Before You Go Back to Your Writing Group: August is for Refreshing Goals

Review your goals now to make the most of a writing group for the rest of the year.

Several writers told me that they take off from writing work and groups in the summer. They use their vacation time to play with small writing experiments, read a variety of books, or laze around, absorbing their summer surroundings. That's great!

Some of these authors also shared another tip: They use downtime to review and fine-tune their goals for the rest of the year. Why? Come September, when they're recharged and raring to go, they'll be ready to jump into their existing writing group or join a new one with a clear vision of what they want to accomplish by the end of the year and how their writing buddies can help.

This suggestion sounded so sensible, I thought it worthwhile to walk you through the benefits of reviewing your goals in August. If you take stock now, you'll be able to make the most of the rest of the year to achieve your 2025 objectives:

1. Clarity and Focus

   Take the time to reflect on what you want to achieve with your writing by December 31. You may have targets you want to adjust or goals you want to double-down on before the end of the year. Whether it's completing a novel, improving your storytelling skills, building a writing habit, taking that AI class, or exploring a new genre, refreshing your commitment to your goals enables you to stay focused and work towards specific outcomes.

2. Increased Accountability

   Your refreshed goals provide a new foundation for accountability. When you share your writing goals with your buddies, you not only articulate your aspirations but also create a sense of responsibility towards your fellow writers. Knowing that others are aware of your objectives can motivate you to stay on track and consistently work towards your milestones.

3. Tailored Feedback

   For members of a critique circle, where you are exchanging works-in-progress, dusting off your manuscript goals enables your writing group to provide more targeted feedback. When your peers understand your objectives, they can offer specific criticism and suggestions that align with your aspirations for development. This tailored feedback can be invaluable in helping you overcome obstacles and improve in areas that matter most to you.

4. Motivation and Encouragement

   When you share how you've reviewed your goals and your progress so far with your writing buddies, you add an extra layer of commitment to your work. Then, when you face challenges or moments of self-doubt (and we all do), you'll get the encouragement and support from your writing group you need, which can be instrumental in reaching your finish line.

5. Measurable Progress

   Reviewing your goals measures if you have the right framework for your progress. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of a larger project, reviewing how you can break it down into achievable goals makes the writing process more manageable. Celebrate small victories along the way, and share those 'wins' with your writing buddies.

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Make it a point during August to spend a few minutes reviewing your writing goals so that you can have a more rewarding and productive creative experience for the rest of 2025. Clarity, accountability, tailored feedback, motivation, and measurable progress are just a few of the benefits you can gain by refreshing your objectives.

Are you planning to review your goals? Let me know in the comments!