Sandra Gerth - Goal Setting for Writers. How to set and achieve your writing goals, finally write a book, and become a successful author

INTRODUCTION

You probably bought this book because you want to write and publish a book and be successful as an author. Well, you are not alone. According to a survey that the Jenkins Groupa publishing services firmcommissioned in 2002, 81 percent of Americans feel they have a book in them. Writing a book is on the bucket list of many people worldwide.

All writers have dreamsfinishing their novel or nonfiction book, seeing their name on the cover of a book, writing more, or even giving up their day job to make a living as a writerand I want you to accomplish your writing dreams. I know that its possible, because Im living my dream, writing full-time.

So if you are one of many writers who stopped setting goals years ago because youve had a string of disappointments and failed New Years resolutions, or if youve stopped believing in the power of goals, take heart. All you need to know is how to set effective writing goals and how to develop a detailed action plan that will help you accomplish those goals. With the right goals to motivate and guide you, you will make it through the long and arduous process of writing a book.

Oftentimes, writers are creative, right-brained people, so just thinking about goal setting and planning makes us recoil in horror. That is truly unfortunate, because for us writers, its even more important to set goals for ourselves. Unlike people with other jobs, we dont have bosses who tell us what to do, when to do it, and whether we have done it well. Writing lacks that kind of structureunless you establish it yourself, and this book will tell you how to do it.

This is not a book on the art or the craft of writing; its about the actual writing process. It doesnt tell you how to write but how to get started, keep writing, and finish your book. This book isnt just about setting goals but also about accomplishing them by coming up with a detailed plan of action. It will guide you through every step of setting and accomplishing your writing goals, providing you with plenty of helpful resources along the way that will help you to plan, write, revise, and publish your book and to become a better writer.

Whether you are a complete newbie just thinking about writing your first book or a multipublished author dreaming of becoming a full-time writer or somewhere in between, this book will help you to:

• learn the difference between dreams and goals;
• turn your dreams into effective, realistic writing goals;
• discover what matters most to you about your writing;
• break down your goals into bite-sized chunks that you can achieve more easily, even if you dont have much time to write;
• create an action plan that guides you through every step of the writing and publishing process;
• find the best resources for writers;
• develop habits that will help you overcome procrastination and reach your goals;
• overcome roadblocks and obstacles that keep you from finishing your book;
• avoid common mistakes in goal setting.

By the way, you can also use the techniques youll learn to set and achieve goals not just in your writing, but also in all other areas of your life, e.g., losing weight, improving your relationship, making more money, enhancing your spiritual life, or learning a language.

WHO AM I?

Some of you might be wondering who I am and what qualifies me to publish a book about setting and achieving writing goals. Im a full-time writer, the senior editor of a small but fast-growing publishing house, and a psychologist. Ive been writing for twenty-five years, and I have finished every single book I started. I have been a published author since 2007 and have so far published eight novels, two novellas, and about two dozen short stories under the pen name Jae (jae-fiction.com). So far, I have translated four of my novels into German, which is my native language. In 2013, I fulfilled my lifelong dream to give up my day job and make a living writing.

I also worked as a psychologist for eight years, guiding my clients to set realistic goals and work toward them. As an editor and mentor, I have helped many writers achieve their writing goals. I hope I can help you accomplish your dreams too.

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THIS BOOK

We all know how most people read books like this one. They read it straight through from beginning to end, and they intend to go back and implement the tips and advice once they finish the book. But since they all have busy lives, chances are they will never get around to it.

So, instead of simply reading the book, I want to encourage you to read each chapter and then to stop, take action, and implement what youve learned into your daily life. At the end of each section, youll find a task that, once completed, will bring you closer to achieving your writing goals. Get a notebook and write down your thoughts on each exercise. That way, youll have a personalized pathway to writing and publishing success by the time you finish this book.

Happy reading and writing!

Sandra Gerth

PART I SET YOUR GOALS

Part one is devoted to teaching you everything you need to know about how to set effective goals. In this section, youll find out why its so important to set goals and what the differences are between goals and dreams. Ill guide you through the process of setting goals that are SMART, positive, present, and personal. Youll discover different types of goals and decide which ones are most important to you. Youll also learn techniques for keeping your goals fresh in your mind and for keeping yourself accountable.

By the end of this section, youll have defined your writing goals in a way that gives you the best possible chance to achieve them.

1. Overview:
Achieve your writing goals in 17 steps

There are 17 steps toward achieving your goal of writing, publishing, and marketing a bookor any goal for that matter.

Here is a quick overview. While Ill explain each step in more detail in the following chapters, you can always come back to this chapter to see the list of steps at one glance.

1. Think about your dreams for your future as a writer (chapter 3).
2. Turn your dreams into SMART goals (chapter 4).
3. Make sure your goals are personal, present, and positive (chapter 5).
4. Keep your motivation for wanting to achieve your goals in mind (chapter 6).
5. Decide on areas of your (writing) life for which you want to set goals (chapter 7).
6. Write down your goals (chapter 9).
7. Create visual prompts and reminders so you wont forget about your goals (chapter 10).
8. Share your goals with people who will hold you accountable (chapter 11).
9. Decide which of your goals are most important (chapter 12).
10. Break your goals down into manageable steps (chapter 13).
11. Develop an action plana list of tasks that you need to complete to reach your goals (chapter 14).
12. Set deadlines for when you want to accomplish each step toward your goals (chapter 17).
13. Create a system of rewards for each important milestone to keep yourself motivated (chapter 18).
14. Work toward your goals by taking daily action (chapter 19).
15. Regularly track your progress toward your goals (chapter 20).
16. Reevaluate and revise your goals if circumstances change (chapter 21).