Goals and Deadlines
Every writer at some point realizes the importance of setting goals.
Goals can range from starting to write a book to submitting a book to being published. Here's a partial list of goals I have for my current writing project:
Proof reading and edits are necessarily repeating; you determine how thorough and how often. Please note that I have included only those goals that an author would use.
Additional goals that you may consider are:
These goals all come under 'research' and will probably precede the actual writing.
In the title of this blog, I mentioned deadlines. For goals to be effective, deadlines need to be included. If your goal is so general as to not have a deadline, the chances are that you will never fully accomplish the goal.
But deadlines can be scary. Some deadlines need to be absolute, others not so much. For the author, it is important to know which type of goal is appropriate.
For example, you are about to start writing a book. This can be a general goal, such as "start novel." You indicate when you want to start work on your new novel.
Sometimes life gets in the way and you have to adjust, so your goal is general by nature. Warning: don't make the deadline so far out that you'll never get started. Make it reasonable.
An example of an absolute deadline is submitting a book to an agent or publisher. In this case the agent or publisher may have deadlines that they impose upon you.
While you as the author have the final say, let me suggest that unless you are under someone else' time frame or deadline, that you make most of your deadlines flexible. Then, as you get closer to finishing the book, you start using absolute deadlines.
Remember, goals and deadlines are simply tools to assist you in getting your book written. Don't let them control you. Even absolute goals or deadlines should be subject to you.
Goals can range from starting to write a book to submitting a book to being published. Here's a partial list of goals I have for my current writing project:
1) List of Characters to be included at beginning of book
2) Write a plot summary
3) Begin the actual writing
4) Write first draft of book
5) Decide on Title
6) Title page
7) Proof read (by myself or trusted friends)
8) Edits
Proof reading and edits are necessarily repeating; you determine how thorough and how often. Please note that I have included only those goals that an author would use.
Additional goals that you may consider are:
a) What foods do people in book eat?
b) How are people dressed?
c) How do people travel?
These goals all come under 'research' and will probably precede the actual writing.
In the title of this blog, I mentioned deadlines. For goals to be effective, deadlines need to be included. If your goal is so general as to not have a deadline, the chances are that you will never fully accomplish the goal.
But deadlines can be scary. Some deadlines need to be absolute, others not so much. For the author, it is important to know which type of goal is appropriate.
For example, you are about to start writing a book. This can be a general goal, such as "start novel." You indicate when you want to start work on your new novel.
Sometimes life gets in the way and you have to adjust, so your goal is general by nature. Warning: don't make the deadline so far out that you'll never get started. Make it reasonable.
An example of an absolute deadline is submitting a book to an agent or publisher. In this case the agent or publisher may have deadlines that they impose upon you.
While you as the author have the final say, let me suggest that unless you are under someone else' time frame or deadline, that you make most of your deadlines flexible. Then, as you get closer to finishing the book, you start using absolute deadlines.
Remember, goals and deadlines are simply tools to assist you in getting your book written. Don't let them control you. Even absolute goals or deadlines should be subject to you.
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