Reader & Author Gazette

The past three years have been tough, for all of us. If you combine that with the changes in the
market, the shifts in the writing community and personal challenges that keep cropping up, it
can get harder and harder for us to keep our careers on track. The secret, of course is focus.

But how do we stay focused when there are so many elements clamoring for our attention? The fact of the matter is, there will always be something getting in the way of your writing time. To make sure you get your writing time in, you need a plan. But before you can create a plan, you need to have a little conversation with yourself.

Here are some questions to ask yourself as you work through your thoughts and intentions as well as some steps to actuate your dreams.

1. What do I want to accomplish this year?

The key here is to be honest with yourself. If you don’t know what you really want, you’re not likely to get there. If you’re not realistic, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. If you’re not specific, you leave yourself room to wiggle out of your promises to yourself. At the same time, as you set your intentions for the year, don’t be afraid to brainstorm or think big. Sometimes, a great goal is to build a stronger platform for your long-term objectives as opposed to focusing on short-term gains.

2. Why do I want to accomplish this?

It’s easy to set goals in January. A little harder to keep them in February and beyond. That’s why it’s so important to have a strong sense of why you are spending your time and energy creating stories. It helps to have a strong sense of your WHY. Are you writing for money? A sense of accomplishment? To provide a service to others? Or do you have a message to share? There’s no right answer, and you don’t have to share your reasons with anyone, but YOU have to be clear with yourself. Sometimes, boiling your WHY down to an icon or image or a specific word—that you can review on a daily basis—will help you keep on track. I have a friend who folds her writing goals into her passwords so every time she logs on to her computer, or into Amazon, she is reminded WHY she is there.

3. How do I define success?

Success is a very relative concept. So, for that matter is failure. That is why it’s important that you know what will make you a success as an author. It’s different for everyone, of course. The important thing here is for you to be keep a keen eye on what success means to you. Is it writing 1,000 words a day? Or 500? Or is it finishing that book you’ve been struggling with? This is something you can control.

The secret to success is setting goals that you can control, rather than hinging your successes on things that you cannot control. There are too many elements in today’s market that we don’t control. Don’t let them own you.

The other thing to keep in mind is, your concept of success cannot be linked to anyone else’s career. Some authors feel like a failure because they are not as successful as their friends. The fact of the matter is, there is always someone selling better than you—there always will be. But there is always someone selling less as well.

And again, you can’t always control how much you sell—especially in a market where a simple algorithm change can ruin your best laid plans. What you can control is how much you write, how clean your work is, and how well you devise and execute your career plans. Sometimes success is as simple as enjoying the story you are working on.

4. What are my priorities?

When you start thinking about goals, it can get a little overwhelming. This is why, once you have a list of things you want to accomplish in 2023, it is helpful to rank them. It’s important to put things in order, or at least some semblance of order, so when you have to choose one priority over another, the decision-making process has some structure to it.

5. Is this list doable? What will it take?

Once you know your goals and you have them prioritized, it’s time to create a list of tasks you need to complete to reach them. Sometimes, it’s as easy as making a commitment to yourself to write a specific number of words, or scenes, each day.

Experts say your goals should be SMART—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. But I’d like to add, they should excite you. If your goals don’t excite you, look at them again. Ask yourself why? Maybe it’s time to reassess your goals. Things change all the time…it’s only natural that we change too. Give yourself a moment to touch base with your true aspirations, and be willing to make a change if it will make you happy.

6. Create a Schedule

I know. Ugh. I hate schedules too. But I’ve found that if I do not have one, I am less likely to get anything done. Something will always come up to fill the space if you don’t schedule your writing time. How often have you or one of your friends said, “We have to get together!” and it never happens? Writing is a date you make with yourself for FUN. You have to SCHEDULE IT.

Most of us keep an Annual Calendar (to keep track of big picture stuff, conferences and deadlines etc.), and a Monthly Calendar (which helps to focus in on immediate goals), but I recommend having a Daily Plan as well. This helps know how you plan to spend your day. Where does writing fit? For some people, simply keeping a log of daily word counts can be hugely motivating.

7. Be accountable to yourself and only yourself

This is your dream. Your passion. Your career. It’s nice to have accountability partners, but the bottom line is, if you are clear on what you want to accomplish and why, and your priorities, tasks and schedule are clear, it’s a lot easier to skate to the finish line.

Granted, life happens. Things get in the way. And when they do, your plan may shift, so being flexible is important. But it’s so important to remember that this is a journey. It’s your journey. Be patient with yourself, fill your heart with passion for everything you do and, for heaven’s sake, enjoy the ride!.

Sabrina York is the NTY and USA Today Bestselling Author of over 40 romance novels. You can learn more, or reach out at https://sabrinayork.com/