Your Next Chapter Starts Smaller Than You Think
- itnpublishing
- Aug 18
- 4 min read
By: Haley Keller
You’ve finally blocked out time to write this week. As you stare at the blinking cursor, your favorite Natasha Bedingfield song starts humming in your mind like an uninvited muse.
That story swirling in your head?
It’s still unwritten.
Some days, inspiration is easy—my fingers fly across my keyboard as I declare to myself (and Natasha) that my story will not stay forever unfinished.
More often, though? It’s silence. Just crickets.
If I sit down with no clear purpose other than “to write,” soon I’m googling song lyrics, watching TikToks, even wondering if I should go blond. That hour I blocked for writing? Gone. And all I have to show for it is a blank page.
So maybe you’re feeling the same—overwhelmed, unmotivated, even a little stressed?
Deep breath. That’s why you’re here.
Good news: you’ve already done the hardest part—you heard the call to write, and you sat down to obey it. That means you’ve made “the big goal” (whether that’s write a novel, craft a memoir, or create the next K-Pop Demon Hunters). But where do you go from there? Together, we’ll set goals that fight the blank page and channel inspiration—so you’re never paralyzed by a slow start, and every burst of creativity works for you, not against you.
I. Shrink the Goal
So what’s step one in creating realistic writing goals? It’s simpler than you think! We’ve established “the big goal.” Now it’s time to break it down into smaller ones—so tiny they’re nearly impossible to miss.
If you’re structure-driven, your next question might be: When will this thing be done? Start by funneling your smaller goals into timelines—one year, six months, three months—until you’ve got the very next step in sight.
If your approach is more day-by-day, a small goal might be: a daily word count, a page of dialogue a day, or even one character backstory a week.
However you work, small goals are the tracks that get the big goal train where it’s going.
Remember: make the goal serve your capacity (not the other way around). If you’re a full time student, busy parent, or have other work besides writing, maybe 100 words a day is more feasible than drafting your next chapter within one week. Achieving any goal will help you make progress—so make it attainable.
II. Build a Routine
Big goal? Check. Small goals? In progress. Now it’s time to write!
Actually… let’s slow down. Have you thought about your routine?
I used to write in bed. After two years, my “novel” was still an anthology of half-written scenes. It was too tempting to turn on the TV or convince myself I needed to go to bed at 7:30.
So, I switched to my desk—complete with an uncomfortable folding chair. Now I motivate myself with: the faster I get my 500 words, the faster I escape!
Your setup might be cozier: light a candle, play a song, crack your knuckles. Whatever it is, make it novel (pun intended) enough to feel like you’re stepping out of your day and into your writing self.
To quote the ever-quotable Bard: “to thine own self be true.”
And to quote another man who gets it done: “Make it work!”
III. Channel the Inspiration
Inspiration doesn’t always wait for us to be ready. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is set aside your plan and tune into the scene, idea, or question that’s burning in your brain.
Last week, I spent four hours cataloguing how the twelve dragons in my book smell. Most of it will never make the page—but now I know scent in my novel means recognition, memory, and connection. That’s gold I’ve already mined.
Working on your story in any way is progress, even if it’s not measurable in word count. For structure-lovers, try one “invisible progress” day each week. For day-by-day writers, give yourself one day—not seven—to follow inspiration wherever it goes.
But even with the best routines and bursts of inspiration, goals shift. What happens when you miss the deadline for your third small goal?
You take a breath, remind yourself that the Trinity is not breathing down your neck in disappointment, and rework the goal until it fits.
Because here’s the truth: your goals are meant to serve your story, not the other way around.
Whether you’re a structuralist, a day-by-dayer, or somewhere in between, the important thing isn’t perfection—it’s showing up, adjusting, and keeping the story in motion.
You’ll find your book is a little less unwritten every time you sit down.
I’ll be here, cheering you on!
Haley spent far too long thinking the creative life was for other people. After years in education, she left her latest role as a college Success Coach to fully commit to “this writing thing” and is now pursuing her MFA in Creative Writing at New Saint Andrews College. When she’s not writing, she’s crafting song parodies for her toddler. Connect with her at motherwrite.com, email haley.motherwrite@gmail.com, or follow @hayitsakeller on socials.
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