Raise Your Standards 

You're absolutely right. In September, I made the promise to myself I'd write a book a month and worked out that this meant a commitment of 2,500 words a day during the working week (alongside the day job) and 500 a day at the weekend. Four months later, I've just started book 5. It's now simply what I do - my standard has been raised. As for money - I'm a $500 a month writer at the moment. I want that to be $2,500 by this time next year.

This year I will get my publishing machine up and running. I have five books first drafted, now I need to find my editor (which I think I may have found last week), my formatter, my cover designer, and build my mailing list by activating my website and my reader magnets. I have a lot of work to do. I can do this. Thank you Chris, your pep talk hit me at exactly the right moment.

My standard this year is to finish my first book no matter what! So happy to hear you reached your goal for the first month of 2019! and thanks again for your videos they always inspire me to do better to be better!

Okay, I’m a $50 a month author. I’m going to turn that around and by next year I’ll be a $2000 a month author!

Hey Chris! I’ve set some pretty *massive effort* style goals this year myself. Have you been reading 10X, by any chance? If not, might be worth checking out. A lot of what the book talks about is in line with your thinking. Anyway, for me it’s word count. I did about 600k last year, which was my best year ever for word count. This year, I will write 2 million new words. Why’d I pick that? It’s my strategic advantage, more or less. I don’t have a background in marketing, like some folks do. But what I do have is the ability to write 2500 words an hour of high-quality drafts that can go straight to my editor for copy edits. That’s the area where I’m an outlier as a writer; it’s one of my core strengths, so I’m going to capitalize on it this year. Best of luck with your push! Let’s do this together.:)

Great video. I decided in December that I would save enough money (50K) to be able to quit my day job and use those savings to get me over the hump to safely becoming a full-time author. I mapped out each month from January to August (my quit month) what I needed to do to make that happen. So far, I'm on track. My standard is to be a full-time author in mid-august.

I've only just set my standards. I published my first book on December 29, 2017. It was a few months before I got my footing and found my niche. A niche I fell in love with as soon as I read the first book. I made just over $2000.00 during Amazon's pay period of December 2017 to October 2018. So, I ended the year my first year as a 4-figure author. November 2018 to January 2019, I've already more than tripled last year's income. I came so close to $5K this month I could taste it but missed the mark. My goal this year is to end it at 6-figures. I don't know if I'll make it but that's the goal. Consistency is my keyword this year and I'm aiming for higher daily word counts so I can publish regularly.

I'm going to publish my first novel this year! Also, learn to become more productive with my time.

My book sales goal is 60k this year. I'm determined to not only make Echoes of Olympus Mons a success, but to also get my second book out. I think you're right in this instance that our mindset and our complacency can stand in the way of our ultimate success.

Great message. I did this in December after having two years back to back that I wasn't happy with. In 2016 I was a six figure author. 2017 and 2018 I made a living, but I don't want to just scrape by. Like you, I want to buy a house. I want to have enough in savings that I don't have to worry about catastrophe. I want to weather whatever storms Amazon decides to throw at us. So I'm doing the things I did in 2016 that contributed to my success. Writing 6k/day M-F. Writing to market first and foremost, with covers and blurbs that hit on what people are looking for. Not missing editor dates and not making excuses for myself to wriggle out of deadlines. That was all I needed in 2016, but the market's more saturated now and competition has evolved with the times. So I'm also writing longer (80k up from 60k, which has been the standard in my niche for a while) and in long series, releasing monthly, and re-investing 10% of every book's profits into advertising. I'm aiming for 5 figure months again and while that's not happening in January, putting these things into practice already turned around what would've been my lowest income month in years otherwise.

I love your videos. So much value. I find your manner really soothing too. Thank you.

I'm going to break the 100k dollar mark. Cheers!

My goal is to finish two books this year, be it the first two volumes of a series or the first volume of two different series, i just want two done at the end of the year.

Well, as far as how I have been living my life until now, raising my standards probably would look like I'm not doing so to everyone else :P Even so, I have only two goals this year: Release my first book, if possible before June, and release my second book, larger in content, before the end of the year. I'll try to hit both sure enough.

Once again, a great video. I set a goal at the start of the year to write 3 books this year. So far, I'm 30k words into my first one, of which 27k has been within this past month. Your videos and 5,000 Words Per Hour has helped me a lot with motivation and believing I can do it (even though I'm nowhere near 5k an hour! My best so far has been 1.6k). I've always been able to work hard at something I set my mind to. Had lots of tough manual labor jobs, and now I'm a software developer. So, I think I can put the work in. However, I am worried that my writing just won't be good enough, especially since in one of your other videos you talked about how it will be way harder in five years to compete. Worried I won't get good enough to gain a following. I've been a voracious reader my whole life, but this is the first writing I've tried, and my prose is just dry. I'm loving reading about story structure and think I will be able to improve my plotting (coming up with ideas over and over again will be another challenge for me, though), but not sure how to become better at the actual writing. Everything, all the great covers, marketing, won't matter if my writing sucks. I'm wondering if I should not write the next two novels and instead do short stories to focus on different aspects of my writing each story. The only thing so far that has encouraged me my writing might have potential was when my wife said she wanted to keep reading when I let her read the first chapter. Anyways, sorry for the long post. Just been on my mind lately, with watching your videos and researching other things about being an author. Just don't know if the writing will measure up.

My standard this year is becoming a person who spends a lot less time online and more time reading and researching for my writing. Thanks for all your advice, Chris.

Screw it: it's here in writing. I have written a book and not published it yet. I WILL publish it by summer, I WILL begin work on the rest of the trilogy, and I WILL NOT delay myself by burning money on pointless things.

Congratulations on meeting your quota for the month! Go for the year! :)

Great message. Lots of us are just starting to slack off our New Years resolutions, so this is the motivational push we need to reset and keep going.

My standard this year is 6 books, increasing monthly income $500 dollars a month per book; so far, one launched, one in edit, and one in the planning phase!

I've decided to raise my standards by learning an entire piano sonata (all three movements) within 4-ish months, as well as 5 chinese folk songs, and a Chopin Waltz. Previously I have been able to learn one movement within about 3 months (granted they were tough movements). I've decided to not hold myself back. I will do more in all aspects of my life.

Thanks for another honest and inspiring video Chris. This one is of particular interest to me today as I was only watching (or listening to) the Tony Robbins RU-vid video on standards just this morning (my 1st ever experience of Tony Robbins) - so motivating!

Hi Chris. I am def struggling but want this year to be my break out year. I am going to try some new things. In 2014 I really kicked butt. Started making a small income from my writing. But since then have been distracted. Planning to refocus this year.

Hey man, I just found your channel and want you to know this video really helped me. I want to start writing in sci fi (just finished first draft of the first book!) and in alternative historical fiction (outlining now) and will definitely be using a lot of the methods I've discovered in your videos. Thank you!

Anyone out there looking to raise their standards, I have built a small group that is always looking for more active and professional authors, and I need help running building and running our blog. I'd also like more people who can run Mastermind meetings and workshops. Comment if you would like a link to our Discord. We are mostly fantasy writers with some sci-fi. We keep our content PG. 80s PG maybe.

Thanks for the pep talk, sir! Great point, great mindset. The "four best friends" thing really hits home too because I'm striving toward my author goals all by myself, which probably doesn't help me. But I'm slowly ramping things up and will get to where I can put more in soon. I think.

What great advice! Thank you for the video and inspiration. I fell short of my word count goal in January and I won't make excuses. I have to find ways to be more disciplined about the BIC aspect of being an author. I'm working on a fantasy series and wanting the first and second book completed before release. My goal was to release in Feb 2019 -- now pushed into March. On the upside, I have been learning more about story craft, character creation, world building, emotional beats and I feel my work will reflect that. TO conclude, my goal for 2019: Write a minimum of 2500 words per day - six days per week - Publish 6 books - FInd a couple of authors steps ahead of me to befriend - grow my list of readers. Oh, and stay healthy and happy with good self-care.

I feel like such a slacker now. Thank you, Chris. This is just what I needed to light a fire under myself. Keep these motivational vids coming! I am raising my standards in 2019. I pledge to push through the writer's wall more, to not let my blank mind win. To write more, to put in the work to get the book done. I can't sell it if it isn't done, right?

I wanna first draft 4 books (size doesn't matter, getting them done does) and fully complete one for submission. I'm 23 and straight out of university so I wanna get the momentum going you know? If I stick to my 1500 word a day quota I should be able to get this done.

Thanks Chris! It was a perfect video for me today. I’m launching a box set at 99 cents in two days, and I’m super nervous/excited for it... 😬

Nice to meet another author of likes Tony Robbins!

Great video, you're always so inspirational because you're so much one of us! I just found a goal partner, and we share weekly goals. I've never done that before, and it's amazing how much my motivation has increased, and in such a subtle, easy way. So my goal this year is to keep up the weekly goal partnership, I can already tell I'll get waaaay more accomplished if I do.

Going through Write to Market right now(paperback).....guys, buy it. It's amazing.

My goal is to publish my 1st book in series. This is the first time I have tried to write a book and the plot hasn't changed, but the beginning has changed so much when I learn more about avoiding beginner mistakes. Being a potter I did an outline for book 1. Apparently, it is better to do one for book 2 also in case something that needs to be introduced in book 1 to use in book 2 is. Planning to self publish. Have watched all of your videos and enjoyed being educated. Mention your advice on Twitter and those that had not known about you know now. Going to be an action-packed year!

I'm having trouble with this actually - I can judge in terms of words written per day and other quantitative measures but it's likely very difficult for me to correctly gauge the quality of my own work. I think I'm a genius as I write it then when I come to edit it's all terrible and derivative and I'm nowhere close to commercial quality. The truth is likely somewhere between these two but it's so hard to balance morale with realism.

What's funny is, even though I don't hang out with you, you're my role model for success. I compare myself against you and others and try to improve and work to be better.

Thanks Chris. My standard was to do 5kWPH program but just 5 min. And i was doing it for a mounth. But after watching this video i will rise my goals for day.

I find amazing how you touch on so many areas so graciously, without false pretense and without false modesty. I deeply appreciate your honesty.

I loved this segment! Definitely, want to raise my standards and achieve a monthly income that will enable me and my family to live off and hopefully by us a house in the next two years. 8k a month is what I want aim aiming. Just need to put in the work and raise my standards : )

My standard this year is to finish my first anthology short story series. I've been working on it mentally for a few years, but have been too intimidated to start writing it. Well, I'm starting it now, and I'm going to finish it by the end of this December.

My standard is to write 2 books a month and become a full time writer by December 2019. I will write every day no matter what!

This year, I promise myself that I will work every day on my financial goal of earning $1000 a month.

My standard this year is to self-publish my two series and to learn and do more with the publishing and marketing with each book.

My standard this year is to write 12 x 50k novels and reach ramen profitability.

My standard is to have five short stories published this year (4 already out the door), get my blog up to speed on my author website and draft and finish my third novel. Ambitious, but doable.

Is that Red Moon Rising by KA Holt back there on his second top shelf (on the left) ❓

Hi Chris, do you have a Scrivener referral code? I figured I could show my support this way besides getting your books :-)

This year I want to learn and massively improve my writing skills.

Thank you.for this message that I needed to hear today. Congratulations on your efforts and keep it up. Have you considered buying a home in an area where you can get more for your money?

You are 100% correct and I can relate to what you are saying.

Some set backs aren’t destructive as I think they are .

Chris, how do i keep up with the pressure of school,test and all those shenanigans and still be able to write. Cause Right now I am trying to pause my writing due to the amount of pressure and studies I have from my school. So the question is, should I keep writing while studying at the same time? I really do enjoy your videos. If possible i would like to make my fiction series a series that last a century or even a millenial. Thanks chris.

I am going to be a good artist, and know how to draw good.

Hi Chris! i met you briefly at the 20books conference. I really wanted to chat with you more but you seemed pretty busy. I'm glad I can at least follow you here. Your video really challenged me, the way I've been doing things. I've been hovering at 10k a month for two years but my goal has been 20k. Up until this video I wasn't sure how to get there. I thought the usual things, write more, spend more and even though I did those things neither one of them got me where I want to be. So I'm taking a different tack, the one you suggested here. I'm raising my standards. I'm going to NINC this year in hopes of finding friends, mentors in the meantime I'll be learning all I can from you and a few other authors I have in mind. It's tme to stop being satisfied with being a big fish in a little pond. I'm branching out into teaching, focusing more on my audio sales and getting better at craft. I'm feeling inspired and I'm really thankful.

Tackling those doubts today, and this was just what I needed to hear. I want to be able to buy a house and pay off my med school debts by the end of the year. I need to work on getting started each day, and treating myself as well as I treat my clients. Mindset is such a battleground - fear of success. Thanks Chris.

Thank you so much!

Thank you for the push ... I was really striving when putting out first book in a series of three. I finished it, then decided to do a coloring book in addition...both have been published. Now, I need to kick myself to get back on task to finish the original series on the Pony Express research. My hope it to finish Volume two by end of April. The last one by October for the Christmas season. Thank you for your great content! See ya next week 😊

I was actually inspired by your goals video and decided that I was going to finish two books fully edited by the end of 2019. I decided I was going to treat the first three months of the year like mini NaNoWriMos to really push myself. At this point in the year I am working on a rewrite for a NaNoWriMo book I did in 2016 and I have done more in the past month than then last 2 years combined. This month I am going to do better since January started off busy and I am a bit behind. I'm taking on the debt of what I failed to do last month and pushing myself harder. If I stay the course the rewrite will be done by April.

Right now I have six titles out and my goal is to have eleven by the end of the year. I have three or four titles in various stages of finish and if I can get past the laziness, I will hit my goal easily. My problem is finding way too many ways to waste time. Watching RU-vid videos, watching reruns of Dr. Who, reading other people's books when I should be writing. It's easy to say, but hard to do.

Your inspiration videos are on point, well timed, and cut to the bone. I want to say thank you, but that hurt. I'm committing to being an author with a 5 book series published, with a trilogy in the works for 2020. I will also build an email list magnet and submit one short story to a ezine. Hole me accountable. Keep these videos coming.

Thanks Chris, I'm going to complete and publish my debut, and then another by the end of the year. Your videos always keep me motivated and on track to finish this. ;)

Thanks, Chris. Best motivation video I've seen in a long time. I saved it so I can rewatch whenever I start to feel discouraged. Now, back to work.

I want to write and publish six books this year and make $5k/month as an author. I also want to find a higher paying job this year.

Great vid, Chris. I am trying to raise my quality on all areas of life and storytelling.

Hmm. So I need friends first. 😂

Great video. I'm rooting for you! :)

Hi Chris, been watching some of your recent uploads over the last few months and just had some thoughts. I'm not an author but watching your videos about the performance of your business (books, ebooks, audio books, etc) it seems that the thing you don't bring up in your videos is the actual quality of your writing. The major take aways I have seen in your videos have been that your success has been mostly determined by everything other than the quality of your books. Well done covers and 'questions' posed to the consumer to increase purchase rate per ad click, well timed advertisements that are targeted well, cutting marketing on less successful books and the increased sales of your old books when you have a new release. Only the last of these would seem to have a direct correlation to how well written your books are. As I'm not an author when I read the comments on your videos, and see one of your top selling books is about setting goals of "x words per day", or "a book per month" I can't understand how its possible. Doesn't this approach seriously impact the quality of book you are writing? It seems your success through everything you've talked about (other than the actual quality of your writing) suggests quantity, and the 'business' decisions you make in the background, are definitely more important than quality. How can a good book with interesting new characters that are well developed and has a complete story (unless the books is part of a series) be written in the span of months? And then done again, and again! Am I just seriously underestimating the ability of good authors to keep their quality up, and think of new story ideas for other books, even when writing so quickly? I'm a maths guy so writing well is definitely something I struggle with and need to take my time for. This is also why, even though I like your videos, I have felt no inclination towards actually reading any of your releases. Are you successful because of how well you are managing your business? Or are your books actually really good? Or is it both? I'd be really interested to hear your take on this