“Why do today what can be done tomorrow?” If this is your daily thought process when thinking about your novel, it’s time to change your mantra!

Today we want to offer you some advice on how to stay on task and keep procrastination at bay so that you can keep moving toward your dream of becoming a published author.

So without procrastinating any further, here are four tips to help you be productive:

1. Break it down – Imagine your novel as a pie. In most cases, you don’t eat the pie in one sitting, so don’t think that you’ll finish your novel all at once either. Rather, break your novel into smaller pieces and make a to-do list of items that you would like to accomplish. Once you’ve completed each individual piece of the pie, cross it off. After all, there is nothing quite like the satisfaction of crossing off an item on a to-do list, is there?

2. Write – Though this is a very obvious step in the anti-procrastination process, it’s true; you need to write. There are times when you’ve blocked off an hour or two for writing and after 30 minutes you’ve only written a paragraph. As we all may know, it’s extremely easy to get distracted and, in turn, procrastinate. So before you log on to your computer or open your notebook, make sure you silence your phone, turn off the TV and get rid of any extraneous interruptions so you can devote time solely to writing. You’ll be surprised at how much you get done!

3. Break the rules – Though you’ve created a list of items that you want to accomplish while writing, don’t feel overwhelmed or stuck having to go in order. Sometimes, it’s OK to bend the rules a little. If item eight on your list seems more appealing one day than next-up item five, then go with what feels right. Working out of order is better than not working on your book at all!

4. Reward yourself – When you finally find time to sit down and write your book, there’s probably a laundry list of other things that you could be doing. However, sometimes chasing after your dreams takes sacrifice, and nothing will compare to the moment your finished book is in your hands! To keep your writing motivation flowing, set up a reward system of sorts for when you achieve a goal that you’ve set. For instance, maybe one day you will treat yourself to a nice cup of coffee and a sweet treat only if you write five pages. Knowing that you’ve accomplished the goal that you’ve set for yourself that day will leave you feeling not only satisfied, but motivated to do more!

Check back in the coming weeks for even more anti-procrastination tips. But, don’t wait until the next installment to begin writing, start today!