4 Ways To Achieve Your Writing Goals
“Exercise the writing muscle every day, even if it is only a letter, notes, a title list, a character sketch, a journal entry. Writers are like dancers, like athletes. Without that exercise, the muscles seize up.”
—Jane Yolen
I’m writing this article in January 2020, so I have New Year’s resolutions on my mind. It seems that whenever a new year or a new season begins, we immediately start thinking about self-improvement, whether that means forming new habits or curbing bad ones. The truth is we can decide to incorporate new practices at any time. This impulse to be or do better is healthy so long as you also acknowledge the areas in your life where you excel. So, with that tiny caveat in mind, how can you make progress in achieving your writing goals?
Perhaps you’ve resolved to write more or to finally finish that book project you’ve been working on for years. It doesn’t matter if you are an aspiring writer or a published author, following through on your resolutions will require a concentrated effort to develop new habits.
So, whether you’re reading this at the beginning of a new year or simply looking to focus more intently on your writing goals, here are FOUR simple ways you can successfully achieve your goal to write more:
Start a Writing Journal
Institute a Daily Writing Time
Commit to a Daily or Weekly Word Count Goal
Join a Writer’s Critique Group
Starting A Writing Journal is a great first step for any aspiring writer. There is no need to invest in an expensive journal; a simple notebook will do. Journaling regularly will help you develop the habit of writing. Record book or story ideas, jot down a few random sentences that come to mind at odd times, or simply write down your thoughts and experiences. Reflect on the events of your day and how those events made you feel. Or try writing without thinking, which is often called stream-of-consciousness writing or freewriting. Sit down, put your pen to paper, fill up the page with whatever comes to mind, and do not edit yourself. Remember, it’s less about what you write and more about the act of writing regularly.
Instituting a Daily Writing Time is critical for those who want to make steady progress toward their writing goals. Start by blocking out a specific time each day when you can sit down and write. Some writers find it easiest to wake up early and write for an hour or two before the day starts. Or if you’re a night owl, you may prefer to write for an hour or two before bed. Whatever you decide, consistency is key. And let’s be honest, we’re all incredibly busy people, so if thirty minutes is all you can invest in your writing—block out thirty minutes and write. It’s okay to start small and build on that.
Setting Word Count Goals is another simple way to motivate yourself to write regularly. You might commit to writing 1,000 words each day or, if your schedule is more demanding, 5,000 words each week. Don’t worry too much about the quality of your writing, or about editing what you’ve written. Just concentrate on getting words on the page. When you meet your daily or weekly goals on a regular basis, you’ll get in the groove of writing and that momentum will carry you forward to meet your bigger goals for your work in progress.
Joining a Writer's Critique Group can be an excellent way to get serious about your writing and build in some accountability around meeting particular writing goals. Check your local newspaper, coffee shop, or library for writer’s group listings in your area. Or search for like-minded writers online via Meetup, LinkedIn, or social media. Critique groups give you a forum to share your work and solicit input. You’ll be able to get real-time feedback that will help you improve as a writer. Some writer’s groups are less focused on content and more focused on encouraging one another, so you may not receive direct edits and critiques, but having a group of people encouraging you and checking in on your goals can be so important as you work on a writing project.
Whatever strategies you adopt, just keep writing. I know there are endless demands on your time and it’s easy to find excuses not to write. But if you are resolved to write more, don’t let those old excuses keep you from pursuing your dream.