39. Are You Relying on Tactics or Strategy in Your Novel Writing?

In today's episode, I'm diving into a crucial question for novel writers. Are you relying on tactics or strategies to move your work and progress forward? 
This is a subtle but essential distinction, and getting clear on it can make all the difference in your writing process. 
Today, I'll walk you through three key questions to ask yourself when it comes to your work in progress. Plus, I'll also give tips on how to shift from reactive tactics to purposeful strategies...and how to balance both!
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Transcript

STEPS TO STORY EP 39 - Tactics vs Strategy

[00:00:00] Nicole Meier: Are you relying on tactics or strategies to move your work and progress forward? This is a subtle but essential distinction, and getting clear on it can make all the difference in your writing process. Inside today's episode, I'll walk you through three key questions to ask yourself. Plus, I'll give tips how to help you shift from reactive tactics to purposeful strategies, and also how to balance both.

[00:00:34] Nicole Meier: Welcome to Steps to Story, the show that helps aspiring authors turn their ideas into action and transform their dream of writing a book into a reality. I'm your host, Nicole Meier, multi published author and certified book coach. I spent the first part of my fiction writing career desperate for guidance that was unavailable to me.

[00:00:56] Nicole Meier: I wrote draft after draft, flying by the seat of my pants, with lots of passion but little guidance. Thankfully, there was a writing community that opened its arms and welcomed me. This community sustained me. But when it came to strengthening my novel writing process, I was determined to find a better way.

[00:01:17] Nicole Meier: One that didn't involve piecemeal strategies. and confusing courses. Now, more than a decade later, I'm serving my younger self who yearned for support while writing a book. If you're an emerging author seeking guidance, this podcast is for you. Are you on the list to get my novel writing guide? I designed this workbook to take you through five essential strategies that will level up your novel writing process.

[00:01:47] Nicole Meier: Grab your copy at nicolemeier. com forward slash crafting greatness. That's nicolemeier. com forward slash crafting greatness or at the link in the show notes.

[00:02:08] Nicole Meier: Hi there, listeners. In today's episode, I'm diving into a crucial question for novel writers. Are you relying on tactics or strategies to move your work and progress forward? This is a subtle but essential distinction, and getting clear on it can make all the difference in your writing process. So, inside today's episode, I'll walk you through three key questions to ask yourself.

[00:02:33] Nicole Meier: Plus, I'll give tips how to help you shift from reactive tactics to purposeful strategies, and also how to balance both. Okay, let's start our conversation off with some questions. Here's question number one. Are you reacting to what's right in front of you or planning for long term growth? Okay, tactics are often reactive.

[00:02:57] Nicole Meier: Maybe you're focused on solving an immediate problem, like a tricky scene, a plot twist, or even writer's block. That's 100 percent necessary, I get it. But if you only deal with the surface issues, you might miss the bigger picture. Let me jump in right away with an example. Alright, it's not uncommon for a writer to schedule a call with me because they're having trouble with a particular section of their story.

[00:03:24] Nicole Meier: What sometimes happens during this call is, before we can dive too deep, the writer will list off a series of ideas of how they can add characters or twists or turns into the scene that's causing trouble. And here's a side note, this is what I call kitchen sink syndrome. And I actually dive deeper into this inside episode 11 of my podcast.

[00:03:46] Nicole Meier: So when you're done listening to this one, feel free to go check that one out too. Okay, these kitchen sink syndrome things are what I call tactics just to get them out of the trouble spot. But instead, what I suggest is taking a beat, zooming way out, and considering the larger narrative. This is strategy.

[00:04:07] Nicole Meier: It's proactive as opposed to reactive. It's about knowing where your story is headed and what you want it to achieve in the long run. For instance, are you writing this novel just to finish it? Or do you have a vision for how you want your reader to feel by the time they reach the end? If you find yourself tempted to react the next time you hit an obstacle, consider taking a step back.

[00:04:31] Nicole Meier: Map out not just the plot points of your book, but the trajectory of your entire narrative. Okay, question number two. Are you jumping from writing trick to writing trick or building a sustainable routine? Here's the deal, writers. There's no shortage of tactics to try. Everything from timed writing sprints to writing prompts to productivity hacks.

[00:04:57] Nicole Meier: And they can all help, especially when you need to push through a rough patch. But strategy is about building systems and habits that work for you over time. It's the difference between relying on a caffeine fueled burst of energy versus cultivating healthy habits that sustain your creativity over months or even years.

[00:05:19] Nicole Meier: An example I've given before is when a writer in my small group program had an aha moment during one of our calls. After exploring different ways to create healthy writing habits, she said, Oh, I get it. This isn't about a hard charging, gaining exercise. Instead, it's about how to intentionally weave writing into my life.

[00:05:39] Nicole Meier: Exactly. I couldn't have said it better myself. So listeners, I encourage you to look at your own writing routine. Is it something that supports you consistently? Or are you constantly shifting gears, trying the next shiny idea, hello, Instagram ads, to boost your word count? How is it leaving you to feel? A sustainable writing strategy is built around your own energy levels, your lifestyle, and your long term goals.

[00:06:09] Nicole Meier: Find what works and make it your own. All right, let's move on to question number three. Are you focusing on just finishing the book? Or, shaping your voice and storytelling style. Many writers are fixated on tactics that can help them cross that finish line. I get it. Things like hitting daily word counts or using outline templates are great tools, but they don't necessarily help you grow as a storyteller.

[00:06:37] Nicole Meier: Strategy means thinking beyond the manuscript in front of you, developing your unique author voice. Refining your themes and deepening the emotional depth of your stories. This is what sets a professional novelist apart. My example here, though it might be a tough one to hear, is the temptation to focus solely on filling out story beat sheets without taking time to reflect and go deeper with the character journey and story message.

[00:07:05] Nicole Meier: It sounds simple, but I can't tell you how many writers fall into this trap. So ask yourself, are you working toward refining your craft? Or are you just trying to complete a book as fast as possible with as many quick tricks as you can collect? Because the truth is, a strategic writer doesn't just want to finish.

[00:07:24] Nicole Meier: They want to evolve. The key takeaway here is that while tactics can help you in the moment, strategies help you in the long term. If you want to build a lasting career and tell stories that resonate, You need to think strategically about how you approach your writing. So now that we've covered some differences between tactics and strategies in your novel writing, you might be saying, I get it, but there are some tactics I've learned, and I like them, and they feel helpful to my process.

[00:07:55] Nicole Meier: So how do I successfully balance both? Good question. Here's what I suggest. First, I'd say use tactics to achieve short term wins. Tactics can be essential for day to day productivity and for overcoming immediate challenges. Here's how to make them work without losing sight of the bigger picture. Daily word count or sprints can help you keep productive.

[00:08:21] Nicole Meier: But instead of seeing them as ends in themselves, view them as stepping stones to your long term goals. And writing prompts or scene challenges can spark creativity in moments of writer's block. But consider how these small moments of creativity contribute to your overall story development or your author voice.

[00:08:43] Nicole Meier: Set aside specific blocks of time for tactical work, like quick writing sessions or using a trick to fix a tricky scene, knowing that they're all in service of the broader strategy. Next, think about aligning tactics with your strategy. To avoid losing yourself in busy work because it can happen, ask yourself how each tactic aligns with your long term strategy.

[00:09:08] Nicole Meier: Choose tactics that serve your goals. For example, if your strategic goal is to finish a draft in six months, use tactics like writing sprints or setting daily word count goals just to stay on track. But remember that the tactic is flexible. If it's not working, adjust it to meet your strategic goal. And pause regularly to check your alignment.

[00:09:31] Nicole Meier: Are you making decisions that push you closer to your vision? If not, tweak the tactic or pivot to a new one. For example, if you're using a productivity hack that's not working, it is okay to drop it. Find something else that fits better. At the end of each week, you can also review your progress, not only in terms of output, but also in terms of how you're moving closer to your long term goals.

[00:09:56] Nicole Meier: Ask yourself, did this tactic help me get where I want to be? And then think about building time for both in your schedule. It helps to create a balance between tactics and strategy in your writing routine. You can dedicate specific days or blocks of time to different kinds of tasks. So tactical work, for example, word count goals, fixing small plot holes, editing a scene.

[00:10:21] Nicole Meier: It can be done daily, perhaps during your most productive hours. And then strategic planning, for example, developing your voice, long term career vision, plotting the book's entire arc. This might be something you review weekly or monthly when you're reflecting on your progress and planning ahead.

[00:10:40] Nicole Meier: Schedule time to step back. Ask strategic questions regularly. For example, at the end of each week or month, ask yourself, where's my story going? How can I refine my storytelling skills? Where do I even want my writing career to be in the next year or five years? Here's my final thought. The balance between tactics and strategy is kind of like a dance.

[00:11:05] Nicole Meier: Tactics keep you productive in the moment, while strategy keeps you moving in the right direction. Both are important, and the magic happens when they work together seamlessly. By regularly reviewing your progress and being mindful of how tactics contribute to your broader writing goals. You'll create a system that allows you to be both creative and strategic, building a career while enjoying the process.

[00:11:32] Nicole Meier: Okay writers, I hope that you gleaned a spark of inspiration from this episode. Thanks so much for tuning in, and I'll see you next time.

[00:11:44] Nicole Meier: If you want to check out my coaching programs for fiction writers, visit NicoleMeier. com. That's M E I E R. And, if you liked this episode, I'd love you to take a minute to leave a rating and review for this podcast. This will help more writers like you to discover the show and to get going on their writing journey.

[00:12:05] Nicole Meier: Thanks so much for listening. Until next time, happy writing, everyone.