Goal Setting for Writing

It's that time of year - New Year's Resolutions! Did you make any writing resolutions for 2023? I did! The question for both of us is this: Are they reasonable? I think it is not only important to have writing goals but to really look at them and assess if they are reasonable.

For example, let's say I have declared that I am writing and editing a book this year. Watty season is coming up, after all! For the Wattys, I know my book, based on past requirements, has to be at least 50k words long, and it has to be finished. So, my first goal of the year is to write a 50k book. My second would be to edit said book.

I think it is easier to work backward from a deadline. While we don't yet know the specifics for the Wattys, last year, the deadline was earlier than the previous: August 19th. Let's work with that date for this year, even though it probably isn't correct.

I first have to decide how long I need to edit my book. I think I could do a good job in a month and a half. You might not need as long, or you might need longer, but I recommend a month at least. If I take a month and a half, that means I need to start editing on July 1st. Let's say I want to take two weeks off between the time I stop writing and the time I start editing. I would need to have my writing finished by June 15th. Let's go with the 18th since that's a Sunday. I think I can write a decent book in 75,000 words. To get that done between these two dates, I need to average 481 words a day or 3,367 words a week, working every day.

Now I have all this worked out, I have to be realistic about what I can and can't do. If things are flowing well. I can write 500 in under an hour, so I think this is reasonable for me if I can keep up with it every day, on average. Sounds like I need to get writing!

Once written, I then focus on editing, which is harder for me to plan. I usually can't until the book is written. But, I know I tend to make my chapters all about the same length, so setting up an editing schedule by chapter isn't a bad idea. I aim for 1800 words per chapter. For a 75k-word book, that's about 40 chapters, give or take. I have 45 days to edit 40 chapters, so I need to get a chapter a day done. I also feel this is reasonable for me. It's ambitious, don't get me wrong, but doable.

To recap: For setting goals, start with the deadline, either one given to you or one you impose on yourself, and then plan backward. Check out how long books in your preferred genres usually are to help with word count. When you're just starting out, and you don't have a feel for how you work, don't be afraid to adjust. You can go as slow or as fast as you need to be comfortable.

Also, take into account your habits. If you're the kind of person who would be driven insane by doing a task every day, don't plan on writing daily. Do it every other day, or something like that. You'll also need to investigate what time of day works best for you as well as where it is comfortable to write. There are many factors to play with! You can do it, though, just pay attention.

In order to help me plan, I've used a great tool called Pacemaker Planner. You can use it for free for up to three plans! Check out www.pacemaker.press to try it out. It's very customizable and allows you to schedule days off or to write more or less on given days of the week and such.

Yvonne

Team Of Dreams