Set Three New Goals
Come up with three new writing goals.
List these goals in your Process Notebook. Now is the time to change or revise your writing goals, focusing on new horizons.
Ask yourself what you want to do next as a writer. Then list three new goals. Do this on your own, without consulting other people or online sources.
Suggested Time: 5 minutes (but you may want to sleep on it before writing your goals down).
Q. What kinds of goals should I set?
At this point in your journey, it depends on where you’d like to go as a writer. But as with your first three goals, a mix of project, achievement, and emotional goals is a good general approach (see the box below).
Alternatively, you can match the life goals highlighted in the last chapter. In that case, fill in the following blanks:
- I will keep myself inspired by [doing what?]
- I will reinforce my writing routine by [doing what?]
- I will find a supportive community by [doing what?]
Q. How do I continue evaluating my progress?
Once you move away from the structure of these lessons, holding yourself accountable may be a challenge. On the other hand, your Process Notebook has given you practice. If you finish a writing project, you can return to the “Ask Yourself” prompts in the lessons to keep assessing your progress.
Revisit your goals to assess how you’re doing.
Let’s say one of your new goals is to stay inspired by reading one personal essay a week. To hold yourself accountable, you might keep a list of the essays you’ve read or mark when you finish them on a calendar. At the end of each week or month, revisit this goal and others to assess how you’re doing.
Consider giving yourself a small reward after a week of successful essay reading, notebook writing, project completion, or any other goals you’ve achieved. And if you miss a day or a deadline? Remember: be kind to yourself – and keep going.
Notebook Prompt:
What do I want to do next as a writer? Set three new goals for yourself.
Your goals should be meaningful to you and what you’d like to accomplish.
Three Goal Types
- Project goals are specific and time-based. They set deadlines for finishing a current or ongoing project.
- Emotional goals focus on overcoming feelings that block your writing or interfere with personal exploration.
- Achievement goals highlight larger aims for writing and publishing, such as completing a story or book.
For more details, see How to Write a Goal.