Fill the First Blank Page With Writing Goals

 

It's the fifth day of January 2021, and blank pages are calling out to writers, both you and me. The photo today shows a clean slate surrounded by rose petals. Can you imagine the lovely scent? What should you put on this blank page and the others behind it? 

The early part of a new year is always a good time to set some goals in your writing life. I can hear a few of you saying 'I did that last year and the year before, why bother doing it all over again?' Even if you set the same, or many of the same goals, each year, it's like having a road sign to guide you to wherever you're headed. 

And yes, some of the goals will be the same each January, but there might be others that you can add this year. Maybe you've never written a novel and you'd like to give it a try this year. A new goal. Or perhaps you've never been very good at submitting your work for possible publication. Doing better at submitting what you write could be another new goal.

Here's a list of possible goals you might set:

1. Set a time to write and stick to it
2. Use writing time wisely
3. Write something in a new genre
4. Get published 
5. Submit at least one piece of writing a month
6. Join a critique group
7. Go to a writers' conference
8. Read one book a month about writing
9. Stay positive about writing life
10. Do a better job of editing and revising
11. Study markets
12. A set number of words each day, week, or month

My list is only a partial one. You can probably find others that suit your individual needs. I've listed a dozen goals. Is that too many? Not enough? 

When setting goals, you want to be realistic. Writing a lengthy list that sounds wonderful but you will not accomplish is a waste of time. How about selecting three from my list, or three of the ones you think of? While twelve may seem overwhelming, three seem doable. Put your list somewhere visible to you on a daily basis. That might help you stay on track. 

If you're not good at achieving goals, why not try two or even one for this year? Then work towards it diligently. 

What happens if you set a list of goals but don't accomplish them by the end of the year? No one but you is going to know your goals unless you choose to share them. If you don't meet the goal, the world will not collapse. A goal is merely something you hope to achieve, something to aim for, and something to keep in mind as you write throughout 2021. 

You'll probably see a lot of articles this month on goal setting for writers. If there are so many, doesn't that make it clear that having one or more writing goals is of some importance?