So you’ve spent months, maybe even years writing your manuscript but the “final” touches just can’t seem to get “final”. So, what now? Chances are you’ve considered shelving the project for a while or scraping it all together. Maybe you figure you’ll just keep tweaking it and tweaking it until you’re sure it’s just right. Or perhaps you thought of taking bits and pieces of your current work and creating something completely different. Been there, done that!

To help you discover what direction to go with your work, here is a list of questions for you to answer for yourself. I recommend you answer them quickly without analyzing them, since your immediate answers are usually the true st for you. There are no correct answers, as your objectives for your work are unique to you.

Next month, I will provide a commentary for these questions to help you gain an even clearer understanding of what you want out of your writing.

Here are your questions (in no particular order):

- Do you write because you just like to or do you have a particular purpose? If you have a particular purpose, what is it?

- Do you have something to say that you believe others will want to hear? If so, what is it?

- Do you have fears about what others will think about your writing? If so, what is the fear?

- Is it your intension to get your work published? If so, what steps have you taken to start the process? If not, why?

- If you spend $10,000 over the next 2 years on publishing, marketing and promoting your work, but sell nothing will you care? Why or why not?

- If you spend $100,000 over the next 10 years on publishing, marketing and promoting your work, but sell nothing will you care? Why or why not?

- How many books do you want to sell? Why?

- Are you talking to others about your work? Why or why not?

- Why are you writing anyway?
  To have a voice?
  To tell a story?
  To help people?
  To claim fame?
  To just write a book?
  To be heard?
  To make millions?
  Just for the joy of it?

Remember to check out next months tip for commentary on what your answers may be revealing about you and your work.