Welcome back to another week of improvement. I hope your weekend was restful. Our local football team made it to the Super Bowl so all is right in our little corner of the world.
And since the Seahawks met one of their goals for the season, today seems like a good day to discuss your goals as a writer. Do you have goals? Do you have a plan? Serious question for serious people, and I only ask it because I am a bit surprised by the number of writers I run across who don’t have any direction whatsoever.
Now let me begin by saying if you simply write because you have the passion then that is good enough for me. The goal, in that case, is accomplished every single time you sit down to write and I say bravo to you. Anyone who has followed me even a little bit knows how I feel about writing with passion, so I’m in your corner all the way.
If, however, you have other goals, say to write a book, or to make it as a freelance writer, then may I suggest breaking your goals into smaller, more-manageable goals that are doable in the short term and will give you some quick success?
For example, let’s say your goal is to write a novel. Well great, but how are you going to go about it? Do you just want to write one before you die? A bit nebulous if you ask me. How about setting a goal of writing one chapter every month? That way you will have some good feelings about your accomplishments.
Writing is a tough gig, and I think it is important that we give ourselves attainable goals so we can experience some “feel good” sensations along the way.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”
Leonardo da Vinci
Yep, I have to agree with old Leonardo on that one.
CONTEST OF THE DAY
Writer Advice has a flash fiction contest going on with a deadline of April 18th. A $15 entry fee is charged. Check it out here.
PROMPT OF THE DAY
How about a music prompt today. Here is the link to a Youtube video of a song I love. Check it out and see if it doesn’t prompt some writing out of you.
AND A PICTURE PROMPT OF THE DAY
For those of you who hate music. What does this picture say to you?
BLOG OF THE DAY
I never remember who I’ve highlighted, but oh well. Here is my friend Donna with her blog…check her out; she’s a nice lady and a darn fine writer.
MORE ON THURSDAY
Happy writing to you all this week. I’ll check with you on Thursday and see how you are doing with those goals. Thanks for the visit.
Bill
“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”
Billybuc
Artistry With Words 
Bill, my goal right now is to make it through another long, cold, snowy winter and see spring again. But that isn’t my writing goal, of course. That would be to write from my heart and making a bit of money never hurt me to help pay some bills and do what I can to give my kids all they need or want. Have a great day and thank you as always Bill for just being you 🙂
Good goals for sure, Janine. Good luck with that latest snowstorm and thank you.
Interesting Bill–I find that I have to write either poetry or work on the novel–I can’t do both in one day–so some days it is one and other days, the other–but I try to write every day–
I do the same thing, Audrey. I can’t work on a hub and my novel in the same day…one or the other…that’s how my mind works.
Thank you for the visit my friend.
Goals goals goals…i gotta keep making new ones each week cause of not being able ot achieve them…lol
happy tuesday to you too 🙂
Well, at least you are making them, Ruchira. That’s a step in the right direction.
A plan is so very important, otherwise you’re just running helter-skelter and getting nothing done. It took me a while to figure that out. I’m still having some difficulty with time management. I think what I need to do is set days for writing and others for maintenance and learning. For instance, today I revamped my invoice template and set up a professional rates page/guideline. I still need to revise the flyer I’m going to send out to green businesses to reflect my niche preference. I’m learning to set daily goals and to be reasonable in doing so. Some tasks end up taking longer than anticipated.
Your photo prompt brings to mind failing eyesight as we age. Is it blurry or is it me? 🙂
LMAO…no, Sha, it is out of focus. I didn’t realize it until I had posted it and then I didn’t care enough to change it. 🙂
Thanks for recommending my blog, Bill! I don’t know what to say!
Thanks is good enough, Donna, and you are welcome.
I had to chuckle when I read this because unfortunately, that has sort of been my goal…to write a book before I die!LOL…I love the idea of one chapter a month. Thanks for the great idea Bill.
Hey Karen, glad I could provide a chuckle for you. Good luck with that first chapter and thanks for the visit.
Awesome quote, Bill! Love it and you know me – I also don’t believe in simply sitting back and wishing for things to happen, so can definitely relate. It’s such a weight off my shoulders having broken down my writing goals… actually I had to chuck a whole bunch off them off my list because I was trying to do the impossible, LOL. It’s all a learning experience/journey though, isn’t it? Have a great “mini Saturday!”
Mel, I love it…chuck a whole bunch of them. No sense chasing our tails; I’d rather chase something I can catch. 🙂 Thank you my friend and Happy Wednesday to you.
I’m glad the Seahawks and the Broncos advanced…it’s all good for me!
You are such an inspiration Bill…I do need to sit down and think about direction…oh my! Which way do I go?
Kelly, from my vantage point you are doing well…but only you can know for sure. Thank you and Go Seahawks!