After several drafts, I've finalized my 2025 goals. (Developing my goals was actually fun, using Suleika Jaouad's five-minute brainstorm list.) The goals include a fiction project, a non-fiction project, developing skills in our craft, expanding my reading, as well as building a better writing habit. I’ll share a couple of highlights:
Writing time. I’ve re-organized my daily routine to dedicate morning time, when I'm most energized and ready to tackle hard work, to creative writing. I’ve got a bad habit of putting off creative writing until it’s late in the day.
Publishing. The plan is, by this time next year, my first fiction book will be out in the world, as well as a short, non-fiction book on giving and receiving writing feedback that is intended to complement The Write Group.
How am I going to accomplish these goals?
To build my new creative-writing time habit, I’ve put an accountability-type writing group at my back. Instead of trying to build a new habit all by myself, I’ve got some writing group buddies who also want to make progress on their goals. Together, we’ll check in to share how we’re doing. It’s a great feeling, knowing I’m not going this alone. I feel very optimistic about this goal.
The publishing goal? That’s different, and I’ll let you in on a little secret. The idea of completing the fiction book is terrifying! While the first draft is done, it's obvious I have lots of editing work to do. I’ve made a few forays into editing, but I haven’t gotten as far as I would like on the manuscript and after some soul-searching I realized what’s holding me back is fear. I’m afraid to complete the project. That’s why, for this goal, I’ll use this blog to move forward, plus connect with a different writing group—small and focused, where we can have some radically honest conversations with each other. I haven’t figured this out yet, so more to come.
Are you setting goals this year? Are you going to publish that novel, or submit that short story, or finish that screenplay? Or maybe you have some thoughts about my goals? Let me know in the comments below.
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