Setting Goals is the Key to Completing Writing Projects

If you are anything like me, finding the time to write can be a challenge. Life is busy. As important as writing is, so is going to work(I teach at the college level), helping my kids with their homework, paying bills, cooking meals, doing laundry, and spending quality time with my wife.

So, how do we do it? I have found one strategy that helps is setting goals. I know what you’re thinking. 

“Duh! Goals, I knew that.”

Well, that’s what I thought, too. And yet, my writing projects remained neglected. I found that my goals simply were not specific enough. So the first core concept that I am sharing here for writers is to avoid vague goals and learn how to make concrete ones. 

That’s the first step in this four-step goal setting strategy. This particular strategy is one of many. If you like it, use it. If not, feel free to shoot me a message with strategies that work best for you and your writing.

Over the month of August, I will outline the four parts to the strategy. The four parts are as follows:

• Make specific writing goals
• Plan goals in three time categories
• Include goals in areas of your life (outside of writing)
• Reflect often on your goals 

As I explain the strategy, you may recognize parts of it. Truth is I adapted it from general goal setting strategies I have used in the classroom. More on all the specifics later.

For now, I have a 5-minute writing workout to tackle....

AUGUST 1ST, 2011: PART 1 IN THE SERIES - MAKING SPECIFIC WRITING GOALS