GOALS OR NO GOALS?

One of the purposes of the kindredheartwriters’ blog is to share our writing struggles with our fellow writers. We believe that in sharing we learn and grow as writers. In the kindredheartwriters’ group I am known as the one who dislikes the “g” word. So for me to write about anything closely related to a GOAL(please don’t say it out loud) will really be a surprise and probably a total work of fiction; however, I have been reading the posts my fellow hearts have been writing and I hear the “g” word coming through loud and clear. Laura just told us that Writers Write and before that Johnnie brought us NANOWRIMO. Now there is a goal oriented activity that I may be considering. I am not committed as yet, just praying about it.( Johnnie, Don't write me any letters.)

Perhaps some of you are thinking about setting goals. My heart friends tell me we could call it “focus”, but I believe in using the most precise word- a goal is a goal. Webster says it is “the result or achievement towards which effort is directed.” It is the effort part of this definition I am struggling with right now. It isn’t difficult to set goals, but making the effort to reach those goals is what brings the pressure, and I am not sure I want pressure at this point.

For Nanowrimo:
I want to do non-fiction. I know that is possible because Jean did it last year.
I want to write my words around a book outline I have in my mind. I have the outline finished.
I want to write a chapter a day.
I want to finish this if I start it.
I want to learn from this effort.

Now these are NOT goals; to make them goals I will leave out the words “want to” and put in “will.”
I wrote objectives and goals in lesson plans for years. I know how to write a goal.

Do you have goals? Are you a writer with daily goals such as daily word number?
Do you write them down and put them in print or do you just store them in your mind?
Do you become discouraged if you don’t meet your goals? ( that’s why I don’t like goals)
Do you set your goals too high or have too many? (when I do it, I do)
Do you feel goals help you finish a project?

How do you feel about goals and how do you handle your goal-making? Are you going to try Nanowrimo? Let me hear from you. Share your struggles with me.

Clella (with no goals yet)

POST SCRIPT FOR non-fiction writers who may want to try NaNoWriMo
Ideas below are copied from Rochelle Melander WRITE NOW TIPS www.rightnowcoach.com/newsletter/news/tip101309.htm

Write! Writers of all types can use the energy and enthusiasm of NaNoWriMo to complete their own writing projects—no matter what genre they are. I encourage you to choose a project and set a writing goal that works for you. Here are some ways you can participate:
*write a marketing article a day
*write a devotion or essay a day
*write a section of your dissertation each day
*write a poem a day
*write a query letter a day
*write a blog post a day
*write a nonfiction book proposal
*write a series of short stories
*write a series of nonfiction articles