Writing Smart Goals for the Month

You don’t have to wait for a new year, month, or week to start to make some new smart goals, but they sure do make for a cleaner-feeling start. The beginning of a new year makes many of us feel like we need to write down huge dreams and goals for the year, but come March or April we probably fall off track. But have no fear, today is a great day to set some new, attainable goals for this month. Here are some ideas to get you started:

6 Goals to Set This Month
1. Set a reading challenge on Goodreads.

This challenge lets you set how many books you want to read this year and then will give you a percentage to show where you’re at on your goal each month. The reading challenge is a great motivator to see your reading goals through to the end.

2. Build a reading list.

Some of us fall behind on our reading because we don’t always know what we want to read next. I love using Goodreads to keep track of books I want to read. I’m constantly updating my “To Read” bookshelf and can seamlessly move a book from “To Read” to “Currently Reading” to my “Finished” bookshelf. Over time, it’s fun to look back and see how many books you read and exactly what you read.

3. Allow for inspiration.

There’s no time like the present to seek out new forms of inspiration. Whether you start a new hobby—like cooking, reading, arts and crafts—or get outdoors for more exercise, let yourself be inspired and keep track of what inspires you. That way, on a less than an inspiring day, you can look back and see what worked for you before and try it again.

4. Make healthy choices.

An intense writing day may not always leave room for the healthiest food choices. A binge writing session can also mean binge eating on snacks. Be prepared with healthy snacks and other foods ahead of time. Your body and your mind will thank you.

5. Plan a virtual writing retreat.

We may not be able to meet up with our writing friends in person right now, but that doesn’t mean we can’t plan a virtual writing retreat day. Create a one-day writing retreat for you and your writing friends and include the day’s itinerary. Schedule sessions to chat via Zoom, writing times, breaks, have fun snacks and drinks on hand and create a great playlist for everyone to enjoy.

6. Schedule a 30-day challenge.

If you’ve heard of NaNoWriMo, you know the month of November is when thousands of writers from around the world make a commitment to write a 50,000-word manuscript in 30 days. You don’t need an official NaNoWriMo kick-off to set a 30-day writing challenge though; you can start your own month-long writing challenge this month.

So, what writing goals are you going to set for this month? Sound off below!

Need more writing goal inspiration? Read 2020 New Year’s Resolutions for Writers.

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