As a writer, starting a new year is like opening a fresh WORD doc—full of possibility and untold stories. Whether you're just beginning your journey or working toward a major milestone, setting clear goals can help you stay motivated and make progress on your writing journey.
Reflect on Your Writing Journey
Before looking ahead, it is important to look back. Reflecting on your journey up to this point can help you identify areas for improvement and celebrate your growth. Let’s for a moment, consider what happened this past year.
What went well? Did you complete an outline or draft? Publish something in a contest or novel? Celebrate those wins!
What were your challenges? Perhaps writer’s block slowed you down, or life started well…doing what life does and complicated things. Acknowledge those hurdles without judgment.
What did you learn? Last year, I heard someone say, “Many of us have heard ‘you win some and you lose some’ but we should instead be thinking, ‘you win some and you learn some’.” Every challenge, every opportunity, allows us to learn and grow.
Looking back allows us to pause, assess, and progress. But don’t keep your focus on what has happened, that’s a great way to trip. After some reflection, it is time to forge ahead.
Define Clear and Achievable Goals
Dreaming big is important and necessary, but those big dream should be broken down into achievable goals that keep you moving forward without feeling overwhelmed. To do this, you should set SMART goals. That is, goals that are: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Here are some examples of SMART writing goals:
- Specific: "Write 2,000 words a week."
- Measurable: "Complete an outline by March."
- Achievable: "Dedicate 1 hour each Saturday for editing."
- Relevant: "Build my author platform by posting on social media twice a week."
- Time-bound: "Finish my novel’s first draft by September."
By creating these SMART writing goals, you’ll give yourself a clear way to measure your progress along the journey.
Create a Detailed Roadmap to Stay on Track
A goal is only as good as the plan behind it. Once you’ve set your SMART writing goals, you’ll want to map out how you’ll achieve them. The best way to do this is to identify writing tools that will help your journey, break goals into smaller steps and find accountability.
Use Tools That Work for You: Whether it’s a planner, writing app, or digital calendar, find a system that helps you stay organized. Tools like Teddyfly’s Storyteller Fiction Database, Atticus, or even a simple notebook can work wonders.
Break Goals into Smaller Steps: For example, if your goal is to finish a manuscript, break it down into milestones like “finish outline by March,” “write 1 chapter per month,” or “write 500 words per weekday”.
Find Accountability: Join a writing group, work with a critique partner, or hire a writing coach to stay connected and motivated.
Most importantly, be kind to yourself along the journey. Life happens, and flexibility is part of any creative journey. If you hit a roadblock, revisit your goals and adjust as needed.
Your Writing Journey Awaits
This year is a blank page waiting to be filled with your stories, characters, and ideas. By reflecting on where you’ve been, setting thoughtful goals, and creating a clear plan, you’ll be well on your way to making this your most productive and fulfilling writing year yet.
What are your writing goals? Share them in the comments below!
1 comment
I was doing great and have my outline 90% complete. I have writing about 60% complete. My goal is to make writing a priority over this week and after my vacation next week! 500 words a day, minimum.