One technique that works for me in goal-setting is making sure I have some concrete tasks to check off as I make progress, in addition to larger conceptual themes. In keeping with my writing jumpstart program, here are my specific writing goals for 2012:
- prioritize regular writing time
- join and regularly participate in and attend a poetry critique group
- complete the Poem-A-Day challenge in April, like I have before
- workshop/revise two poems I’ve been working on for several years
- polish/revise a few creative nonfiction pieces I’ve been working on, and send them out
- develop some target poetry markets and shower them with submissions
- use Poets & Writersclassifieds and website resources to help me find information on literary journals and calls for submissions
- use the P&W prompts for inspiration and practical exercises
If you notice, there’s a pattern here having to do with submissions, my most-dreaded portion of the writing life. Trying to do the whole tackling-it-head-on thing.
Just as with my other resolutions, I’ll be posting when I have success in meeting these goals too.
Related articles
- Jumpstarting My Writing (jackieregales.com)
