Writing Goals

If you want to accomplish any task, you must set goals for yourself. Whether it's writing, cleaning the house, losing weight, saving for vacation--it won't happen if you don't plan for success.

As an author I encounter many people who say that someday they'll write a book. That's a nice goal, but you've got to start writing to attain it.

If you want to make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up. ~J.M. Power

Now that you've established your goal, you must get going. Set a deadline: a page a day, 500 words a day, 1,000 words a day, or even 3,000 words a day. Figure out what you're comfortable doing--and what won't overwhelm you--and get started.

A deadline is negative inspiration. Still, it's better than no inspiration at all. ~Rita Mae Brown

Deadlines are a fact of life in many occupations. Get over your aversion to one. When you hit your final deadline and write "the end," it's time to celebrate. Each day when you hit your daily deadline you get to go to bed at night satisfied that you've done your best, and you're on schedule.

God gives us dreams a size too big so that we can grow in them. ~Author Unknown

I've dreamed of writing novels since I was a little girl. It took many years of hard work and deadlines, but thank God, I've been able to attain my dream.

Sometimes the journey was difficult, daunting even, but that's no reason to give up. I had a fire inside me to push on and not give up. I set deadlines and met them.

What about you? What keeps you going? What deadlines do you set for yourself?