The long-awaited 2010 is here. What kind of a year will this be for your writing?
Will it be the year you finally write that short story you’ve been thinking about? The year you get around to submitting those magazine articles you’ve been working on? The year you get stuck into the novel you’ve been intending to write for the last decade?
What kind of year will this be?
You decide.
The most important thing you’ll write this year is a list of goals. Or, if you’re like me, one very specific goal.
My Writing Goal for 2010
Recently, I gave birth to my second child. While I’m ecstatic to be a new mom again, I’ll admit the lack of sleep does nothing for my productivity.
It may be a new year, but now wouldn’t be the best time for me to rattle off a big list of goals I want to achieve. It’s important for me to be realistic about:
- what’s possible
- what’s important
- what I really want to do
And so, instead of writing a standard list of New Year’s resolutions, I’m going to commit to only one goal over the next 12 months.
I’m going to finish my novel. Finish it, as in make it sparkle.
I’m not committing to getting an agent or finding a publisher for this piece at the moment. I want to focus on one–just one–important writing goal this year.
This is, of course, in addition to all the personal mommy-goals I have, like finding the most efficient way to change a diaper or learning how to adjust the infant car seat.
Goal Setting Guidelines
A few things to keep in mind about your goals during the process:
- Write them down and keep a copy where you can see it every day
- Don’t commit to anything you don’t truly believe you can accomplish
- Keep them to a minimum
- Make sure your expectations are realistic
- Don’t give up when you fail temporarily
What Are Your Writing Goals?
Do you have one or two specific writing resolutions for the months ahead, or do you have a whole list?
What goals are you adamant about sticking to this year?
Did you achieve your resolutions from last year?
Suzannah – I have quite a list of writing-related resolutions this year, but in my defense, my resolutions are connected by a common thread. By the end of 2010, I’d like to have two well-established blogs (one on personal development/time management/entrepreneurship and the other on writing). I’ll also be finishing at least 2 free e-books of significant length and quality (for promotion purposes, one per blog) and 1 high-quality information product for sale.
On a day-to-day basis, I’m simply committing to writing at least 1,000 words each weekday and 5,000 words each weekend, adding up to 10,000 words per week.
.-= Read Jeffrey @ Simple Prose´s last article ..Keeping Your Writing Commitment =-.
Jeffrey,
Love, love, love your new website! Just signed up for RSS and looking forward to reading your articles.
Great to see you’re on top of those writing goals for the year, as well. Best of luck with them 🙂
Hi Suzannah! It can’t be easy writing with two small children! I applaud you for keeping the goal(s) simple since mom’s need to be terribly flexible. I wish I had that excuse! haha! But I’m keeping my goals simple – finish the re-write of the book this year. My writing goal for last year was sort of accomplished – at least I feel good about sticking with writing a blog once a week as a discipline to keep the creative juices flowing. Good luck to both of us, eh?
Hi Suzen,
Yes, one needs to be flexible when trying to write with children–a constant challenge! My older son goes back to school in a few weeks, so that will free up a little bit of time, but it’s really the baby who takes up the most energy. What I need is a treadmill I can walk on (to get back in shape), a sling (to hold the baby in), and a treadmill desk (to set my laptop on), then I’d be ready to go! Good luck with the re-write of your book this year, and keep us posted on how you’re going with the process!
I have rarely, if ever, established real writing goals in my life, but this year, I decided to stretch out a little bit and settle on a handful of concrete goals (more than enough to keep me busy).
1. Finish drafting my current novel, “The Rule of Calindria.” Not polish. Not sparkle. Just get the thing written.
2. Finish revising my previous novel, “In This Wood.” Sparkle. Polish. Finished.
3. Write and submit one short story each month to a paying market. Polish, sparkle, and a big, fat virtual stamp on it.
Priority is in reverse order.
.-= Read Megs – Scattered Bits´s last article ..Workshop: Rendering Created Languages in English, Part I =-.
Awesome goals, Megs. Thanks for sharing.
I really believe if you don’t put them down where you can see them and review them, goals just go out the window. Hope this is the year you meet all of your own expectations!
Thanks for this. It inspired me to go public with my own goal – to finish the first draft of my novel: http://thetonguesofmen.blogspot.com/2010/01/worky-nosey-grindstone.html
Cheers for the inspiration.
.-= Read Gabriel Smy´s last article ..Worky nosey grindstone =-.
Hey Gabriel,
Good luck with your book! Checked out your website and I really love the Penguin Classics rendition of your novel. May we all live to see our names on those glorious orange covers:)
.-= Read suzannah´s last article ..The Most Important Thing You’ll Write This Year =-.
I’m trying to keep my goals ‘attainable’ which means measurable and controllable. While it’s wonderful to dream of publishing another book (I’m trying a new genre, so I have to find another publisher), the only thing I can control is writing the best book I can. So I set goals of having a specific number of queries out at all times. I can control that, but not whether they’re accepted.
For those writing, I suggest a narrower goal of a certain number of minutes, hours, pages, words, or however you work, per day (or how many days a week you write). Finishing a novel is tough. Writing 5 days a week for 2 hours is doable, and before you know it, you’ll be typing the end.
For blogging, I can set a goal to blog a specific number of times a week.
Terry,
Thanks for these tips. I agree that setting specific quota or writing time and/or words can help immensely. One of the best things I ever did was start a writing log where I could keep track of my session and progress.
Thanks!
Suzannah,
I agree that the most important thing to write this year is a writing goal. I set the goal of writing my book in mid 2008 and although I did a few other things along the way, I finished my goal by mid 2009.
I have two writing goals this year: shape my blog into a powerful voice and create an activity book to complement the book I wrote last year.
Congratulations on your new baby and on blending family and work. I, too, did the same thing along the way of raising our four children.
.-= Read Flora Morris Brown, Ph.D.´s last article ..Get Your Head Out of the Sand =-.
Flora,
Thanks for sharing your goals with us. Congrats on finishing your book in 2009, and best of luck with the new one you’ll be working on this year!
I love your new website! My goal for this year is to just get over my fear of failure and start writing.
.-= Read Margaret aka Fact Woman´s last article ..Monday’s Household Assignments- Makeup does have an expiration date! =-.
Thanks, Margaret 🙂 Wish you all the best this year with your writing.