If you want to achieve it, you need to measure

I remember when I began measuring stuff, I want it to accomplish so much, but didn’t know how to. The year, if my memory serves me well, 2004.

I began reading really early, and my mom was wise enough to never forbid a book, not only that, I can’t remember once that she said that I could not have a book, the only condition, was that I need to finish the previous one, before I could get another one, for me that wasn’t a problem. I love to read, but between 1999 and 2004, I basically stop reading. Mind you, I think I began reading a book a month or so.

In 2004 I was frustrated, so many books I want it to read, and I wasn’t. Even that by then I had quit on my dream of be a Writer, doesn’t matter, I was in love with reading, no reason to stop reading.

I decide to set a goal and begin reading, but more importantly to keep a record. My goal was 26 books. I did it, next year, I aim for another 26, and soon I move my goal to 52 books, goal that I have keep since 2007. I have read actually more than that every year, but I had keep the goal in 52.

But I have learn to track more things. I also had learn that the goal need to be possible, but require effort.

I said that I quit my dream to be a writer, not because I didn’t want it with all my heart, but because I allow the fear of others into my head.

Being a Writer is a journey, and a lonely profession, you may spend months working on a piece, then read it and simply decide to delete it. I have been working on my first novel (the first one that will see the light and meet readers), that I will self publish soon (seems like May will be the time) for over a year and a half. The first two manuscripts I simply delete them, on the third one, it has been th last details.

Last year (2010) I embark to write again, and I wish to tell you I wrote more than what I think I did, but honestly I wasn’t tracking the amount of words, so in 2011 I decided to begin tracking them, in the same way I track reading and other things, I will do writing.

In January I only track writing in general, and wasn’t sure I was writing enough fiction, or was more in the blogs, and those kind of stuff, so I decide in February to track Writing as well as Fiction Writing. The result was that I wasn’t writing enough, not only not writing enough fiction, but enough in general.

So I have been working hard to change that, in April I wrote 30,984 words, out of those 16,102 words were fiction, over 50%. This is the first time since I begin tracking (80,984 words ago) that I am satisfy with the amount of words, not only in fiction but in general.

It had been a gradual improvement, and I hope that I can during the month of May keep up with those numbers, I will for sure keep keep measuring, since time after time, has prove to be not only useful but had bring me to a successful place.