Write SMART: How to Create Terrific Writing
Goals — And Achieve Them!
BY KATEY COFFING, Ph.D.
Open up your favorite calendar and
circle today's date.
Why? Because no matter what day it is,
you've been given a wonderful gift: a bright and shiny year ahead to
make your writing dreams come true.
What are your writing goals for the
coming year? If you don't have any, this is the perfect time to create
them. Clear goals help you stay focused as a writer. If you choose what
you want to accomplish, you can arrange your time and priorities to get
them done.
Take five minutes right now to decide
what big things you'd like to achieve this year. (I'll focus on your
writing, but this technique can work for any area of your life.)
A long-established acronym, SMART,
can help you create great goals. SMART stands for
- Specific
- Measurable
- Action-Oriented
- Risk/Realistic
- Timed
Here's how each of these words can help
you succeed.
Specific
When determining your goals, be
precise. Instead of "I'll write more this year," consider "I'll complete
a new chapter every two weeks."
Measurable
For each goal you choose, make sure you
can measure progress. For example, how will you know you've completed
it?
Action-oriented
Choose goals you control so they're not
at anyone else's mercy. Rather than "This year I'll get a book
contract," set goals to complete and polish two novels or mail 30
queries to agents.
Risk/Realistic
It's always good to stretch yourself.
However, if writing ten pages usually takes you several weeks, don't
count on writing six novels this year. Unrealistic expectations can get
you so frustrated you'll lose momentum. Instead, create goals that
motivate you without being burdens.
Timed
Setting a particular deadline will help
you pace yourself to get things done. For each of your goals, establish
a completion date.
Next, take these big SMART goals and
figure out what smaller steps you'll need to achieve each of them.
Design these subgoals to be SMART too!
Once you have a list of goals for the
year, put them where you'll see them every day. Print them out and tape
them to your computer, your office wall, even your bathroom mirror.
See them, know them... do them.
Writers, I hope this coming year brings
everything you wish for. More importantly, I want you to make your
dreams come true!
Copyright © 2004 Katey Coffing, Ph.D.
Katey Coffing, Ph.D. is a novelist
and book coach who helps women delight in writing (and finishing!) their
books. Visit her
website and subscribe to her ezine, The Write Calling, for
additional articles and tips for women writers.
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