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How To Rethink Your Writing Goals

By on January 14, 2020

Is it time to rethink your writing goals? We all know how important it is to have goals, but when it comes to setting ones around what we hope to achieve with our writing, it could be that we are approaching them all wrong. Rather than merely setting writing tasks for yourself, such as 'x number chapters by x date' or 'x number of words per day', perhaps instead we should approach our goal-setting differently.

As it's the start of the new year, we are probably in the right frame of mind to reconsider our writing goals to not only make sure that we progress in the right way but that we set goals that truly align with what we desire for ourselves as writers.

So how do we do this?

Rethink your writing goals with our top tips!

Ask yourself what you want

You might think that you have a simple answer to asking yourself what you want when it comes to your writing, but actually taking the time to answer this question thoroughly is a good idea. Consider what it is that would make you feel successful, that would make you feel as though your time spent writing was time well spent? Try to be both detailed and specific in your answer, and you'll be able to pull out some much more precisely defined goals once you're done. 

Ask yourself what obstacles will prevent you from getting what you want

If we want to achieve our writing goals, we need to be able to succeed no matter what. There are, unfortunately, plenty of obstacles that might prevent you from doing so. Consider what the ones that are the most likely to get in your way are. By actively seeking to understand where we might come across hurdles, we can better prepare ourselves for them and have solutions ready and waiting to make getting over them as smooth and painless as possible. 

Ask yourself how you need to change to get what you want

Often we set our writing goals without considering what we as writers might need to change about ourselves to achieve them. It's no good setting a goal of finishing your novel by the end of the year if you aren't willing to make the necessary changes to your lifestyle to do this. Writers need to have certain qualities, and if we lack them, we need to work on ourselves to improve. Are you ready to make these changes? Identifying them and understanding what you must do is crucial.

Ask yourself, who can help you get what you want?

It's also a great idea to identify other people who can help you achieve your goals. Having a list of contacts ready and waiting who you know can assist you in particular tasks will mean that when you do need to reach out for help, you won't spend time fretting over who to contact and can keep progressing down the right track without batting an eyelid. 

By asking yourself the above, you will get to the bottom of your genuine hopes, desires, and aspirations as a writer, you will have already preempted the obstacles that might arise to get in your way and you''ll also have identified some comrades to ensure that you have help when you need it. By rethinking our writing goals in this way, we are so much more likely to achieve them! 

So now you've learned how to rethink your writing goals, why not discover how SMART goals could help you write your book.

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bethany cadman
Bethany Cadman - bethanycadman.co.uk

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