Accountability Counts

Happy New Year.

We talk a lot about the benefits of the collective brain trust and group support in Writer's Secret and in this space, but the real secret power of a MasterMind Writer's Group is accountability. Holding people to their word is important for politicians, teenagers and writers. It keeps us on the straight and narrow going in the right direction. 

The beauty of accountability in the context of a MasterMind Group is that you are setting the bar. The group is just helping you reach your own standard. You set your own marker of what you consider to be success rather than trying to live up to what others might expect of you. It is wonderfully gratifying and it works.

Never underestimate the positive power of saying a goal out loud. It can be as easy as completing a couple of writing prompts or researching a possible book idea or as specific as saying you will write 2,000 words or find an agent. If those plans are shared with a group of fellow writers who will ask you about your progress at the next meeting, then you will have even more incentive to fulfill those goals. 

Don't believe me? Pick up the phone right now, call a fellow member of your group (or a writer friend if you still haven't started your group yet) and commit to taking one big step today toward your literary goal. Ask your friend to do the same (remember, a MasterMind Group is as much about giving as asking). Then check in tomorrow and see how you did. The results will be much more positive than if you hadn't made such a statement.

Putting your goals in writing works too. Some groups establish a social networking site where everyone pledges what they want to accomplish each Monday morning ona shared bulletinboard and then review and recommit the following week. If you aren't to this point, a simple email, Twitter or note scribbled on a napkin over coffee will work. You can even drop me a note at the blog and let the community here hold you accountable.

The bottom line is that if you start setting real, attainable goals today, sharing them with friends and letting them hold you accountable, you will be much closer to your dreams next year at this time.

Good luck and good writing.

JT Long & Co. (PS: You are the company because you inspire me every day)