Day -3: Choose your Goal

2016 Spring Clean Writing Fling

GOAL SETTING
-PJ Switzer

Goal setting and planning, two of the favorite exercises of the left-brained. Still, if we want to be productive we're going to have to develop these two skills. Here's a tip to take the sting out of the process.

SET SPECIFIC, BUT REASONABLE GOALS 

For example: By March 31, 2016 …

A query letter polished and ready to use.
or
30,000 words on my current manuscript.
or
Finish The Right to Write by Julia Cameron.

Make sure to seek the counsel of the Spirit in setting your goal. Whatever you do, DO NOT set your goal based on what another writer is doing.

I recently began social media stalking a writer whom I admire and respect. She’s writing upwards of 3,500 words per day while editing two other manuscripts, maintaining a blog, raising a family, and curing cancer (probably).

Naturally, when I sat down to set my own goals I based my plan on HER accomplishments and not my abilities. What followed were weeks of frustration and not much productivity. I learned several important things from that experience.

First, that lady is probably an alien. (That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.)

Second, and this is going to sound like a “well, duh” statement, I cannot write as another author does. If my voice is unique so then is my pace and my process. 

Third, comparison kills creativity.

Vermeer produced 34 paintings during his career. 
Rembrandt, on the other hand, produced roughly 300 paintings, 300 prints, 
and more than 2,000 drawings.

That Vermeer, what a hack!

Agatha Christie wrote 69 novels and 19 plays. 
In contrast, Harper Lee published 2 books and for the majority of her career 
had a single title to her name.

Looking at their output we could argue that Vermeer and Lee were lesser artists but anyone looking at Woman With a Water Jug or reading To Kill a Mockingbird knows that isn’t true. 

One work of art, one book can change the world. Don’t give up because you’re not Barbara Cartland, producing a new book every 40 days.

Links to look at: 

Both sites have cute, FREE printables to helps with goal setting & organization.

http://www.remakingjunecleaver.com/printable-calendar-set-beautiful-banner/

http://inkhappi.com/goal-planning-worksheets/

Return & Report

Let us know  -  Report back on the comments in Facebook!

Have you Read:

1. The Spring Clean Info post?  CHECK

2. Sample Daily Post: Day -4?  CHECK
3. Goal Setting: Day -3? CHECK

You're on you're way for the most amazing month ever!

Content by P.J. Switzer & Janet Clark