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New Years Resolutions 2002: A Goal Setting Plan for Writers
by Carolyn Burch

A Plan for a Plan

Making a New Year’s Smart Resolution:

Figure out what it is that is your end goal, IE: what is it that you want to be able to say in five years from New Years 2002? Write it down. (specific)

What are you doing currently to achieve that goal? Make a list of ten things your are currently doing, such as internet research, making contact with other writers, buying software or pencils, drinking a new brand of coffee, anything and everything you are doing currently that can be construed to be working towards your goal, however weak.

Now get realistic, and use numbers. Of those ten things, what could you be doing better, and doing less of. Make a list and be specific ("I could spend less time talking about writing and more time writing", "If I’m querying ten a week, I could be querying 20" and so on. (measurable) If you break your goal down into five even pieces, what do you have to do in 2002 to hit your five year goal? Name each piece of the five and number them. Print them and put them in your wallet and on your keyboard so you see them all each day. (Measurable/Achievable/Related)

Plan at least one 8 hour block of time a week for free-form writing (no editing, just writing and getting it down on paper or hardrive) and one 4 hour block of time a week for editing and preparing queries to send out. (Time-Bound) Put it on a calender, make the space for it, and then turn off the phones, get rid of the kids, whatever you have to do to keep the commitment to yourself.

Make a list of ten things that you will do a week to achieve that goal #1 of the five-year plan, and put your signature to it. Laminate it, and hang it on your wall. (Time Bound)

Copyright © Carolyn Burch

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