Shatter Your Writing Goals
Writing goals are intentions writers set to help influence their writing experience in positive ways. By pinpointing areas in the writing process that require growth, appropriate goals can be identified and established. Likewise, breaking negative patterns many writers unconsciously develop as they navigate along their writing journey, and replacing them with doable targeted goals, can benefit the writer and enhance the overall writing experience.
Goal setting is not for everyone, and individual writers may have vastly different goals. Always do what works best for you. Adopt what resonates with you from this article, add to it, or ignore items that don’t pertain to you. To begin, identify your personal writing goals; anything you wish to build on, eliminate, or introduce.
There are many options for recording writing goals. They can be formally written, typed into a calendar, outlined, organized by using sticky notes on a goal board, or kept strictly inhouse, in other words, in the writer’s mind. Writers can map out their goals for the week or month.
Keep your writing goals realistic.
UNREALISTIC GOAL: I will secure representation this week and become a best-selling author by the end of the month.
REALISTIC GOAL: Finding three suitable agents that match my genre and sending each a query letter.
From my experience as a writer, it’s best for me to separate my goals into three categories:
EASY-PEASY: Short-term goals that can be accomplished within an assigned day or days
Suggestions
Monday
Post a new blog or writing tip article
Work on query letter and synopsis
Collect info for daily posts, such as quotes, writing reminders, new words with definitions, etc.
Tuesday
Focus on self-editing my WIP
Use the FIND FUNCTION to search for redundant words in my WIP and change them
Swap out general words for more specific ones in my WIP
Replace busy words with more sophisticated words and verbs in my WIP
Wednesday
Brainstorm article ideas for my website
Brainstorm meme ideas
Trim wordy sentences in my WIP
Vanquish extra words in my WIP
Thursday
Create posts and memes for the week
Fix character dialogue in WIP so it is concise yet interesting
Friday
Start creating blog/writing tip post
Search for inconsistencies and plot holes in WIP and fix them
Saturday
Create Instagram story
Finish blog/writing tip article
Trim WIP - delete anything that doesn’t move the story along
Sunday
Mindful rest and recovery
Reflect on the week
Move unmet goals to the following week
MIDDLE OF THE ROAD: Medium-sized goals that require time and planning
Suggestions
Set aside at least 20 minutes every other day to write/edit
Write 500-1000 words per writing session
Schedule a writing or critique session with fellow writers
Find an online writing group to join
Search for at least 10 agents/publishers to query
Research how to self-publish
Research for WIP
Search for and read books in and out of the genre you’re writing in
Take inspired action toward your writing goals
Work on shaping a killer opening line
Search for alpha/beta readers
Make sure your WIP has all the required essentials
This is Going to Take A While: Long-term goals that require a lot of time, thought, and in some cases research.
Suggestions
Finish my current WIP by the end of the year
Search for comparative titles to add to query letter
Create a social media presence
Stop procrastinating and be more productive
Brainstorm ideas for next WIP
Create new characters for next WIP
Create a vision board for things you wish to accomplish or envision for the future
Change mindset to an I CAN attitude
Get rid of negative dialogue in your head/replace with positivity
Train yourself to believe you will be published then envision your published book
I find that weekly goals suit my writing, and the use of calendars help me thrive. On Sunday I set my goals for the week and record them. Whatever goals that aren’t met, are moved to the next week.
