How to Crush Your Writing Goals In 2019!

Hello, and Happy New Year! I can’t believe It’s 2019. It feels like just yesterday it was January 1, 2018. And because we just hit the new year that means new goal/s, and a new start to those goals. Sorry to say it, I’m just honest, but about 50% of those goal/s will not be accomplished, but here are a few tips to help you reach the most important goals on your list by the end of the year.

1. Be Realistic

Okay, when I say be realistic I don’t mean give up on your dreams and think it’s never going to happen, I can’t stand when someone brings someone else down. What I mean is don’t assume you’ll reach point Z after finishing point A and or B. IE if you just finished your first draft you’re not ready to send your manuscript to be published, (believe it or not I thought that about my own work and almost five years and multiple drafts later I’m now editing my novel.)

2. Write it Down

Recently; and when I say recently, I mean this month, but I digress bought a whiteboard thinking it’ll be more beneficial if I saw what I have to do, the time I should do it, in front my eyes. And to my surprise, it works. My point is when you have a schedule in front you-you're more likely to get what you need to get done done. There’s no excuse.

3. Give yourself a time period

I know some people are not into due dates for a project, and I’m one of those people, but sometimes it helps push you along. For me giving myself a due date is like pulling teeth. It’s almost impossible for me to meet the date I gave myself to finish something. I’d procrastinate and procrastinate until I worry how I’m going to finish on time. I know what you’re thinking why am I telling you to give yourself a due date if it’s hard for me to stick to mine.

Well, the reason I say to give yourself a date is just to give you a push if you have the nagging thought that I have to get my word count up by this day or I’m starting my first draft on that day you’ll have the drive and automatically get more complete. Which in turn gets you closer to your goal and what you’re striving for. For example, ( and FYI I’m sticking to this date.) my overall writing goal for 2019 is to finish editing all eighteen chapters in my novel by my birthday in November.

4. Make a Plan

Always start out with a plan. A plan is your map to your destination. If you know when you want to end your goal/s it’s no doubt you’ll need to know how you’re going to get there. For me, I started my plan at the end of 2018. But if you didn’t make a list or plan of how you want to reach your 2019 writing goal/s at the end of last year than what better point to start making them than at the beginning of this year. No, doubt they’ll be some bumps and days where it gets overwhelming, and need a break. But that’s anything if you think about it! Think about it this way if you love what you’re doing and it’s not hurting you or anyone then what a better place to start than now.

Last Thoughts

As a writer or as anyone reaching for their dream/s it’s a difficult route. You’re doing something people say you can’t do, something people think you can’t make a living off of and will criticize you about. Sorry to sound dismal. But anyway, if you keep sticking to your plan and preserving your goals will come to pass, and soon they’ll turn into a new goal, and a new one, soon your dreams/s will be achieved. So, start crushing your goal/s for this year.