Usually, when we think of writing goals, we think about setting them at the beginning of the year.
But here we are nearing the end of the year, and I’m challenging you to set some goals NOW—ones that you can accomplish before the end of the year.
There are several good reasons to do this.
- It helps you take advantage of the time you have left, rather than letting it go to waste.
- It can push you to make more progress than you thought you could.
- When you accomplish your new goals, you’ll end the year on a high note, boosting your motivation for the New Year.
It’s smart to set goals that are within your capability to achieve within a few weeks. Otherwise, you could be setting yourself up for failure.
If you’re not sure which goals might fit that criteria, read on for some ideas.
Easy Writing Goals: 1. Finish Your Writing Project
This one might work for you if you’re already close. Maybe you’re three-quarters of the way through your novel, or halfway through your poem or short story.
If it looks like you might be able to push through and wrap it up before the end of the year, by all means, do it! Imagine what that would feel like—your project done by the holidays!
2. Create a List of Your Writing Accomplishments This Year
Too often we writers sell ourselves short. We focus on all the criticisms and rarely take stock of the praise.
This is your chance to turn that around. You want to complete this year on a positive note, so take 10-15 minutes each weekend to create a list of your accomplishments. Just add to it a little bit every weekend (or anytime) when something occurs to you.
If you’re not sure what to put on it, here are some ideas:
- How many hours did you spend this year writing? (If you didn’t keep track of it—highly recommended!—give your best guess.)
- How many words did you complete? (Again, if you didn’t keep track of it, guess.)
- How many writing projects did you complete?
- How often did you submit to editors or agents?
- How many blogs did you write and publish?
- How many podcasts/videos did you release (if any)?
- How many writing classes or workshops did you complete?
- How many positive comments did you receive on your writing?
- How many new people subscribed to your newsletter?
You get the idea. A writing accomplishment can be anything you want it to be, as long as it signifies your efforts to improve.
Easy Writing Goals: 3. Clear the Clutter from Your Writing World
Your writing nook, desk, and computer have probably accumulated a lot of “stuff” over the year.
Take some time to clean off your desk, dump those extra files you no longer need (or store them elsewhere), and get rid of old tools, furniture, or knickknacks that no longer serve you.
If you need some help redecorating, check out our post, “How to Boost Focus & Productivity with a Writing Space Makeover.”
4. Reconnect to Your Writing Intuition
It’s really easy during the course of the year to drift further and further away from your writing intuition.
I’m talking about the voice that gives you new ideas, inspires your beautiful scenes, and nudges your plot in new and unexpected directions.
It’s easy to leave your creative self behind as you work on achieving your author-platform goals. This is perfectly normal, as we writers have to do it all these days. But by the end of the year, you may feel like the muse has gotten bored and left you.
If that’s the case, set a goal to reconnect to that writing intuition inside you before the year is out. Try getting away to another town for a couple of days, or take a Friday off and do something unexpected that you haven’t done in a while.
Expose yourself to some new sights and sounds, then stop somewhere and indulge in a half-hour of daydreaming. Focus on the moment and you may soon entice the muse to return.
Easy Writing Goals: 5. Decide on a New Morning Routine
During the year, it’s likely that your morning routine changed several times. If you have kids, their school schedules may have upended yours. If you have a day job, changes there could have extended or adjusted your hours.
Even something as simple as a time change can throw your writing routine out the window.
So before the year is done, take some time to imagine the sort of morning you’d like to have. Write down a potential schedule, including your writing time. Play around with it until you have it just right, then when the New Year comes, you can give it a try.
(For more help, see our post, “5 Ways to Make Your Writing Mornings More Awesome.”
Easy Writing Goals: 6. Write Down What’s Missing from Your Writing Life
In preparation for the New Year, take stock of what’s missing from your writing life.
Earlier, you made a list of everything you’ve accomplished this year. This helps you see how far you’ve come.
But then you need to turn your thoughts to where you want to go. What are you lacking that you’d still like to get as a writer?
Here are some possibilities:
- A novel publishing contract.
- A short story accepted in a prestigious journal.
- More than X number of copies of your book sold.
- More than X number of people subscribed to your newsletter.
- A comfortable, nourishing writing nook.
- The right equipment for your writing office. (Chair, computer, etc.)
- More time to write.
- A strong sense inside you that you are a writer.
Keep this list handy for when you’re ready to create your goals for the New Year.
Easy Writing Goals: 7. Add One Good Habit to Your Writing Day
It may be difficult to change your whole routine around by the end of the year, but you can add just one new habit.
Think about something small you’d like to change. I’ll give you some ideas below. Then implement that change and do it often enough that you make it a habit before 2021 is over.
- Add 10 minutes to your morning writing routine by getting up 10 minutes earlier.
- Write a small gratitude list at the end of the day including at least one thing you’re grateful for in your writing life.
- Spend at least 30 minutes once a week being bored—go somewhere just you and your pad and pen. See what inspiration strikes.
- Get in the habit of storing images that inspire your muse. Create a box or file on your computer where you keep these and then regularly review them when you run into writer’s block.
- Go for a morning walk. Exercise inspires creativity!
Easy Writing Goals: 8. Take Stock of What’s Working and What’s Not
Again, this can help you when it comes time to setting your goals for next year. It could be that you have the perfect routine right now that is allowing you to be as productive as you can be.
But if that’s not the case, create a table like the one below to record both what’s good about your writing routine right now, and what’s not.
| What’s Working | What’s Not |
| My writing time is perfect. I write first thing in the morning and rarely miss a writing session. | My writing office. My chair is uncomfortable and my back often hurts when I finish writing. |
| My incentive. I’ve gotten over 100 new subscribers to my newsletter this year. | My newsletter. I feel like it’s stale and boring and I often don’t know what to write in it. |
| My new book launched this year. I’m super proud of it. | My marketing. I’m not selling as many copies as I’d like. |
| My resolve. I’m determined to be the writer I’m meant to be. | My support. I’d love to have more writing friends and contacts. |
Keep going on this table for as long as you like. The more you write, the more you may find that you want to include. It’s a great exercise to give you a clear picture of where your writing career is as the year comes to a close.
Get Ready to Set Your New Year’s Goals!
After accomplishing these easy writing goals, you’ll be ready to set your goals for the New Year. For more help with that, see our post, “How to Set Writing Goals that Actually Work.”