Setting achievable writing goals is an effective strategy for most writers. Writing a book, whether a novel, memoir or children’s book is a difficult task. That’s why authors set writing goals. Authors often set daily, monthly and yearly goals that help them stay on track with outlining, drafting editing and revising their writing.
In my TeachWrite writing group, we set writing goals. We first have our check in for the goals we set for the prior week. Next, we set a goal for the hour or so we write together. Lastly, we come together again to set our goals for the following week.
I will admit that at first, I was not so sure about setting goals. Did I really need to set a goal? It sounded so restricting, I just want to write, but I have come to realize that these writing goals have helped me improve my writing and get more writing finished.
Why is goal setting important?
Setting achievable writing goals helps you to identify what you want and create a plan to achieve it. Without goals you can lose focus and never finish writing your book.
Setting goals will help you to:
- clarify what writing you would like to do.
- focus your attention.
- take action and keep you motivated.
- celebrate your progress.
Setting Achievable Writing Goals
Set smart goals that will guide you to completing your book. One of my goals is to write every day. That is something I know I can do easily. I get up every morning and write for 15 minutes, more if my calendar allows.
Writing goals are easier to track if they have a numeric value. Many authors set time limits – I will write for two hours every day. Others set word count goals – I will write 2,000 words every day.
Track your progress. Some writers like to have a spreadsheet or a checklist to monitor their progress. The easiest way is to keep a calendar with your daily goals and you can check them off each day. At the end of the week, you can celebrate your successes.
If you really want to achieve your goals and write that book, you need to make writing a priority. Otherwise, we know what happens. It does not get done because we did not make it a priority.
Check out my post about getting back to writing after a break for more thoughts on writing.
https://karennespoli.com/how-to-get-back-to-writing-after-a-break/
I would love to hear from other writers who would like to share their tips for setting achievable writing goals. Leave a comment below.