Writing Goals

Discuss writing, including writing tips & tricks, writing philosophy, writer's block, etc. If you have grammar questions, marketing questions, or if you want feedback on a poem or short story you wrote, please use the corresponding forum below.
Featured Topic: How to Get Your Book Published
Forum rules
If you have spelling or grammar questions, please post them in the International Grammar section.

If you want feedback for poetry or short stories you have written, please post the poem or short story in either the Creative Original Works: Short Stories section or the Creative Original Works: Poetry section.

If you have a book that you want reviewed, click here to submit your book for review.
User avatar
ALynnPowers
Posts: 8536
Joined: 21 Aug 2014, 07:14
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 417
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alynnpowers.html
Latest Review: Sarah's Dream by Eileen Bird
Reading Device: B0051QVF7A
Publishing Contest Votes: 13

Re: Writing Goals

Post by ALynnPowers »

moderntimes wrote:Each writer needs to set a series of goals nevertheless, otherwise nothing ever gets written.
I completely agree with you on this one! I would just sit around all day eating potato chips if I had no goals. :roll:
I actually keep a spreadsheet record of how much I write and in what story/file (because I am a nerd like that) so I can physically see that my goals are being met. And then at the end of the month, I reward myself somehow, if I have managed to meet my goals (I always do). Usually with a delicious meal. My birthday is at the end of this month, so that's even more incentive to keep up the writing this month!
User avatar
RussetDivinity
Posts: 398
Joined: 04 Jul 2014, 13:44
Bookshelf Size: 44
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-russetdivinity.html
Latest Review: "Heart of Flint" by Scott Stricklen

Post by RussetDivinity »

I mainly just use goals for NaNoWriMo, and I try to write 2500 words each Friday. Most of my writing just happens spontaneously, though I'll likely add a daily 2000-word goal pretty soon. I don't use a reward system because, for me, writing is its own reward.
Latest Review: "Heart of Flint" by Scott Stricklen
User avatar
ALynnPowers
Posts: 8536
Joined: 21 Aug 2014, 07:14
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 417
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alynnpowers.html
Latest Review: Sarah's Dream by Eileen Bird
Reading Device: B0051QVF7A
Publishing Contest Votes: 13

Post by ALynnPowers »

RussetDivinity wrote:I mainly just use goals for NaNoWriMo, and I try to write 2500 words each Friday. Most of my writing just happens spontaneously, though I'll likely add a daily 2000-word goal pretty soon. I don't use a reward system because, for me, writing is its own reward.
You make a good point about writing being its own reward. Unfortunately for me, I love eating more than I love writing (I wish I didn't, but that's just how it is, le sigh), so I have to bribe myself to get delicious treats. I'm like my own pet, apparently.

Also, you do NaNo!?! I've done it for the past couple of years, and I think it's really fun. It's what inspired my goals and reward system in the first place.
User avatar
moderntimes
Posts: 2249
Joined: 15 Mar 2014, 13:03
Favorite Author: James Joyce
Favorite Book: Ulysses by James Joyce
Currently Reading: Grendel by John Gardner
Bookshelf Size: 0
fav_author_id: 2516

Post by moderntimes »

If we didn't love writing we should find something else to do. I agree that we shouldn't write "as an assignment" (unless of course you're in school or use writing in your job). But frankly, I write to SELL my stuff. Except of course things that I may write to donate to nonprofit publications, such as my diocesan magazine.

However, in the main, my principal work over the last 3-4 years has been my series of modern American private detective thrillers, 2 novels sold and published, the 3rd recently finished and now being evaluated for purchase, beginning work on the 4th. They take up most all of my writing time. Although I'm now officially retired I still occasionally take on piecework as a specifications technology consultant for a "big oil" firm. And I write the occasional short story, essay, article, and of course I write book reviews for a mystery website.

Besides that, I have other things -- my girlfriend and I enjoy a modest social life, we watch TV and go to movies, and so on. And therefore only a portion of my waking hours is spent writing.

Before seeing NaNoWriMo from Russet, I had no idea what it was. Seems like fun but writing a novel in a month? Wow. I must confess that each of my novels took most of a year to write (and revise). I had to research topics, write outlines, develop themes, clues (they are mysteries), plot points, and story arcs in at least rough outline. And writing 60k+ words doesn't just mean slamming them into a Word doc. It means instead meticulous revision, careful plotting, composition and proofreading, and more and more revisions until that darn story shines with bright polishing.

And although I am somewhat compelled to work on my novels just by the love of creating a story, I still write with the objective of selling what I write and seeing it professionally published. And by "professionally" I mean that a publisher buys your novel, gives you an advance, and then prints and distributes the book as well as selling it online, e-book or print version. But there's NOTHING as thrilling, for a novelist, to go into a bookstore and see your novel on the "newly received" shelves. Makes you want to grab the nearest person, "See that book 'Blood Storm'? I wrote that!" and then dance around mindlessly.

But it still takes most of a calendar year for me to write and edit and revise and proofread a new novel. A month? No way. Especially if nobody want to purchase the rights and publish it. But if you folks like that enterprise, go for it!
"Ineluctable modality of the visible..."
User avatar
ALynnPowers
Posts: 8536
Joined: 21 Aug 2014, 07:14
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 417
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alynnpowers.html
Latest Review: Sarah's Dream by Eileen Bird
Reading Device: B0051QVF7A
Publishing Contest Votes: 13

Post by ALynnPowers »

Everyone has their own reasons for writing, I guess. I wish I were able to write for the purpose of selling stories, but I'm just not that good. I personally love the challenge of NaNoWriMo, just so I can say that I did it. But I think that's the easy part. The hard part is the analyzing, editing, and revising. Those take me about a year. It's taken me ten minutes to revise this short paragraph. Haha. Kidding. Sort of...
booklovingolfer
Posts: 114
Joined: 20 Aug 2014, 14:21
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-booklovingolfer.html

Post by booklovingolfer »

I don't think I will ever become an author, but I guess you can say I would like to start reviewing books.
User avatar
moderntimes
Posts: 2249
Joined: 15 Mar 2014, 13:03
Favorite Author: James Joyce
Favorite Book: Ulysses by James Joyce
Currently Reading: Grendel by John Gardner
Bookshelf Size: 0
fav_author_id: 2516

Post by moderntimes »

Tell me about NaNo... are the books which are written for this website then sold to publishers and the authors paid actual money for the sale? If not, it seems to me to be an exercise in futility with no actual "product" being resultant. I may as well just type up some stuff, convert it to PDF, and post it on Facebook for people to read.

golfer... If you tell yourself you'll never become an author, guess what? You won't! Better to say "I'm not yet published." and keep writing and trying. A hint: No big time agent or publisher is surfing through this forum and hoping to find the next Faulkner. If you tell yourself you'll "never" do something, it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. Start writing "for real" and work your tail off to get your stuff published.

Likewise, read the 2nd half of your sentence, how tentative it is, how it lacks movement. No book website is now searching thru these messages and will suddenly PM you "We see you'd like to review books. We'll send you 5 to start!"

Ain't gonna happen. Instead, whatever genre you like (fantasy, mystery, SF, romance, etc) -- search and find websites that feature those books for review, and email the owner of the site. Send in your OWN review of one of the featured books and see if the site likes what you've written. It they do, they'll maybe send you a couple new books to get started. And if those reviews are good, you'll then be a featured reviewer. Also, this site provides reviews and accepts volunteers -- although I don't know the details. But I've been a reviewer myself for some time now. No, it doesn't pay, but you get to keep the book, the standard arrangement most anywhere.

Just remember that writing a professionally-toned review isn't like high school, where you just repeat a short version of the plot. Book reviews are essentially essays.

Good luck!
"Ineluctable modality of the visible..."
User avatar
ALynnPowers
Posts: 8536
Joined: 21 Aug 2014, 07:14
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 417
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alynnpowers.html
Latest Review: Sarah's Dream by Eileen Bird
Reading Device: B0051QVF7A
Publishing Contest Votes: 13

Post by ALynnPowers »

I wanted to bump this topic since I remember mentioning Nanowrimo here, and I was thinking that maybe some people might be getting read for it -- just a month and a half to go!

I will personally increase my writing goals during the month of November, just because I like the challenge to get 50,000 words out of my head and onto paper.

You don't actually write a novel "for" the website. It's not posted anywhere for anyone else to read. It's just about having a lot of people joined virtually joined together for the same purpose and sharing an experience revolving around the love of writing. It's up to each individual to take what he or she has written during the month and transform it into something publishable. Last year, "winners" who completed the challenge actually received a coupon for a couple of free paperback copies of their novels through a partnered printing company.
User avatar
Gravy
Gravymaster of Bookshelves
Posts: 39044
Joined: 27 Aug 2014, 02:02
Favorite Author: Seanan McGuire
Favorite Book: As many as there are stars in the sky
Currently Reading: The Ghost Tree
Bookshelf Size: 1027
fav_author_id: 3249

Post by Gravy »

ALynnPowers wrote:I wanted to bump this topic since I remember mentioning Nanowrimo here, and I was thinking that maybe some people might be getting read for it -- just a month and a half to go!

I will personally increase my writing goals during the month of November, just because I like the challenge to get 50,000 words out of my head and onto paper.

You don't actually write a novel "for" the website. It's not posted anywhere for anyone else to read. It's just about having a lot of people joined virtually joined together for the same purpose and sharing an experience revolving around the love of writing. It's up to each individual to take what he or she has written during the month and transform it into something publishable. Last year, "winners" who completed the challenge actually received a coupon for a couple of free paperback copies of their novels through a partnered printing company.
Alot of the authors I "follow" do nanowrimo so I've known about it for years.
I always thought it was cool.
Pronouns: She/Her

What is grief, if not love persevering?

Grief is just love with no place to go.
User avatar
SCTurner
Posts: 9
Joined: 18 Sep 2014, 14:12
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by SCTurner »

Every time that I set a goal to do something daily, it always falls apart. For my self-published book, my first, I would set the goal by tasks with no due date. First would be to write a summary of how I want the book to be. Sometimes this would take two to three months as it changed a lot. Then the next goal would be to type it into a word document and expand upon it which can take more months. After this other tasks are taken into consideration to complete the third draft and then so on until I am satisfied.

To create a goal of writing every day is something that I would love to do and perhaps I would keep trying until it kicks in.
User avatar
moderntimes
Posts: 2249
Joined: 15 Mar 2014, 13:03
Favorite Author: James Joyce
Favorite Book: Ulysses by James Joyce
Currently Reading: Grendel by John Gardner
Bookshelf Size: 0
fav_author_id: 2516

Post by moderntimes »

Graverobber wrote:
ALynnPowers wrote:I wanted to bump this topic since I remember mentioning Nanowrimo here, and I was thinking that maybe some people might be getting read for it -- just a month and a half to go!

I will personally increase my writing goals during the month of November, just because I like the challenge to get 50,000 words out of my head and onto paper.

You don't actually write a novel "for" the website. It's not posted anywhere for anyone else to read. It's just about having a lot of people joined virtually joined together for the same purpose and sharing an experience revolving around the love of writing. It's up to each individual to take what he or she has written during the month and transform it into something publishable. Last year, "winners" who completed the challenge actually received a coupon for a couple of free paperback copies of their novels through a partnered printing company.
Alot of the authors I "follow" do nanowrimo so I've known about it for years.
I always thought it was cool.
Er, "a lot" is two words. Your sigline has these HUGE capital letters, which is called "shouting" online and can be somewhat annoying to see. Is that your quote? Do you write SF? Just wondering.

-- 19 Sep 2014, 14:16 --
SCTurner wrote:Every time that I set a goal to do something daily, it always falls apart. For my self-published book, my first, I would set the goal by tasks with no due date. First would be to write a summary of how I want the book to be. Sometimes this would take two to three months as it changed a lot. Then the next goal would be to type it into a word document and expand upon it which can take more months. After this other tasks are taken into consideration to complete the third draft and then so on until I am satisfied.

To create a goal of writing every day is something that I would love to do and perhaps I would keep trying until it kicks in.
SC, you're blocking yourself from writing without even realizing it, just this one person's opinion. How? First, you say "self published" as if your book won't be good enough to be sold to a real publisher who will pay you real money for it. You're in a way boxing your talents in without even starting.

Then you cast everything in future tense -- "how I want the book to be" and "would be to type..." and so on. If you keep couching your writing for something that's going to occur in the future, you'll never do anything productive.

My recommendation is to say: "The novel I'm working on now is just in its formative stages but I've finished a plot outline and rough notes, so I already know the general story. I try to write a chapter a day but that's not always possible. So I don't have fixed daily goals but my purpose is to complete my book by fall, then spend time carefully revising and proofreading it, and then seek an agent or publisher."

And so on.

Believe me, my suggestion is START the new novel. If you're a bit stuck, don't try to write "Chapter 1: I am born." (ha ha) but instead just write "Chapter xx" that contains a certain event or story line that's been bubbling in your head a while. All novels consist of plot arcs. There's an overreaching major arc that covers the entire book, then there are smaller arcs, usually 3, that are (normally) 1- lay out the premise and introduce the major characters, and set the action going, 2- have the major characters or central protagonist encounter some critical change or event that is the core of the book, and 3- deal with the outcome and resolution of that major event.

Within these 3 major arcs (typical for any novel but by no means mandatory 3 in number) are then smaller arcs, usually 2-3 chapters that describe a certain event, such as "ch 12- the heroine is invited to a big party, ch 13- the party, and ch 14- the big letdown afterwards. Something like that.

So let's say that your heroine (just for an example) at the big party is that critical event or happening that's been bubbling in your head. Start your novel by writing that chapter. And maybe another chapter where the vampire is first seen. Or maybe where the hero gets fired from his job. Whatever ideas that you've had in your mind that generally describe things you want the novel to talk about, write those chapters first. That's if you're stuck in starting that Chapter 1. Then, as you flesh out the critical chapters, you'll find it lots easier to write the surrounding and connecting chapters, the setup stuff.

But don't plan and plan and "dream" of self publishing. That's a wash.

Instead, if you must dream, imagine your agent having sold your first novel to Doubleday and the advance is $50,000.

Hey, it happens. But it can only happen if you first write the darn book. Right now you're "planning about planning" which will absolutely, definitely drain your resolve and energy. Honest.

-- 19 Sep 2014, 14:33 --
ALynnPowers wrote: I will personally increase my writing goals during the month of November, just because I like the challenge to get 50,000 words out of my head and onto paper.
That's where we differ, I guess. If I'm gonna churn out 50k words, it will be for the purpose of selling that book and otherwise getting it published and hopefully on the bookshelves at my local store. And making a few bucks off that, too.

I do some writing for charity of course. I'm working on an article for my local diocesan magazine right now. That's gratis.

And I've just finished a couple of new book reviews. Typical of most book reviewers, we aren't paid but get the new book to keep as a trophy, rememberance, or maybe paperweight, depending on the novel inside, ha ha.

But believe me, I just finished my new novel (64k words) and it wasn't written just for fun. Of course I love writing and feel essentially compelled to write. That's a must, and like you, I've got a zillion words buzzing around in my head all the time that are just demanding to be stuffed into a Word doc.

But me, I bend that impulse toward a productive goal: getting published, getting my stuff sold, getting it out there to the readership and the "fans" (I've got 4 whole fans! Yea!) who will actually spend bucks for something I've written, which is always gratifying and somewhat of a surprise to me, ha ha.

But writing a book just because? Mmmm, as I said, why not just write the thing and convert it to PDF and put it on Facebook for download? That's what self publishing is anyway, for the most.

But I'm a bit cynical about writing and my focus is principally on selling what I write, so that's just me.

Thanks for the added info on Na-- write.
"Ineluctable modality of the visible..."
User avatar
SCTurner
Posts: 9
Joined: 18 Sep 2014, 14:12
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by SCTurner »

Thanks, Moderntimes. I understand what you’re saying, at least I hope I do as I respond. I think some assumptions were made due to my last post that might not have been as clear as it should.

I preferred the self-publishing route because I feel that the e-book is going to be the future. What I do know is that I have to create my own universe and present it in as many quality books that I can. It is my desire to have the reader become immersed in that universe and desire to read more about it (purchase the other books).

I am realistic, as I am not famous and I will not go on network television to promote my books. Is it possible for this to happen someday? Perhaps, but for now the steps that I have mentioned before is what it took for me to get my first book created. This is the process that what will get several other of my stories that I have already outlined, created (and barely do I stick to that outline).

I think that my planning is not what you may think it is. The outline is more like summaries of how I want the story to be from chapter to chapter and quite often the story has already been imagined to completion in my mind (as was the case for my first book).

At the same time, planning in this way helps me get a story out there so that I can come back to it at a later date. This is especially important as I am finding myself marketing my book and spending more time doing that then I had ever imagined.

So no, I don’t dream of self-publishing, I did it and I am going to figure out the most efficient way to do it again. One of which is to start writing daily.
User avatar
moderntimes
Posts: 2249
Joined: 15 Mar 2014, 13:03
Favorite Author: James Joyce
Favorite Book: Ulysses by James Joyce
Currently Reading: Grendel by John Gardner
Bookshelf Size: 0
fav_author_id: 2516

Post by moderntimes »

Ah, thanks for the clarification! Much more positive!

Thing is, while in this forum, I've seen many folks post these "I wish I could..." messages that are self-defeating at the outset. Postings like "I want to write..." or "I'd like to write a novel someday..." --- very wistful and essentially purposeless, if writing is the goal. A timetable, especially a rigid one, isn't necessary. What is needed however the the gumption to start that darn book!

But you have. Congrats! That's the way it needs to be.

I fiddled around a while and hemmed and hawed about all the hard work needed to write an entire novel. I think I wasted more energy whining than I expended when I actually wrote the book! Duh.

I placed my first 2 mysteries of my private detective series with a small mostly internet publisher. Did I make a bunch of dough? No. Did I pay anyone to publish my book? Double no.

My advice has always been to note which direction the money flows. If it comes into your pocket, no matter how modest the amount, that's the right direction. If the money goes out of your pocket, wrong.

My advice to you about daily writing is to not worry too much about a hard schedule. The important thing is that you're "now writing a novel" and if that means doing some research for a few days, or letting the work percolate and "fester" (ha ha) a couple days, fine. Just keep moving forward.

A couple hints that have worked for me... 1- Don't be too rigid about writing chapter 6 after completing chapter 5. If you're a bit stuck, skip ahead brother (per Monty Python) and jump square into the mix with chapter 12 (the big shootout or love scene or whatever) and then go back and fill in the gaps. 2- Be sure to re-read what you've just written before starting some new chapter. It helps you get back into the rhythm of the work and to not accidentally create jumpy fits and spurts of the plotline. 3- Don't worry too much about minor flaws in what you're writing. Just plow ahead and dump your brain's contents onto that page (or screen) and keep going. You can (and should) go back later and revise.

Heck. I "finished" my 3rd mystery novel in March. And since then I've been carefully revising and tweaking, proofreading, making it just a teeny bit better. And it really looks good now!

My new novel is now under consideration by a fairly good publisher, one that pays advances and standard royalties and so on, does standard bookstore stocking and supports signing events, all that good stuff. Of course they may say "TBNT" (thanks but no thanks) in which case I'll start plying agencies and other publishers till I get the book placed.

Good luck, all! Just remember -- no big publisher or agency is gonna phone you up and ask you to write a new novel. None of us is Stevie King. So much of our luck is homemade.
"Ineluctable modality of the visible..."
User avatar
SCTurner
Posts: 9
Joined: 18 Sep 2014, 14:12
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by SCTurner »

Definitely agree and good luck with the publisher!
User avatar
Norma_Rudolph
Posts: 207
Joined: 29 Apr 2014, 15:04
Favorite Author: Mary Stewart
Favorite Book: <a href="http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelve ... =4245">The Gift of Lies</a>
Currently Reading: Enchantment
Bookshelf Size: 21
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-norma-rudolph.html
Latest Review: "Desolate" by Stephanie Binding
fav_author_id: 10582

Post by Norma_Rudolph »

I'm just working to get life out of the way enough that I can send out my novels again.
Latest Review: "Desolate" by Stephanie Binding
Post Reply

Return to “Writing Discussion”