Make Specific Goals: Part One to Setting Successful Writing Goals

The Rolling Stones had a hit when they sang "Time is on my side." Mick Jagger sang "Yes, it is!" But as many times as Jagger said it (and yes, it was cool), truth is time is not on my side or yours. Time is against us. The sooner we understand that as writers, the better we'll be.

As a journalist for more than a dozen years, I learned to respect time. As a college educator, I am trying to teach students to respect it. When you're 20 years old, it may seem time is on your side. Before you know it, however, you'll look in the mirror at a 40-year-old staring back at you wondering, "Where'd you come from?"

OK, enough trying to establish the importance of time. If you're still reading, then you are the type of person who knows this. You're reading to get help with your writing goals. Right? Then keep reading.

So we're clear, time and goals go together. Let me explain.

In my classes, I tell students they should know what they want and how to get it. That is why Step One to making successful writing goals is so important.

Step One: Write Specific Goals.

Writing specific goals means you must know what you want. Sounds simple doesn't it? Fine. Who has a goal like the following:

I want to write a novel.

or

I want to be a published writer.

Sound familiar? It does to me. I've written down similar statements over the years. But the two goals above are not specific. They are examples of "vague goals."

They are vague because they lack the kinds of details that will force you as a writer to take daily actions to make them a reality. You see, a vague goal like "I want to write a novel" is easy to manipulate. A year goes by and you say, "I'll do it next year." You hear Mick Jagger singing? "Time is on my side!"

So how do you transform this vague goal into a specific goal? Try this:

I want to write a novel in 30 days.

"Hold your horses!" you say. "That's ridiculous." If you think so, then you should visit our friends over at the National Novel Writing Competition, better known as NaNoWriMo. True. It is a daunting goal to write a novel in a month, but many have done it (including myself). I will admit it was an excruciating exercise. Yet, I learned plenty about setting specific goals and meeting them (and somewhere in there I learned a little about novel writing, too). This is just one example. Instead, a specific goal might be "I will write a 300-word Micro Fiction story today." That was my specific writing goal two days ago.

Now let's recap...

Time is not on our side. Time and goals can't be separated. Vague goals are evil. Specific goals are good and make everyone smile. Changing a vague goal to a specific goal involves adding details that force you to take action (And that means making a deadline and/or word count, or other quantifiable result, and sticking to it). 

 So, this first step in Setting Successful Writing Goals begins with writing specific goals. Spend 10 minutes brainstorming as many writing goals as you can. Then examine them. Are they specific? Do they include details that force you to pull out pen and paper or your laptop and start writing RIGHT NOW!?

Give it a shot and message me your goals, your thoughts. Try it now. Don't believe you have time to do it tomorrow or the next day. Time is not on your side. Do it now. 

Maybe you want more guidance. Good! This is just the start. Over the month of August, I will outline the four parts to Setting Successful Writing Goals. The four parts are as follows:

• Make specific writing goals
• Plan writing 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 taught to college students using the text, "From Master Student to Master Employee," edited by Doug Toft. So, if you are serious about setting successful writing goals, be sure to read my article series this month. For more immediate help, send an email or leave a comment. I will respond.

NEXT ARTICLE IN THE SERIES

AUGUST 8TH, 2011: PART 2 IN THE SERIES - PLANNING WRITING GOALS IN THREE TIME CATEGORIES

Revisiting Your Past To Help Your Writing

You ever wonder when you started believing in something, talking with a certain twang (or without it), wearing a specific brand of jeans? If you're like me, some of those details have vanished from recallable memory.

That information, of course, is up there somewhere in my brain, but I can't seem to find it. Think of my memory like a large house with several levels, rooms and hallways. Each room has certain pieces of memories. My problem is that I don't know which floor or down which hall those memories now reside, and even if I did, the doors to the rooms are locked and I've misplaced the keys. 

Come to think of it, those rooms might be so cluttered that those memories might even be packed away in unlabeled boxes in those rooms. Add to this the idea that my memory is more like an endless track of houses in a neighborhood as vast as the horizon on the Texas plains. Each day I keep adding more boxes and more houses.

 I tweeted this the other day:

When's the last time you visited your childhood home and reflected? If you're a writer, you should and take pen and paper.

As an educator, I know that I am who I am because of all I have experienced - especially early in those particularly exciting developmental years of life. My exercise is to rummage through that part of me that existed what seems like a lifetime ago: before I was a husband, father, educator, college graduate, etc., etc. 

I know it will affect (and help) my writing. I just don't know exactly how. That is the exciting part.

New Article Series on Setting Writing Goals

Over the past several weeks, I have spent many hours on my Mall Demon Urban Fantasy Short Story Series. Parts One and Two are already online at Wattpad for your reading pleasure.

The first two parts never would have seen the light of day if I had not set specific goals to get them published online. In fact, the Mall Demon stories might have ended up where many of my other fiction projects have through the years: nowhere but a fantasy in my head.

Can you relate? I'm sure some of you can. Truth be told, setting goals is fairly easy. Setting meaningful, specific goals is harder. Following through until the goals are met is even tougher. 

Tough, but not impossible. That's the good news for beginning writers. I will share the techniques I have learned and used to write the Mall Demon series and thousands of newspaper articles and news blog posts over the past 15 years. And so we can get it out of the way now, I am sharing this information at no cost to you. That's right. No charge. Free. Well, you will need to spend your time to read the articles and set your own goals.

Again, the first step is to set specific goals. As beginning writers, we must avoid vague goals. We need concrete goals. So, this first step is where my article series on Setting Successful Writing Goals will begin. 

Over the month of August, I will outline the four parts to Setting Successful Writing Goals. The four parts are as follows:

• Make specific writing goals
• Plan writing 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 taught to college students. More on all the specifics later. So, if you are serious about setting successful writing goals, be sure to read my article series beginning in August.

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

NEW! Second Part of Mall Demon Urban Fantasy Series Released

I just posted the latest addition to the Mall Demon Urban Fantasy Short Story Series. Readers can check it out for FREE at Wattpad.

The latest addition is PART TWO in the THIRTEEN-PART short story series that focuses on the battle between angels and demons at a modern-day shopping mall. The story, "Swift To Sin, Swift To Shed Blood" follows PART ONE, "Death Speaks Loudest To Those Who Flee (A folk story retold)."

After showing the second story to a few readers, I looked again at the end - in particular, the last scene with Lily. Some said they thought it was "too creepy." So, I'm wondering what others might think.

Is the final part of "Swift To Sin, Swift To Shed Blood" too creepy?

Let me know. Comments and e-mail messages are always welcome.

COMING NEXT: PART THREE in the Mall Demon Urban Fantasy Series.
(If you like what you see, please feel free to make a donation using the "Donate" button at the top right of this blog.

J.K. Rowling and Shakespeare: Do They Compare?

On July 22, 1598, Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice was entered on the Stationers' Register, according to History.com. That's Mr. William Shakespeare, the literary icon, for anyone who slept through English Literature in high school.


The Merchant of Venice, was one of the Bard's many plays, his bread and butter. It's how Shakespeare made a living. I was reading a post on The Guardian's site, The theology of Harry Potter. The post received hundreds of comments. Many from readers who did not see the value of a Christian theology and Harry Potter class being offered at a university.


As I read through the comments, I noticed an argument forming in some of the comments: Rowling's work is popular fiction not really worthy of academic study as literature. And of course, the comparison was made to Shakespeare's work. His work is worth studying.


What do you think? Share your comments below.


I am the first to say that the Bard is "THE MAN!" I can't help but conclude, however, that Shakespeare wasn't always "THE MAN!" In his day, Shakespeare was doing then what Rowling has been doing now: giving the audience what it wants and earning a living doing it. He was successful. She is, of course, wicked successful. That is how Rowling and Shakespeare compare to me, at least. 


Now, if I could have some of Shakespeare's staying power and Rowling's earnings, I'd be set.

Mall Demon Urban Fantasy Series: Part Two, Designs Coming

Part Two of the Mall Demon Urban Fantasy Series is almost ready for print. Part One was "Death Speaks Loudest To Those Who Flee." You still can check the story out for FREE on Wattpad. Part Two is called "Swift To Sin, Swift To Shed Blood."

This is the second of 13 parts. I will be posting it on Wattpad, which you can view for FREE on your PC, e-Reader or smartphone. For the moment, my mugshot is still the only art on the cover. However, a designing duo is working tirelessly as we speak on graphics concepts for the cover. I'm hoping you'll see some of those concepts by the time Part Three is posted.

As always, if you like what you read, please share your LIKES and if so moved, make a donation using the DONATE button at the top right corner of this blog.

Not lost in all this, coming in August is the first in a series of helpful articles on setting specific, realistic writing goals.

OK... back to the cave.

Mall Demon Urban Fantasy Series: Second Story Coming Soon

Despite all the emotional drama that I'm having to deal with (parent in the hospital), I am still going to hit my deadline for the second short story in my Mall Demon Urban Fantasy Series. There are 13 parts to the series. I will be releasing subsequent parts about every two weeks.

You can always check back to my Pedro Is Writing blog for updates.

I will be traveling over the next couple of weeks, but armed with my netbook, I'll be plugging away at the drafts.

If you haven't noticed, I've added a few new features to the blog. One key addition is a Donation button. If you like the Mall Demon Urban Fantasy Series, please feel free to make a donation - even a $1 will be appreciated.

If you have comments about the Mall Demon Urban Fantasy Series, please share them here or on the Wattpad site.