8 Effective Ways to Set and Achieve Writing Goals

How can we build productive writing lives that allow us to consistently work on our stories, even when we don’t feel motivated? 

Although life events may sideline our writing at times, today’s post shares several ways to make your writing time more fruitful. Get ready to take your dreams from “someday” to “today”!

Tips on Setting Your Writing Goals

1. Distinguish between short-, medium-, and long-term goals.

When you set goals, it’s helpful to consider whether they are short-, medium-, or long-term goals.

• Short-term goals are objectives you want to achieve this hour, day, or week—completing a chapter, editing five pages, etc.
• Medium-term goals are objectives that might take weeks or months to accomplish—completing an individual draft, preparing a book proposal, etc. 
• Finally, long-term goals take several months or years to complete—getting published, building an author platform, etc.

2. Determine your overall goal, and break it into smaller pieces.

First, define the long-term goal you want to achieve—such as getting a novel published. 

Once you determine your long-term goal, break your objective into smaller medium-term goals. Getting published entails a variety of steps, such as drafting and editing a manuscript, seeking beta reader feedback, hiring a professional editor, building an author platform, etc. 

Finally, divide the medium-term goals into short-term goals. The medium-term goal of drafting a manuscript can be divided into the short-term goals of drafting chapter 1, chapter 2, and so forth. 

Completing one chapter (short-term goal) will get you closer to finishing your first draft (medium-term goal), which contributes to pursuing publication (long-term goal).

3. Make your goals specific.

Define your goals in concrete terms. Instead of saying, “I want to write something,” get specific: “I want to write five hundred words today,” or “I want to complete two chapters this week.” These specific milestones will help you shoot for a clear goal—and recognize when you’ve reached it.

Likewise, goals are often easier to measure when they include a specific deadline. Do you want to write four hundred words during your half-hour writing session? Do you want to write a chapter this week? Do you want to finish your book proposal by the end of the month?

4. Record your goals.

Once you determine your goals, write them down. Recording your goals will help you remember them and keep you motivated.

You can also share your goals with a family member, friend, fellow writer, or other trusted person. If you have an author friend, you can brainstorm together and encourage each other to complete your writing goals.

Tips on Achieving Your Writing Goals

1. Carve out a specific time to regularly work toward your goal.

You might not be able to write every day, but writing consistently will help you maintain your momentum. Maybe you like to get up early and write for half an hour, or you have some free time after work.

Some writers work better at a quiet desk, while others enjoy writing at a coffee shop with background noise. Some authors put on music; others prefer silence. Try different options to see what works for you.

2. Set a timer.

Many writers participate in “word sprints,” during which they set a timer for a short amount of time (such as ten or twenty minutes) and write as much as possible before the timer goes off. You can do word sprints by yourself or with writer friends. 

3. End your writing sessions in the right place.

When you finish your writing session, leave yourself notes about what will happen in the next chapter.

Many authors avoid ending writing sessions at the end of a chapter. Instead, they leave themselves a small bit to write in the current chapter, or they write a few sentences in the next chapter. This method helps you maintain your momentum instead of staring at a blank page labeled “Chapter Twelve.” 

4. Give yourself grace.

Although productivity is important, goals shouldn’t become a source of stress or frustration. Even when you don’t hit your daily word count goal, celebrate the progress you have made. Build grace days into your schedule to account for unexpected events. The purpose of goals is to help you create outstanding stories, not to overwhelm you. 

Drops Filling a Bucket

When setting goals, make sure to distinguish between short-, medium-, and long-term goals. Define your objectives in specific terms, write them down, and tell someone else for accountability. 

To achieve your goals, carve out particular times and distraction-free places to work on your writing projects. Finally, give yourself grace as you pursue your goals. 

Like drops filling a bucket, small but consistent efforts will equip you to set and achieve writing goals that bring you closer to your dreams every day. 

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What writing goals do you have for the coming year?

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