I juggle multiple writing projects at various stages simultaneously. At the start of each year, I set annual goals, which I then break down into monthly and weekly targets.

Goals need to be specific and attainable. When I first began tracking my writing objectives, I aimed to have a short story published. I quickly realized I had no control over the publication process, so I revised my goal to “submit a short story for publication once a month.”

These lessons in the writer’s life are ongoing and reflected in my goals. They help me stay focused on my dreams. With so many opportunities, it’s easy for my monthly goals to expand to include extra projects—sometimes at the expense of my yearly objectives. Regularly checking in on my annual goals serves as a necessary course correction. While many of these additional projects are worthwhile, spreading my efforts too thin means I won't fully accomplish my main aims.

Annual goals tend to be broad and lack detail. For instance, my first annual goal relates to SHADOWALKERS (Dragonborn Saga Book 2): to finish the final edits and submit once I receive feedback from beta readers. However, it doesn't specify how to find those beta readers or what the editing process should entail. Those specifics are addressed in my monthly and weekly goals.

Lately, I've felt overwhelmed by new projects, finishing planned work, learning more about marketing, and pitching new ideas. So, when I set my goals for October, I revisited my annual objectives. They served as a reminder and helped me identify what truly mattered. This process allowed me to adjust my monthly goals accordingly. I'm back to making the main thing the main thing. (I still plan to work on those other things in the future.)

While I still have a lot to do, it feels manageable and measurable now. That’s the purpose of setting goals.

Image credit: JourneyPureRehab