Monthly Goal Sheet

In order to be productive, a writer must set goals. I know I’ve talked about this before, but it bears repeating. In addition to word count and project goals, a writer needs to set revision and submission goals. Think about making a monthly goal sheet. Mine is divided into three categories: creative, business, and networking.

Creative

What do I include under the creative heading? Weekly flash fictions and blog posts, projects under development, and continuing revision on a Middle Grade manuscript are on this month’s goal sheet. I post it on the bulletin board in plain view then mark through with a green highlighter when I complete a task. At the end of the month, I highlight in orange those tasks not yet complete. These items are added to next month’s goal sheet.

I’ve been fairly consistent completing the writing tasks. Revision and project development take a different kind of energy. First drafts are rarely ready for prime time. That’s why revision is so important. This is where you polish your work until it shines. Check out this posts for revision tips.

Project development is taking an idea and finding the best way to express it. I’m currently working on a novella in flash—a series of flash fiction pieces that when seen as a whole tell a story. Then come the rough draft, revisions, and finally submission, which brings us to the business column.

Business

So you want the life of a writer? Sleeping till noon. Working only when you feel like it. Collecting a royalty check as you visit exotic locations. If only it were so easy.

The business of writing is getting your work in front of people. That requires hard work and perseverance. Those royalty checks won’t come in unless someone buys your work. They won’t buy your work unless they see it. Under the business heading I include weekly posts to findyourwritingnerd, submitting flash fictions to magazines, and researching agents for my completed MG novel. Perseverance is perhaps, the successful writer’s secret weapon. 

Networking

Writing is a lonely undertaking. It’s important to connect with other writers. I belong to several facebook writing groups and recently joined LinkedIn. Check with your librarian or independent bookstore for information on in-person writing groups. Or create your own. If you prefer, there are online writing communities. Whichever route you take, make sure your writing partners share your goals. Do you want to publish a book or article, or are you more interested in improving your writing? Be receptive to suggestions but ultimately it is up to you whether you wish to make changes. When you and your writing partners are satisfied that your work is as good as it can be, it’s time to start the submission process.

Other great networking opportunities are classes, workshops, and conferences. Here you will meet fellow writers and industry professionals who can help you on your journey..

A monthly goal sheet can help you focus on achieving your creative, business and networking writing goals. Also, check out NaNoWriMo for goal-setting tools. In the comments below share some of your writing goals.