Sunday, January 3, 2016

Writing goals for 2016

First of all, happy new year!

Every Jan. 1st, I wake up feeling energized. New year, new chance to make my mark in the writing world. I realize it's just another day, but the cool thing is that it symbolizes a new 365 days (or rather 366 since this is a leap year) of possibilities.

With each new year, I set "updated" goals for myself. I say updated because they're always the same. Write more. Read more. Submit more. In 2015, I scored two noteworthy writing credits, which still has me overjoyed. Day 2 of 2016, I sent off a new essay to an online publication after answering a call-out for stories. No response from the editor yet, but I'm reveling in the satisfaction of having finished something! I'm notorious for dwelling on a piece for weeks and weeks, which often turns into months and months.

So here are my specific writing goals for 2016:
  • Sunday is my designated writing day.
Of course, I can write on any day, but Sunday will be my no-excuse day. And it's also my must-update-blogs day. So no more of this willy-nilly posting
  • Produce one finished product per week.
To take the pressure off, it can be a piece of flash fiction, a short story, an essay, anything, once it's FINISHED.
  • Submit one piece of writing or more weekly.
I'm applying the same rules as above on this one. Doesn't matter what it is, as long as it's finished and ready to get tossed out into the world of publishing possibilities. This will be good for me because the last several years, I found myself trying to score with the same 2 short stories and neglected to push myself to have more finished work. Maybe that's why Santa didn't visit this year. I was being bad.
  • Finish writing 2 novels. 
I wrote a fiction novel back in 2011-2012, and to date, it's the only one I've finished. I have no shortage of ideas, just a short attention span and minimal amounts of solitude for writing. I've been working (very gradually since 2010!) on an autism mom memoir. Think of all the new data I've accumulated with those extra five years of procrastination. I want to write a sci-fi novel, as well.
  • Read at least 1 book per month 
I've learned time and time again that reading gives my writing endeavors a serious boost. It's a huge source of inspiration. Plus, with each finished read, I have a new writing opportunity in the form of a book review.

I'm such a ravenous reader lately that I am juggling three different books. Do you ever do that?



Five goals is enough to keep me in line this year, methinks! Cheers to more writing and reading! Day 3, and so far so excellent.

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