Do you need inspiration to start your writing goals?

Whether you make resolutions or use a word to give meaning to the new year, we all hope for some kind of change to excite us about what’s to come. It gives us something to look forward to or something to strive for to be better. Whatever it is, you have to love what you do, or you’ll quit and not give it your all.


Let’s talk writing. If writing is your focus, do you have an end goal? Are you wanting to finish a rough draft, or publish your story? If you’ve started your writing journey, you know it’s not something to be done overnight. It takes time. If you make a plan, chances are, you will be closer to your accomplishments.

One way to see your progress is to break down your goals into twelve mini ones, spread throughout the year. Each month can be something to work towards, such as signing up for a conference or working on a story to submit to a contest later in the year. Whatever it is, making small adjustments to your schedule will bring you closer to your goal. If you signed up for my newsletter, you will receive a PDF of a goal-setting, one-page calendar to help you draft your ideas. Like this:

If you're only thinking about this now, or you didn’t start January first, don’t worry, it's all good. Finding what you want is the first step. Consider this month to ponder and figure out what goal or goals you’d like to achieve. Once you have your goal, think about how you'll accomplish it. The best way to do this is by using the SMART method. 
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time.
For example: I want to sign with a literary agent. This is what I need to do:
Specific-  What do I want to accomplish?  
I want to find the best agent to champion my work.
Measurable- How will I reach my goal? 
I will query X-amount of agents by the end of the year. 
Achievable- Is it possible to reach this goal? 
While you don’t have control over getting an agent, you can work towards building relationships and finding the best agent for you.
Realistic- Have you finished your manuscript? Is it polished to the best of your ability? Querying agents takes time for both parties, so don’t waste it. 
Time- How much time do I give myself?
​There is no exact time for an author-agent relationship. It can take months to years. If you're serious about publishing, you have to keep writing and improving your craft.

Need inspiration on taking your writing to the next level? 
Here are 8 suggestions to get you started.

1. Complete a manuscript. This seems obvious but if the desire is to write a novel, but the dream is too big to wrap your mind around, focus on writing a short story and move on to writing a novella. Once you have written The End, you know you can write longer. Challenge yourself.

2. Join a writer’s group. It’s a great way to meet other authors and support others with the same passion. If an in-person group is not feasible, try finding one online. 
Connect with other writers. If a group doesn’t interest you, connect with authors writing in the same genre. It's a great way to learn and perfect your craft.

3. Whatever your writing experience, attending a writing conference is fun and is full of benefits. You will not only get support and encouragement from others, you will meet new people ( yay for writing friends! ), learn something to benefit your muse, and network. 

4. If getting a literary agent is important to you, research, attend conferences, do online pitch parties, and follow agents for industry knowledge. There's a lot to learn here. It takes time and energy to find the best fit, but be patient. 

5. Submit your work to contests. The ones with industry professionals are always good. Sure, you’re in it to win it, but it’s always a great way to get feedback on your manuscript and it's another chance to practice your skills. 

6.If you’ve written stories but haven’t been published and want to try doing it yourself,  self-publishing might be for you. It's a great way to learn about yourself as a writer, promote yourself as a professional and accomplish your dream. There’s a lot to learn on this subject. I may visit this on a future blog post, but if this is your goal, then you need to make SMART goals to achieve it. 

7.Find a beta reader or a trusted reader for feedback. Polish your story to the best of your ability. Writing is subjective, but getting honest feedback from someone you trust is invaluable. 

8. Time. It takes time to learn the craft. Be patient with yourself. Learn what you can and enjoy the process. Every time you write, you get better. 

Here’s to a new year and new accomplishments. Let me know how you’re taking your writing to the next level. Do you have one goal or many? What’s your plan? I’d love to know.
Cheers to creativity!