Goals

I write, therefore I am, and I find if you love life, life will love you back. 

That’s a motto of mine. I’m writing through smaller projects, I’m mingling with other writers, loving the shared time in positive feedback. And I’m working through the fine editing of my current big project, my manuscript at more than 140,000 words.

Photo by Holger Hubbs

As writers, goals give us momentum to see a story through, and while no two goals are exactly alike,  

     here are some tips:

1. Know your end result. It could be to express yourself by completing a personal essay, fleshing out a poem, or perhaps writing an article. Or, it could be something else. My goal is to get my manuscript ready for publication.  Although it will be the first goal you create, knowing the destination will form the final step in your unfolding plan of action.

2. Know your starting point. What tools do you have to work with that will work? I carry a journal and pen with me everywhere I go. I have a filing system on my computer. Whatever you like to work with, take stock, and get what you need to get started. Equally important is recognizing other obligations, not to neglect family and commitments. I have a fulltime job—it pays my bills. As much as I’d like to stay home to put in a full day at writing, that’s not feasible. Thus, we are to balance our time.

3. Understand what action steps are needed. This can mean different things for different projects. Here are a few ideas: time management, research, writing, editing and revising, sharing with other writers. Whatever it may be for you, outline it. Get a feel for what it takes. Set yourself an estimated deadline to achieve each step, which could involve added pressure, but that pressure will motivate you.

My remaining steps include editing—that’s where I am at now, and writing a synopsis, as well as scheduled classes to help me understand the publication process.

Arrange your steps to reflect the order in which you believe will be the most efficient way to attain your own end result. Include any outside factors that will likely influence your action.

4. Monitor you plan. Be flexible to modify your steps should extraneous situations arise. Six months ago I bought a house. That put my plan out-of-wack, to say the least. So, I revised my steps and accepted my situation as a good thing. By adjusting our outline, we are still actively pursuing our goal.

5. With each item check marked off your list of steps, celebrate.

 I like to go out to lunch with a fellow writer when it comes to celebrating.

Photo by Holger Hubbs

No matter what your situation is, setting realistic goals will help to keep your writing aspirations on track, and make your dreams come true.

My end goal is more specific than to get my manuscript ready for publication. I want to complete it by my fiftieth birthday. And that’s coming up quick. I could say “Oh no, 50 years old; that old?” Instead, I plan on loving life at fifty, with my goal completed. For those reasons, I am modifying my attention to my blog. Where I once posted weekly, I will be posting less frequently, but no less than once monthly. In between posts, be sure to visit my Page of Archived Posts.

‘Til next time, set your goal to make your dreams a reality.   

-Elle-