Ten tips for Accomplishing Your Writing Goals©
- Put your derriere in your writing chair on a regular basis.
- Make a conscious committment to the goal. Don’t say “Maybe I’d like to …” Instead say “I want to accomplish by the end of this year, or this month, or this week. Write it down. Stick in on the bathroom mirror. Chant it like a mantra. Make it yours consciously and subconsciously.
- Break the goal into pieces if it seems too big to accomplish. If you want to write a book, consider doing a page a day. In a year you’ll have 365 pages. But I’ll guarantee once you make this a habit, you won’t be able to do only one page a day.
- Make yourself accountable to other writers. Tell them your goals and ask them to help keep you on track.
- Make friends with other writers and editors. They are your key to the networking world of writing.
- Never burn your bridges with an editor.
- Always do your very best work. Editors appreciate it and remember it.
- Don’t be afraid to let others know about your goals. They may have information that might be helpful to you.
- Never, say “never.” Everyone has the power within himself or herself to accomplish goals. You just have to be willing to make a committment to doing whatever is necessary to achieve your goal. It may mean turning off the boob tube, saying no to so many volunteer jobs, or closing the door and refusing to come out of the office until your page(s) are written. If you commit fully, you can accomplish your goal.
- Believe in yourself. When you believe it shows in your work, your attitude, and eventually in your goal. There is magic in believing–and as struggling writers we can always use a little magic.
Do you have or do something special that helps you reach your goals?
All good tips, Catherine. The only one that doesn’t work for me is #4. I’m very self-motivated and, if I tell other people my goals so that they can “keep me in line,” for some reason, it has the opposite effect on me. Maybe I resent being “watched over” or “told what to do.” Who knows? All I know is that, when I make myself accountable to “me,” I get the best results.
Not everything works for everyone. I always say take what helps you and run with it, be it writing tips or constructive criticism.
#3 and #4/8 are key for me. Online groups like ROW80 are great for encouragement when you don’t meet the week’s goals.
Those are three that help me a lot too, but #1 is the one I have to work on in the summer when garden chores and travels call me away. BTY, love your new photo!