Making and Achieving Your Writing Goals
Whether or not you set official New Year's resolutions, a new year is a good time to review your writing goals. When we start writing, we may simply want to write good stories, or get published somewhere. As we find our strengths, we narrow our focus. We like fiction or nonfiction, books or magazines, one genre or age range.
Writers need another kind of focus as well. Where do you want to go in your writing life? Do you want to make a steady income? Or is it more important to write what you love, regardless of the market? Do you care more about winning awards or getting laughs? Goal setting should involve the entire career, from time management to craft to market research and submissions to publicity for published works.
Make your goals as specific as possible. For example, "Make money from writing" is a vague goal. Will you be happy with $10 from an online poem just so you can say you've been paid? Do you want to make an annual profit so you can claim writing as a business on your tax forms? Contribute a certain amount to the family income? Quit your day job?
You may also need to break down goals into short-term and long-term. Making enough money to quit your day job may be a 10-year goal. You can then set short-term goals to help you get there. You can't jump ahead to the end, but you can keep moving along the path.
My full article on "A Plan for Your Career Path" appeared in the September 2010 issue of Children's Writer. The article is not available online, but you can order Children's Writer.
I'm part of another blog with a group of speculative fiction authors. This past week, we've had a five-day roundtable discussion on goal setting as it relates to writing. Several talented authors shared their thoughts on whether or not goals setting goals is helpful, how to track goals, celebrating successes, and more. You can review the posts at The Spectacle blog.
Susan Uhlig, author of dozens of magazine stories and articles and a teacher through the Institute of Children's Literature, reviewed her 2010 goals on her website and explored what worked or didn't, and why, with advice for other goal setters. Here's an excerpt:
Some writers have word or page count goals per day. Others have a goal of finishing a chapter in a certain amount of time. Illustrators might have a number of paintings or sketches to accomplish in a certain time. What matters is to have what in the business world of project management is called a S.M.A.R.T. goal. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. A goal such as "get an agent" isn't really under your control. A goal of "submit so many queries to agents by this date" is under your control and measurable.
Read her entire post on her website.
Amy Houts has a helpful article called "Lists That Motivate!" on the Institute of Children's Literature website. It's targeted at Institute students, but contains an excellent example of breaking large goals into specific small steps.
The Bucket List is an enjoyable and inspiring movie about two men with terminal cancer who try to live their dreams before they "kick the bucket." It's a good conversation starter for thinking about your own dreams. Facebook even has a "My Bucket List" app so you can share your goals with friends.
This article on "Creating a Bucket List - 100 Things to do Before You Die" contains some ads for the author's e-book, but also has an interesting breakdown into life areas where you may want to ponder goals (work, family, health, personal contributions, etc.) and extensive lists of ideas in each area, to help with brainstorming.
EXERCISE: Goal Setting
• What is my primary writing goal?
• What are my secondary writing goals?
• How can these goals work together? Do they contradict each other at all? Do they interfere with other career, family or personal goals?
• What steps do I need to take? Do I need to work on specific craft techniques, time management, market research, or submissions?
• Which steps come first? How can I schedule the steps to reach my goals?
Writers need another kind of focus as well. Where do you want to go in your writing life? Do you want to make a steady income? Or is it more important to write what you love, regardless of the market? Do you care more about winning awards or getting laughs? Goal setting should involve the entire career, from time management to craft to market research and submissions to publicity for published works.
Make your goals as specific as possible. For example, "Make money from writing" is a vague goal. Will you be happy with $10 from an online poem just so you can say you've been paid? Do you want to make an annual profit so you can claim writing as a business on your tax forms? Contribute a certain amount to the family income? Quit your day job?
You may also need to break down goals into short-term and long-term. Making enough money to quit your day job may be a 10-year goal. You can then set short-term goals to help you get there. You can't jump ahead to the end, but you can keep moving along the path.
My full article on "A Plan for Your Career Path" appeared in the September 2010 issue of Children's Writer. The article is not available online, but you can order Children's Writer.
I'm part of another blog with a group of speculative fiction authors. This past week, we've had a five-day roundtable discussion on goal setting as it relates to writing. Several talented authors shared their thoughts on whether or not goals setting goals is helpful, how to track goals, celebrating successes, and more. You can review the posts at The Spectacle blog.
Susan Uhlig, author of dozens of magazine stories and articles and a teacher through the Institute of Children's Literature, reviewed her 2010 goals on her website and explored what worked or didn't, and why, with advice for other goal setters. Here's an excerpt:
Some writers have word or page count goals per day. Others have a goal of finishing a chapter in a certain amount of time. Illustrators might have a number of paintings or sketches to accomplish in a certain time. What matters is to have what in the business world of project management is called a S.M.A.R.T. goal. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. A goal such as "get an agent" isn't really under your control. A goal of "submit so many queries to agents by this date" is under your control and measurable.
Read her entire post on her website.
Amy Houts has a helpful article called "Lists That Motivate!" on the Institute of Children's Literature website. It's targeted at Institute students, but contains an excellent example of breaking large goals into specific small steps.
The Bucket List is an enjoyable and inspiring movie about two men with terminal cancer who try to live their dreams before they "kick the bucket." It's a good conversation starter for thinking about your own dreams. Facebook even has a "My Bucket List" app so you can share your goals with friends.
This article on "Creating a Bucket List - 100 Things to do Before You Die" contains some ads for the author's e-book, but also has an interesting breakdown into life areas where you may want to ponder goals (work, family, health, personal contributions, etc.) and extensive lists of ideas in each area, to help with brainstorming.
EXERCISE: Goal Setting
• What is my primary writing goal?
• What are my secondary writing goals?
• How can these goals work together? Do they contradict each other at all? Do they interfere with other career, family or personal goals?
• What steps do I need to take? Do I need to work on specific craft techniques, time management, market research, or submissions?
• Which steps come first? How can I schedule the steps to reach my goals?
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