from great idea to great reality? With The Writer's GMC, that's how. Answer the questions below to uncover you writing goals, motivations and conflict. (Thank you to Deb Dixon's GMC: Goal, Motivation & Conflict -- The Building Block to Good Fiction. The best place to get this book is through this books publisher, Gryphon Books For Writers. Through Amazon.com, you can only get expensive copies.)

G is for Goal

• What is your current writing project?

• What are your long-term writing projects? Describe each one, as applicable, in as much detail as possible, addressing for example, genre, length, and audience.

M is for Motivation

• What is your main motivation fueling you - to write in general and to work on your current project?

• What are your secondary motivations? Peer deeper, and find another reason, if you can. Some write because their day isn't complete with out it; others write to communicate a message or a dream, make a point, or impress others. There is no right answer, only clarity achieved, by knowing why you write.

C is for Conflict

Focus on your perceived obstacles - both internal and external.

Allow any negative or limiting self-talk to be recognized for what it is - an obstacle to be overcome.

No need to judge, just acknowledge.

And notice what external factors interrupt the path to your writing time, be it busyness, work and family obligations, or TV watching. No judgment here.

Only notice that these obstacles are often there by our own choosing and that by recognizing them we can choose differently.

We can find solutions through our strengths.

Strengths

• What strengths, both internal and external, can you use to achieve your writing goals? Include inner qualities like humor, intelligence, curiosity, drive, and outer benefits such as a space to work, a regular schedule to slot writing into, a nice computer, or no pressure to make money at your writing.

I totally understand if you want to write to get published. That's what we all want. But if you have that as your sole motivation, you may have a difficult time sitting down to do the work. Dig deep inside and find out why you enjoy scrawling words acroos a page. If you answer is, "Why it's because I just like to!" Then you're on the right path. I belive that writers need 100% trust in their desire to communicate through words. That inner knowing, strength, certainty, will carry you through all the ups and downs of your writing and bring you straight, in a circuitous way, to your goals.

** The materials for this article was first published in my e-book, Overcome Writer's Block: 10 Writing Sparks to Ignite Your Creativity. This article was also excerpted in my blog, Writer's Fun Zone.