Figuring Out the Writing Goals That Work for You

Camp NaNoWriMo is just around the corner! Now that March is here, we’re starting to think about gearing up for our next writing adventure. Today, NaNoWriMo participant Camille Myrick shares a few tips on setting goals and maintaining a daily writing habit before it starts:

What is it about April, July, and November that energizes writers from every corner of the globe to buckle down and write that novel? Is it something in the air… magic sauce in the coffee? Have you ever wished NaNoWriMo would keep going all year long?

The truth is, there is something different about the cherished NaNo months that set them apart from every other month of the year. It is the firm foundation behind a daily writing habit, the undercurrent of excitement when you update your word count, and a clear path that leads to the future. Put simply: goals.

Living the dream as a writer doesn’t start until that dream becomes a clearly defined goal. That goal is not reachable without a detailed plan of how to get there. Every writer has a different vision in their minds when they think of “success”. Therefore no writing process will look the same as another.

My dream to become a published author started 20 years ago in my elementary school classroom. At that time, I couldn’t figure out how to finish a manuscript.  I didn’t know how to reach my goal because I did not have a daily writing habit. Then I found the NaNoWriMo organization in 2015 by complete accident. When I heard about the daily word counts and community support, I felt like writing my novel was possible for the first time in my life.

Living the dream as a writer doesn’t start until that dream becomes a clearly defined goal.

I wasn’t successful right away. It took a few tries to find the writing rhythm in sync with my schedule and responsibilities. I discovered the NaNoWriMo formula (50k/30 days=YAY!) I began plugging in the different facets of my life until I found exactly where writing ranked on my priority list and how much I could manage per day. From these little discoveries, I created both a daily writing habit and my own formula for reaching goals (To-Do-List/Deadline=THE PLAN).

Camp NaNoWriMo is fast approaching, and with it, a brand new opportunity to become the writer you were meant to be. In April and July, you will be able to set your own goals, define your unique plan, change EVERYTHING a few times (or many times) and get one step closer to living your writer dream. What will your goal be?

Camille Myrick is a published author and full-time mom from deep-south Mississippi. In between writing sessions, she can be found tending to red beans and rice and sharing her life on YouTube. Learn more: Camillemyrickbooks.com Twitter: @camille_myrick Instagram: @authorcamillemyrick.