Tag Archives: setting goals

Setting Your Writing Goals

Freelance-Zone Editor, Catherine L. Tully
Freelance-Zone Editor, Catherine L. Tully

by Catherine L. Tully

Happy New Year to all of you out there!

Now what?

Now, it’s time to set some goals for 2012. Some solid writing goals that you can use to set your course. You don’t have to do a ton of them. Just a few will do.

My writing goals for the year include building up my blog, 4dancers, continuing to evolve in my efforts to do first-person pieces and, of course, create new content for readers here at Freelance-Zone.com. Specifically, I’m trying to pull together some resources for you that will be a sort of “step-by-step” guide to various freelance topics. Keep an eye out for that! Joe and I will do our beginning of the year brainstorm session and see what we can come up with. Let us know if you have specific ideas.

What are your writing goals for the year? Here are my five suggestions for setting and achieving goals in the writing world:

  1. Really think about what you want.
  2. Write down the goal and be as specific as possible.
  3. Include clear steps for reaching the goal.
  4. Make sure you have a means for measuring your progress.
  5. Set up a reward system.

This approach has worked smashingly for me–and it isn’t hard to do either. The trick is, sitting down and actually taking the time to work through those steps. Invest in yourself. You’re worth it.

Anybody have a goal they would like to share? We’d love to hear it!

Goal Setting For Writers

Copyright Scott Wahlen, 2007
Copyright Scott Wahlen, 2007

by Catherine L. Tully

Do you set goals? I do. As a matter-of-fact, I had two goals for this year. Want to know what they are? Here you go:

  1. To get Freelance-Zone a spot on the Writer’s Digest “101 Best Websites for Writers” list
  2. To make more money than I did last year

I have met both of those goals. Joe and I celebrated our inclusion in the 101 best sites and were thrilled that we made it. In addition to that, it’s July and I have already made more money this year than I did all of last year. My point? I don’t think I would have worked quite as hard if I hadn’t set these goals ahead of time.

For me, the key is to only pick a few choice goals and work hard toward achieving them. Some people like to do a whole list and are happy with just meeting a few. Whatever works. Everyone is different, but I would argue that just taking the step of making a concrete goal for yourself (or two, or ten) sets you right on the road to achieving it.

Don’t wait for January 1st. Start working toward something right now. See what you can accomplish!