I’m taking a little break from the Tao of Creativity series this week to discuss writing goals in 2024. It’s less than a month away, so this is a great time to reflect on what you accomplished this past year and what you want to accomplish over the next twelve months.
How Was Your 2023?
Did you have any writing or creative goals this past year? If you did, how much did you complete on the list? This can be as simple as writing an outline, a first draft, or publishing a novel. Even small writing victories are worth noting and celebrating!
Were there projects you started but didn’t finish? Were there ideas you planned to develop that didn’t go anywhere? That’s perfectly fine. Life can often hinder our creative goals, so it’s important not to get down on ourselves or give up. After all, it’s just one year in a string of many, and the next one is just around the corner!
New to Writing Goals?
If you’re new to creating writing goals, don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself by planning to write the Great American Novel. Start small. Write a short story. Write a poem or two. Maybe just plan to journal daily.
The key is to write, write some more, and keep writing. Try to make writing a habit in your daily routine. If you are writing for yourself and for fun, it should be an energizing activity that you look forward to. If you’re not enjoying your work, change course and start something new and different. Eventually, you’ll come across a story idea that clicks, and the words will flow.
Another Year, Another Set of Goals
I’m in this category. While I don’t always hit every goal on my list, I do try to complete at least one writing project, either as a full draft or a completed manuscript. It’s easy to become too ambitious at the start of the year and have to adjust accordingly if needed.
That’s perfectly fine, too. For example, I planned to write two novels this year, but I decided halfway through the year to focus on creating a new author’s website. That took up much of my time (I had to write a lot of content), so I published one novel this year and launched my new website. The second book is on my 2024 Writing Goals list.
Any Writing is Better Than No Writing
Don’t be afraid to be ambitious and make lofty goals. At the same time, don’t let yourself become overwhelmed and stop writing because it feels like too much to work on. Always keep in mind that writing should be an enjoyable and fun activity. You’re creating! It’s an adventure! Get excited!
Yes, you’ll have days that you don’t feel like writing, and that’s okay. The important thing is that you go back to it and keep going. In the end, you may not reach all your planned writing goals, but you will have written. And writing only helps make you a stronger writer in the long run.
Final Thoughts
A new year brings new resolutions and goals. It’s helpful to reflect on what we did and didn’t accomplish the previous year and challenge ourselves in the upcoming one. Whether you are new to writing or have done it for a while, give yourself goals that challenge you and make you want to sit down and write. As I said before, any writing is better than no writing.
Happy Writing and Planning, and I’ll be back with The Tao of Creativity series next week!