Goal Setting & Productivity

A couple of techniques that might help with your own goal setting and writing productivity.

Hey Story Crafters,

The start of every new year marks the uptick in motivation for setting goals and finding techniques for increasing writing productivity. I’m sure there are plenty of techniques and tips you’ve heard of and tried already, so I don’t really have anything to add. All I can say is that, similar to writing advice, techniques for goal setting and increasing productivity will vary from writer to writer. Research techniques, try them out, and then incorporate the ones that work for you into your routine.

Here are a couple of techniques that work for me:

1. Setting manageable goals.

A couple of pitfalls that can come up during goal setting is not incorporating time in your daily life to work toward your goal, and setting a goal that is too abstract or overwhelming.

Review your daily schedule and account for all the tasks that you need to get done. Set time aside for destressing and relaxation, for exercise, family, sleep, and other commitments as well. Then see when in your day you have opportunities to write, or read, or whatever it is you’re trying to make time for, and evaluate whether you are willing to consistently commit to spending that time working toward your goal. Once you know you have opportunities to spend working toward your goal and that you can commit to doing so, you can set a specific goal.

When setting goals, try to word them in a way that makes them less daunting or abstract and more achievable. For example, set your goal as “Write 1 chapter a week” instead of “Write a complete novel in 1 year.” Or even, “Write XX words per week.”

Think of it as setting up mile markers to pass on the way to your final destination. Your final destination (overall goal) can be “Write a complete novel in 1 year,” with “Write 1 chapter a week” serving as the mile markers (mini-goals) to keep you on track.

2. Work on multiple projects at once.

This technique might not work for everyone—you might be the kind of writer who needs to finish one project before starting another. And that’s totally fine! No two writers work the exact same way. But for me personally, I tend to run out of steam if I work on only one project at a time, whether it’s a writing project or an editing project.

I find that editing feeds my writing and vice versa, so it’s helpful for me to work on an editing project and have writing sessions to break up the editing sessions. With writing projects, I find that the story development and words come easier when I’ve got a couple of WIPs to switch between. Some writers might find that distracting, which is understandable. But switching between projects helps my brain stay sharp, keeps me excited and motivated about the projects, and usually helps me gain insight into how to develop each project further.

Again, these are just a couple of techniques I find helpful, and wanted to share with you in case you’re experimenting with goal setting and productivity tips. Hopefully, you find them helpful. You may have or find your own tips that work for you, but might not work for me or another writer. Feel free to discuss and share in the comments!

Here’s to another productive year of writing, reading, and editing!

And a big thank you to everyone who showed interest in the Holiday Sale! If you missed this sale, don’t worry—there will be other sales offered throughout the year through this newsletter, so keep an eye out!

I’m booking editing slots for 2025. I’m open to working with all fiction authors, though I specialize in fantasy, dark fantasy, science fiction, and horror. Whether you’ve recently finished a writing project or you’ll be wrapping one up soon, I might be the editor for you!

Feel free to reach out or follow me on social media.

Until next time!

Best,

Leah