One of our granddaughters is on a high school basketball team in a small town, 4A conference. At the beginning of the school year, the team set some goals. One was to make it to sub-state and another to go to state finals. They worked hard all year, ended with an 18-4 record, and went to sub-state and won. A goal achieved. Last night, they played in the state quarter-finals and beat an excellent team by one point. Goal achieved. And hard-won! Friday night, they play in the state semi-finals trying to make that final goal of playing for the 4A state championship.
The girls had something to aim for with each game they played this year. We watched the live-streamed videos and joined in with their joy at each win and felt bad for the very few losses they had. Reaching their individual goals did not happen quickly nor did it come without hard work and some guidance from the coach.
I love that these teen-age girls are finding success and completing goals for their team. But I also love that they will become young women who understand what goals are and how much work it may take to reach these aims. They're setting a pattern for the rest of their lives.
It's what we as writers also need to do right from the first day we take pen in hand or place fingers on keys. Setting goals gives us something to work for. Having a goal to reach propels our work habits.
Think of the carousel you rode with delight as a small child. Usually, there was a gold ring that you passed each time the carousel made its full circle. The child riding the steed on the outer edge could reach for that gold ring. Catch it and win a prize or a free ride. Aren't we writers trying to grasp the gold ring in our writing world, too?
It's easier to do that if you set some realistic goals that you can work toward in your writing world. A word of caution--don't create an over-abundance of things you hope to accomplish. Start with a shortlist and, once you achieve one, add another.
Possible goals for writers:
- Time allotment for writing daily
- Number of words written per day
- Reading about writing
- Attending one writing conference per year
- Submitting on a regular basis
- Improving writing on a regular basis
- Joining a writing critique group
- Reaching more readers
- Increase vocabulary and word usage
- Using sensory details
- Adding emotion
The list above is only a partial one, and again, don't try to work on all of them, or others you set at once. Choose one or two to begin. When you see progress, add another. Progress may be slow, and there could be times when you get discouraged. Time to step back, take a deep breath, and soldier on. Nobody ever said the road to your writing journey would be without a few bumps.
I mentioned 'when you see progress.' Check now and then to see if you \are making progress or was the goal merely words to look at, not work toward?
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