The beginning of the year is a great time to set new goals, or cut and paste last year’s goals onto the “new” list. I mean, that’s how it works sometimes, right? We all have good intentions come January 1st, but there are always certain goals that get pushed around but never accomplished. I’m tired of moving the same goal around into list after list, feeling the weight of it push down on my shoulders and smother my muse. So, this year, I have a different plan. I’m still setting goals, but I’m approaching them in a new way.
1. Make sure goals are reasonable and measurable.
Sarah Callender wrote a wonderful post on Write It Sideways about the difference between Dreamers and Goalers, saying writers must be a little of both:
A dream is shiny and pretty and probably quite heavy. Like a coconut cream pie. Or an ocean at sunset. Dreams sit on our shoulder and whisper things like, But what about me? Don’t forget about me! . . . But if you dream of getting published in a prestigious publication, in any publication at all, then create a SMART goal, something over which you have total control.
Writing a novel is my dream. One goal I set in the past to help me reach that dream was to get the draft ready for Beta readers. By March. Okay, June. Um…by the end of the year, dammit. My original goal wasn’t specific enough. Now, I know that I need to break down the idea of finishing the draft into more reasonable, bit-size chunks, like “write the next chapter by the end of the week.”
And speaking of weeks….
2. Use whatever tools you can find to organize weekly goals.
I read about Jane Friedman’s weekly goal sheets long before I started using them, but since I’ve been filling them out, my brain feels more in tune with where my heart wants to go. I love these worksheets for two reasons. First, they are weekly. Period. As Friedman says in her post about the sheets, “If you have to-dos that stretch out further than a week, it can become overwhelming and meaningless.” Overwhelming and meaningless, that’s when I start crying and feel like quitting. The second reason I love these worksheets is because they allow space to write down what might be stopping me from achieving the goals and space to write down long-range goals that I can’t work on in that one week but don’t want to forget. On this, Friedman say, “Writing them down helps free my mental energy, so I can focus on other things.” Be gone, Overwhelming fiend.
So, I have reasonable and measurable goals and a nifty worksheet. Now what?
3. Join a writer’s group. Stat.
Attending a writing group, bi-weekly or monthly, isn’t always an option because of time or money or location. But, when I have the resources, that’s where I go. Those groups make me accountable, push me forward on writing projects, large or small, and feed me with an energy that I can’t ignore. By the time you read this, I will have attended my first Roundtable in too long of a while. All the anxiety of reading out loud and sharing a rough story is worth it if it means this next project, a collection of flash fiction, will move beyond an idea.
Your turn. What’s your secret to staying on top of your goals? Spill it here, because if anything, we will learn from each other.
Deadlines are always a good motivator! But, I have been quite bad about setting goals in an organized way. So, I’m going to read this again, and check out Jane F’s post and see what I can do to remedy my chaotic-ness!
I do try to have to my publishers one novel (or novella in one instance) a year and to do that, I know I have to remember this is not only something I do that I love, but it is my career, my job, my responsibility and I have people who depend on me to finish my work- when I think of it that way, when I don’t let anyone or my own thoughts go in the direction of “this is a hobby/a fun thing I do/just some thing I do,” then I am more determined and goal-oriented about it.
Boy Kathryn, you make such a good point: to think about writing, and the goals we set for our writing, in a more serious and professional way. I think you’re right. On those projects that I view with more weight, and not just a “thing I do” I am able to get more accomplished. That’s a nice tidbit of wisdom to hold on to when I open up that novel draft again. Thanks!
Christ, glad to be back at the blog community. Took a two week break to NOT plan too much. I think I’ve made all the mistakes I care to make … too many plans, spread out too far. The weekly plans started in September and when I read Jane I am always inspired “to do” better, but in a much more realistic way. You’ll get that book done and when you do I will snap it up!
Florence, Glad to have you back online! I hope the break rejuvenated you. I love Jane’s posts, too — always so informative. And, it’s good to know you’ve got my back when it comes to noveling 🙂
Sooo how did the group go? Today I figured it all out, long range figured out in big, huge heaping glops. Jane would sit me down and have a nice long talking to, no doubt. But you know what? I’m working it in micro chunks. And that writing group we all need to join STAT? Next week. So. How did the group go?
Well, I can’t wait to hear about your group! Mine went well. It’s good to be back at the table, for sure. And, you have every right to plan big and then portion it out. Lot’s of excitement coming your way!
I’m a spreadsheet fanatic. They’re somewhat similar to Jane’s goal sheets. I love the ability to automatically sum work count goals, track dates, have different info on different tabs, and all that stuff. I’m also a big user of the parking lot because it reduces a lot of stress, toss it onto the appropriate tab and I can stay focused.
Oh, and then there’s the color coding, the ability to customize colors … and the fonts! 😉
Cathryn, With my new iPad (still saying “whoa”), I’ve been entering in my calendar and dates for blogging deadlines and who knows what and color coding and bee-bop-booping and talk about overwhelmed. In the end, I hope to be as organized as you, as focused too! And, I love the parking lot option. Good times!
I have no idea why I come across as organized, LOL. It must be that word “spreadsheet”, when really it’s just a toy and a good way to procrastinate. 😉
Enjoy your bee-bop-booping!
This year I’m doing something a little different. I bought one of those big desk calendars you can get at office supply stores for a couple of bucks and a set of gel pens in flashy colors. Now, as soon as I accept an assignment, I write the due date down on my calendar in colored ink. The visual reminder has been a huge help when it comes to staying on top of assignments.
Debra,
I heart Color-coding! (and gel pens)
Thanks for stopping by.
Accountability is probably what I’m lacking more than anything.
I get that, Nina. I just started back with a writer’s group, and in the last month I’ve managed to rewrite three stories that I’ve been staring at for the last six months. When I have to be somewhere with a story in hand, even if it’s still very much in the rough, I find I’m much more efficient with my writing time.