The only thing necessary to be successful at setting goals for writers is to have a dream. Luckily that’s something at which writers tend to excel. Dreams are not only inspiring but vital to living a full and meaningful life. What do you want from your writing? Go ahead, dare to dream. List them. The next step is to manifest your dreams from pure, creative thought into the physical realm by setting some goals. Goals will conjure your dreams into reality. They are like making magic. Seriously.
Magic? Now that sounds like something fun to do, doesn’t it?
How do you set goals you can honestly achieve—go from the ultimate step of “getting published” to something you can actually do today? Maybe you’ve heard the old saying about eating an elephant one bite at a time. Apply this philosophy to your writing. How do you write a book? One page at a time. Let’s go even smaller. One paragraph at a time. Okay, smaller. One word at a time.
That feels like something achievable, doesn’t it? Something you have experience in doing. Just work the same way when it comes to setting goals.
Setting Goals for Writers Step 1 – Set a big aspiration.
Finish writing your book, getting an agent, having an article published, doing a reading at a poetry jam, fill your journal from cover to cover, etc. Then break that aspiration down to steps. Plot where you need to be at the end of each month, and then at the end of each week. Daily, even if you just have ten minutes a day. Plan big to small, and then start your actions with the small steps and move forward. Breaking a huge project down into smaller pieces brings it into the realm of the possible.
Setting Goals for Writers Step 2 – Write your goals out.
Whether a list, jotted on a calendar, or in a spreadsheet computer program, be sure you can see the goals you set. Keep them in front of you, or somewhere you can check daily. Refer to them often to remind yourself what you are working toward and why you are passionate and committed.
Setting Goals for Writers Step 3 – Record your progress.
Yuck, sounds like a report card, doesn’t it? It’s all in the way you look at it. For me, keeping track is like having my own personal cheering squad. When I make a daily word count, the theme song from “Wonder Woman” plays in my head. When I come up with a new character, “Rocky” blasts and I wave my fists in the air. When I finish a chapter, the stadium erupts into cheers!
Setting Goals for Writers – Reward yourself when you make any size goal.
Think of it! You’ve just hit an important mark. Whether buying something fun for yourself, treating yourself to a writing class, or taking an hour to relax with a book or hobby, give yourself a tangible pat on the back.
Setting Goals for Writers Step 1 –Most important to writing. Don’t give up.
Ever. Just keep taking action and your dreams will happen. Set your writing goals. Manifest those dreams. Make this your best year ever!
Now that doesn’t sound evil at all, does it?
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