Is It Time to Reevaluate Your Goals?

“I’ve been in a writing funk.” 

“I just can’t get anywhere with my fiction.” 

“I haven’t written in weeks.” 

Writing friends and writers on social media have been making statements like these. Everyone seems to be in the doldrums. I know that I haven’t made any progress on the nonfiction proposal that was my primary writing goal for the year. 

What’s the reason? It is easy to blame politics. Or the economy. But any change can be unbalancing. We have a family wedding in less than a month. I’m not the principal organizer but I am working on several wedding-related projects. And updating the kitchen. And digitizing a library catalogue. And I’ve got contracted projects. 

There are a lot of good things on that list, but even good things require energy. And, let’s face it, we each only have so much energy. So, if you are in a funk and not meeting your writing goals, it is time to reevaluate those goals and reenergize. 

Here are some questions you might ask yourself. 

Is there too much on my plate? 

 My own answer to this is YES. And that’s why some of the above things are being pushed back. It’s the only way that I have the energy to do the things I really want or need to do. Now for those writing goals. 

Are they things I really want to do? Or are they things I think I should do? 

There is a difference between things you want to do and things you think you should do. For the things on the should do list, is this because there’s a deadline? Or is it because someone said, “You know you really should get that done?” Maybe you put “finish writing my novel” on your list but what you really enjoy is essay writing or flash? If that’s the case, maybe the novel needs to be deprioritized. 

Have important circumstances changed? 

Maybe you made something into a goal but now you need the energy for something else? Or the market for the piece of writing you wanted to do is no longer viable? Or, as you’ve gotten into the project, you realize that you hate that type of writing? That’s happened to me before. I took a job writing leveled readers. Although I friend of mine loves doing them, I found it tedious beyond belief. I finished the contract and then ran for the hills. It was not an experience I wanted to repeat. 

And perhaps most importantly, is there something I need out of my writing that I’m not getting?

If you want to write or feel like you need to write, but nothing is catching your attention, maybe you aren't down on writing but simply need to find something new to write. Try Jodi’s writing challenge here on WOW! . By sampling new types of writing, you may well find the thing that pulls you back into writing. 

There is no single solution to not wanting to write or not being able to write.  But answering these questions might set you on the path to a solution.  Does anyone else have a solution to suggest?

--SueBE

Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of over 60 books for young readers.  

• To find out more about her writing, visit her site and blog, One Writer's Journey.  

• Click here to find her newsletter.

She is also the instructor for 3 WOW classes which begin on the first Monday of every month. She teaches:

• Pitching, Querying and Submitting Your Work 

• Research: Prepping to Write Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults 

• Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults 

 

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4 comments burnout, recharging, reevaluating goals, Sue Bradford Edwards, writing goals

Finding Out the Old Stories Don't Speak to You

 

This has been a year of surprises. I've let go of a major writing gig and went both feet into my new podcast booking service (which is doing surprisingly well). And I managed this year, so far, to finish a strong draft of a story I'd been working on for years.

After that, knowing I needed to give myself a break, I reached for other stories in my "finished - but not revised" folder. I brought both up, started working on them, and got bored.

I. Got. Bored.

With my own work!

This is obviously a terrible sign, but I thought...well, I'm stressed. And I'm having a hard time focusing creatively. So, maybe just keep at it.

Until something hit me. One of my favorite short stories was in the category of speculative fiction (it's called Mannequin of Lot 18). My latest story is about virtual reality and the ramifications of trusting that technology with our lives.

And as I was thinking of the stories I was attempting to revise, an idea struck me: these aren't in my genre. What I love about speculative fiction is that you can really say things about society. I mean, you can in all genres, but I feel like this genre inspires me to write more thought-provoking themes in my work.

My next project is to speculatively fictionalize (my new word) these old stories of mine. 

If you aren't really feeling the vibe of your latest work, maybe it isn't you. Maybe the story isn't expressing a part of who you are anymore. Maybe it's not even the genre you want to be in.

And that's okay. Don't be afraid to move or let go. That means you're growing, not failing.

Nicole Pyles is a slightly overworked solopreneur who somehow can't admit she's running a business and not simply a side hustle. She loves the Lord and spending time with her family. She dreams vividly and loves writing metaphors in her fiction. When she's not checking her email obsessively, she enjoys watching old episodes of Twilight Zone and black-and-white monster movies. If you ever want to be on podcasts, let her know. And if you have a podcast, you could be her new best friend.

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2 comments Nicole Pyles, Old Stories, writing goals

Turns Out, Maybe Not Writing Was A Smart Decision This Year

Earlier this year I came across someone's blog, who said their writing motivation was switched off like a light switch after going through some really tough times. They said instead of fighting it and struggling to be creative, they just went with it. 

At the time, it really resonated with me. I was (and still am) going through really stressful times myself. Creative writing seemed distant and hard and not where I was at. All the advice stored in my mind encouraged me to maintain the habit. Keep up with it. Fight against the temptation to not write.

And yet, I couldn't do it. 

Still can't, really. 

My desire to pursue creative writing, like theirs, was turned off like a light switch. Truthfully speaking, it's not like I haven't worked on stories at all this year. But it's more like a piddling around. Like working on a car in a garage that you never really expect to run. I've submitted without much effort or worry about a rejection. 

And you know what? It was the smartest decision I could have made.

Weirdly enough, my freelance writing self (that what-feels-non-creative, but rather business-y side of me) has grown. I landed quite a few opportunities. While I haven't mastered the art of cold pitching an idea, I have figured out a way to get into editor's inboxes without feeling like I'm bugging them. 

I'm not writing off the whole year for my creative stuff. In fact, two of my short stories are being published at the end of this year. Things can turn around and suddenly I can have a burst of creative energy waiting for me.

Writing has ebbs and flows. For me, this year, creative writing ebbed. Freelance writing flowed. Sometimes it's been the opposite. Sometimes it's been both or neither.

As writers, we go through fluctuations in our successes, failures, and motivations. If this year, you've felt bad you haven't written, don't. Sometimes we need to go with where we are at, even if the advice tells us otherwise.

Nicole Pyles is a writer living in Portland, Oregon. Her writing has appeared in Sky Island Journal, Arlington Literary Journal, The Voices Project, and eventually, The Ocotillo Review and The Gold Man Review. A poem of hers was also featured in the anthology DEAR LEADERS TALES. You can read her other writing on Mental Floss, eventually Better Homes and Gardens, and in a rare issue or two of Woman's World. Say hi to her on Twitter or Threads under @BeingTheWriter.

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5 comments Nicole Pyles, writing goals

Give It a Try, You Just Never Know (& Thoughts On My Writing Philosophy)

Call it desperation or a simple lack of trust in the security of existing freelance work, I sent out a variety of cold pitches to editors for me to be added to their list of freelance writers. I caught the idea on a random post in a writing group of someone who did the same.

And you know what? It worked.

I'm reluctant to share the publication until my first article goes live, but the opportunity surprised me. 

Leading to my latest philosophy in writing:

Give it a try, you just never know.

Should you apply for that writing grant? Should you submit your application to that writing retreat? Should you apply to teach a writing class? Should you submit your short story to that contest?

Refer to my philosophy in writing.

Of course, there are other things to consider in all of those questions. Financially, it's not always possible to apply to every opportunity you see, since many come with a price tag. The timing of a writing retreat may not be feasible with your lifestyle, demands, etc. You may need more experience under your belt before you are the right person to teach a writing class. Your short story may need more work. 

But since writing doesn't include going on stage in front of millions like you see on America's Got Talent, the only thing you have to lose is maybe cost and time. (And privately, of course, your ego, but at least rejection isn't filmed). Sometimes part of the writing journey is giving things a try.

And often, sometimes through that process of trying, you realize when something isn't right for you. You may not have learned that if you haven't given it a try. I figured that out this year with other freelance work I was attempting.

So, go ahead, whatever it is you are contemplating for your writing journey, give it a try. You just never know.

Nicole Pyles is a writer living in Portland, Oregon. Her short stories have appeared in Sky Island Journal, Arlington Literary Journal, The Ocotillo Review, and The Gold Man Review. Follow her blog at World of My Imagination or her substack, Three Things on a Saturday Night.

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3 comments Nicole Pyles, writing goals

Why I'm Waiting on Making Writing Resolutions for 2023

It's the second day of the new year and I haven't yet made writing resolutions. Granted, I'm actually preparing this blog post a couple of days in advance, so I haven't had to embrace 2023 quite yet. I'm still in that "what day is it" fog between Christmas and New Year.

However, once this post goes live, it will be the last day of a lengthy vacation that has been much needed. During my time off, I've been tempted to start up a new project or two; however, I resisted the urge. I did get some writing done, but not as much as I was hoping. But that's okay.

As we look ahead to the new year, you'll be bombarded with advice on what resolutions to make and habits to kick. 

At the moment of writing this, I'm not making my 2023 writing goal quite yet. 

Oh sure, I have a vague idea of what I'd like to accomplish. But I plan to wait until I get back into the swing of my normal schedule before I make big resolutions.

Why?

I'm worried my goals will be biased. I'm looking at writing goals with all this extra free time on my hands, instead of looking at them alongside my regular eight hours a day of working a full-time job and freelancing in my extra time. 

One thing I have done in 2022 that I plan on taking with me into 2023 is focusing on one day at a time. I don't know what year I'll be reflecting on this time next December. A lot can happen in a year and many things can change that I'm not expecting (both good and bad). So truly, one day at a time.

My hope is that I'll make room for writing as best I can each day, submit to literary magazines with a bit more thought, and revise stories that are currently only handwritten. I also hope to read more in 2023. 
That's all these are, though. My hopes for the year. The moment I attach the word "goal" or "resolution" they become something different. They become inflexible as if I'm going to grade myself.

Have you set writing goals or resolutions? Or have you hesitated on doing any of that like me? 

Nicole Pyles is a writer, blogger, and bookworm living in Portland, Oregon. Her stories and poetry have been featured on The Voices Project, Arlington Literary Journal, Sky Island Journal, and in the anthology Dear Leaders Tales. She loves promoting authors with WOW! Women on Writing as a blog tour manager and reviewing books on her writing blog, World of My Imagination. She has also started blog, Notes on Scripture, that includes reflections while reading the Bible. 

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4 comments Nicole Pyles, writing goals

Goal Setting: The Difference Between Push Goals and Pull Goals

Earlier this week, I read an interesting piece at Make a Living Writing on motivation and goal setting. What? Why am I talking about goal setting in September? Couldn’t I just leave this alone until December 30th? I could, but Marcia egged me on when she wrote about rebooting your writing life.

A few days ago, I posted a message to my accountability group. (Hi, Ladies!) As I was doing this I noticed, I hadn’t even bothered to post about goals in months. I’ve just been toodling along, doing my own thing. 

Some of this toodling was very much writing related. I took Madeline Dyer’s class and learned about narrative structure. I wrote a new piece of auto fiction. I’ve drafted two new picture book manuscripts, one of which is so close to being finished. But I haven’t looked at my goals in months. 

You’ll find other posts here about writing goals. We’ve discussed how to set SMART goals and the need to periodically reevaluate our goals. As I read about push goals vs pull goals, I found myself evaluating my goals. 

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the terms, push goals are external. If you have to push yourself to meet a goal, that’s most likely a push goal. They tend to be a lot of work and can feel forced. You set these goals because you feel that you should and many of them have to do with perfecting yourself. “If I could just lose weight, I would be the perfect size.” “If I wrote a NYT best selling novel, I would be the perfect writer.” Whatever. 

Pull goals are more internal. Think of these goals as the carrot vs the stick. These goals don’t feel like as much work because you are passionate about something. 

In the piece at Make a Living Writing, Carol Tice includes a potential list of pull goals. What are the carrots that will tempt you forward? There are all kinds of possibilities. You can reward yourself with time off work to spend with your family when you get something done. You can engage in retail therapy. A vacation might be in the cards if you earn enough to pay for it. Or you might simply reward yourself with a trip to your favorite bookstore. 

You can also use your writing as a pull goal. You want to work on your memoir or your novel or a group of poems. Setting a goal to work on items like these will pull you forward. This is the writing you are passionate about. 

You need to make a living. If you are lucky enough to do that with your writing, you may need to set some push goals. These might involve updating your website, finishing a contracted job, or querying. 

As with so many things in life, the key is balance. You’ll probably need a combination of push goals and pull goals. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be able to combine a few – signing a contract to write about something that fascinates you. 

 --SueBE

Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of over 35 books for young readers.  To find out more about her writing, visit her site and blog, One Writer's Journey.

The next session of her new course, Pitching, Querying and Submitting Your Work will begin on September 4, 2022).  Coping with rejection is one of the topics she will cover in this course.

Sue is also the instructor for  Research: Prepping to Write Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults (next session begins September 4, 2022) and Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults (next session begins September 4, 2022). 

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4 comments accomplishing goals, goals, pull goals, push goals, setting goals, writing goals

Gear Up for Fall

by Marcia Peterson

Summer distractions probably caused you to place some of your writing projects on the back burner. However, back-to-school time can offer a fresh start for writers. It’s a great opportunity to “reboot” your writing life.

If you’re unsure about how to get going again, a few strategies can help you gear up for the approaching fall months. Here are three ways to dive back in, create momentum and get excited about your writing.

Challenge Yourself

First, freelancers can build an active writing schedule with a self-created query challenge. Make a commitment to send out a certain amount of queries or submissions per week, starting now. This will get you in a writing frame of mind and, as you send more and more out, you’ll generate new assignments to work on.

To bolster your commitment to this endeavor, be sure to seek outside support. Sometimes you can participate in group query challenges that various writing sites offer. Alternatively, you can share your submission goals with fellow writers, then check in occasionally with progress reports to keep yourself on track.

Fiction writers can set up a daily word count challenge, or resolve to complete one short story per month. Like the freelancers, you can make your goals public with writing friends for accountability. At this time of year, you might also consider NaNoWriMo, which occurs every November. If you decide to participate, spend the next month or so planning your project and preparing your life for a successful novel challenge experience.

Take a class

Another way to ignite your writing life is to copy the kids and go back to school. Classes offer the ideal way to create structure in your writing world, which really helps when you’re getting back into production mode. The assignments make you focus on your writing, and working on new things gives you a boost.

Now is the best time to research your available options, in order to sign up for popular fall classes. Look through local and online class offerings for something that piques your interest—maybe a class in a new area of writing, or something related to your usual genre for renewed passion and continued improvement.

Enter Contests

Contests provide two of the most important things an off-track writer needs: a prompt (or theme) and a deadline. Winning is a great, but you can be proud of entering a quality piece regardless of the outcome. Just by crafting an entry, you’ve added something new to your body of work.

Spend some time now researching upcoming contests that may suit you. The idea is to pick at least one that you will enter very soon, and get that date on your calendar. You can take it further by making a plan to enter several contests by the end of the year. Contests are a great motivator, and lots of fun too.

* * *

Check out WOW! Women on Writing’s upcoming classes and contest deadlines. Happy fall writing!

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1 comment fall, Marcia Peterson, online writing classes, reboot, writer inspiration, writing challenge, writing contest, writing goals

Setting Goals in 2022

I’m an idea person. It might take me a moment to get started, but ask me for ideas for a blog post, a picture book, or a series and soon I’ll have a column of ideas on the page. They won’t all be great, but they will be many. 

I have a similar problem when it comes time to set goals or resolutions for the coming year. I’m going to finish a novel, a graphic novel, and a memoir. I’ll submit my work to two agents a week and . . . on and on, I go. 

I’m not denying the importance of goals, but they have to be goals that work for you. We are each wired differently.  We each have different circumstances.

Me? I’m a full time writer. I write work-for-hire for the educational market. This means that I work under contract for up to three months and then . . . nothing. That nothing might be for a day, a week, or a solid month, but the work will come again and when it does come there is usually a lot of it.  My goals go by the wayside.

So I’ve decided that this year I’m going to attempt smaller goals. This month, I have four. 

1. I am taking Melanie Faith’s class on writing graphic novels. You can find information on that WOW class here. It starts on the 14th. 
2. I’m taking part in Storystorm, generating 30 picture book ideas in 31 days. So far I have 6 ideas in my notebook and probably another four or five that I’ve e-mailed to myself. 
3. I’m working on an educational series pitch for Kane Press. This is in the early stages. I’m currently reading their books and looking at what other publishers have done. 
4. I’m writing Act 3 of my middle grade novel, tracking my word count on NaNoWriMo. You can set up a project any time which means that you can work for a week or three months. You also set your word count goal and the program helps keep track of your progress. 

I have to tell you, stopping at four goals was tough. Why? Because I could also submit to two agents and send in my resume to two more educational publishers. I could finish cleaning off an organizing the bookshelves in my office. I need to work on my mystery. Those picture book ideas will need drafting, and… Once the ideas start to flow, they flow.

I may be a goal oriented person, but if the list is too long, I know I won’t be able to get it done before another assignment comes along. Smaller goals are more manageable for me and the way that I work. 

What works best for you? 

--SueBE

Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of over 30 books for young readers.  To find out more about her writing, visit her site and blog, One Writer's Journey.

The next session of her new course, Pitching, Querying and Submitting Your Work will begin on February 6, 2022).  Coping with rejection is one of the topics she will cover in this course.

Sue is also the instructor for  Research: Prepping to Write Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults (next session begins February 6, 2022) and Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults (next session begins February 6, 2022). 

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5 comments goals, idea generation, meeting goals, setting goals, Sue Bradford Edwards, writing goals

A Few Writing Resolutions (In Case You Need One)

As we emerge from that weird stage between Christmas and New Year's Eve that feels like one long day and step forward into a new year, many of us are making goals and resolutions. It's funny, for my day job, I wrote a large collection of blog posts for a few client's sites all about the topic of resolutions, so why not do one for WOW? 

I'm not one for setting too many goals for the year ahead. Too many things can change, and I'm often far more optimistic than how things really turn out for the year. However, that won't stop me from making some. And as I contemplate which resolution is right for me this year, I thought I'd share a few ideas with you. Just in case you need a resolution or two (I won't tell anyone if you borrow one of mine).

Resolve to Submit More.

I think this will be one of my top resolutions for the year. Yesterday, I got a boost in confidence because I received a *positive* rejection for a story I had brought back into the revision process. The person said that my story had made it to the "editorial table." That gave me hope. Much, much needed hope. So, I have now three stories I feel strongly about submitting out to the world, and my resolution is to submit them more often than I have been doing.

So, if you haven't done much submitting, keep it up! Make it your goal to submit regularly each month. 

Write every day.

I know, I know, me and every other writer advises this as a great resolution. So stop rolling your eyes. Hey, I said stop it.

But if you've tried writing every day and it just doesn't work, try a different approach. I read once that someone wrote about 100 words a day and it ended up working out great for them. The logic was that you usually end up writing way more than you think. So start writing about 100 words a day. 

If that straight up doesn't work for you - and you've tried - then take on another approach I've attempted: commit one act of writing per day. It could be revising, submitting, or fresh new writing. 

Read more.

At the start of the pandemic, I realized I just wasn't reading like I used to. And it wasn't until this year that I really got back into reading again. Sometimes my approach with books is a little like Goldilocks and the Three Bears and that's okay. If you aren't reading as much, take that on as a resolution. It goes without saying that reading influences our writing, and this is a wonderful goal to have for the new year. You don't even need to commit to anything on GoodReads, your reading goal could be as simple as one book a month.

If you are having a hard time finding good books, keep trying, keep looking. It sounds weird but try reading at different times of the day. Pick up a book early in the morning instead of at night. Maybe try reading during your lunch break. I find that my mind frame with books changes according to the time of day (as weird as that sounds) and I seem to be more open to reading if I read during the day than at night.

Alright, that's all I have for you today! So, Happy New Year, and I hope and pray that all of you step forward into the new year with hope and joy. 2021 was so hard for many of us, myself included, but I am a huge believer in being as optimistic as I can manage. Here's to a new trip around the sun!

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3 comments New Year's Resolutions, Nicole Pyles, writing goals

End of Year Thinking

This is the time of year when I do a lot of thinking.

And I don’t mean like when my kids were small and I’d try to take a tiny nap and tell them not to disturb Mommy because she is thinking. I mean, sure, my eyes are sometimes closed and I will often fall asleep during all this ruminating, but honestly, I’m seriously thinking. 

It’s important, this thinking. I will start with taking a look at what I’ve done in the past year and that informs new dreams, new plans. Because dreams do change, y’all, but how often do we take the time to really think of how we’ve changed and how that impacts our wants and needs and goals or dreams?

Certainly, my writing career has come a long way from where it started. When I left teaching, the principal of the middle school where I worked asked what my plans were, and at that point, my “plans” were to write. But I sensed she was expecting me to say something a bit more substantive, more impressive, if you will, and so I blurted out, “I’ve got an idea for a novel, a cozy mystery.” And the principal must have been truly impressed since she announced my plans at the end-of-the-school-year gathering. Everyone clapped and I tried to crawl under my chair. A novel? What was I thinking, saying I planned to write a novel? 

Well, I wasn’t thinking at all. I read an awful lot of mysteries and believed I could write a mystery novel, if I put my mind to it. And I actually did attempt a novel that first year. But after ten or so pages, and slap out of ideas, I was done. Good heavens, how did authors get an entire novel written? 

My end-of-year thinking pushed me toward flash fiction and essay-writing and I became a better story-teller. I used those skills to try my hand at web content and though I made a steady income, my thinking about that sort of writing made me realize that the money wasn’t worth the dream-sucking work. 

Throughout the many years, taking the time to think about what I was enjoying in my writing (my dreams) and weighing the pros and cons of different projects (the reality) has led me down lots and lots of varied writing paths, some wonderful and some, not so much. 

There are those of you who hold steadfast to your original writing dreams through all your ups and downs, both personal and business. And that’s the right way for you. But if you’re facing dissatisfaction, ennui, or even a writer’s block that’s more like a boulder, maybe this is the year to do some serious thinking. 

Ponder what you love in your writing, what you want in your writing career. Then think a bit more concretely about what it will take to get there. Are there habits you need to develop, or even bad habits you need to drop? Classes you could take? Webinars to attend? How will you spend your money on your career? How can you make money with writing? Is the money important to you? If not, what is important? 

See how a little thinking can lead to who-knows-where? There's the adventure, the excitement, friends, so happy thinking and happy writing in 2022! 

(And P.S. Where I am now is back to the beginning, writing a cozy mystery, and finally able to bring together enough words and ideas to complete it! I wonder if anyone sitting in that school cafeteria will see my hopefully-published novel one day and say, “Didn’t Cathy Hall start working on that book fifteen years ago?” And I will say, “Yes. Yes, I did!”)

~Cathy C. Hall

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4 comments Cathy C. Hall, planning, writing dreams, writing goals