Thursday, January 12, 2012

New Year, New Goals


What writing goals do you have this year? Hey everyone, Annette here. Following Dee Bright's awesome post on Monday about setting goals, have you had a chance to write any down? I tend to compartmentalize, which I’ll explain in a moment. But I do have overall goals, like always working to better my writing craft.

I have a deadline in March to hand in my full ms. That will keep me pretty busy until then. So for now, my year is broken into that project until 3/15, and then I’ll set other goals. (See? Compartmentalized.) Last year I wrote a dollar download in March. Maybe I’ll work on another one following handing in my manuscript. But I see a little problem there: maybe.

If I’m not careful, this might end up being a meandering sort of year.

How do you like to work? Set specific goals with timelines/deadlines? Or just let whatever happens, happen? In my experience, there’s a much better chance that something will actually happen if I prayerfully set specific goals with deadlines. How about you?

The key is to discover the best way you work and to not let yourself off too many hooks. *wink* Chances are, as a writer, you are your own boss. As such, you have to employ discipline in order to plant yourself in a chair and pound out words, am I right?

So if you haven't, I encourage you to prayerfully set specific goals for this year. Write them down. Hold yourself to them. Find accountability partners (this is key for staying motivated and for mutual encouragement), and get to work.

You can make your goals this year. You can get another glimpse of your dreams coming true. God will plant (or nurture) dreams in your heart and fulfill them. He’s faithful.

Now, you be faithful. Ready, set, write! And have a great year!