Writing Goals
July 1st 2009 11:10
Setting and working towards writing goals is essential if you want to really do something with your writing. I learned this a long time ago-almost six years in fact. My goal was 'I will write a 50, 000 word novel' and my mission was a success.
Now, I will admit. I've tried to apply this over and over and over again with varied amounts of success. Nanowrimo is the one goal I have consistently achieved (excluding my second year of course) and I am very proud of it.
I've been writing seriously for about six years. In that time I've written many goal lists and I've had varying levels of success completing these goal lists.
When I write a goal list I usually divide it into sections. For example, here is my list for June-July worldbuilding work for Jihad. This is pretty much the way it's laid out in my binder:
Religious Orders 1 page each
~Healers of Raychel
~Truthtellers of Rasie
~Followers of Astarael
~Monks of Bondage
~Order of the Triad
(This section is actually complete, yay)
Myths
~Elvish Myths
*The Great Forest (creation)
*Ascension (Rasie)
-insert room for more-
~Human Myths
*Creation Myth
Timelines
~Elvish Rising
~Jihad (origin)
~Jihad (2)
~Drakor Building
Character Bios (3 pages)
~Kaitlyn (Completed)
~Alaendril (Completed)
~Miriam
~Keith
~Taea
~Shalorin
(Note that the characters are all originally from the original idea for Jihad. Shalorin and Alaendril also play important parts in other books.)
You'll notice that I have the main categories of assignments and then I have mini categories in some spots, like 'Elvish Myths'. Also bear in mind that this is just my list of things to do for this month to do with world building-material for my reference book.
When making your own goal list, divide your goals into categories. For example, one category could be 'Blogging Goals' and another could be 'Fiction Goals'. It depends on how you work in terms of your writing and your world building.
Break the big goals up into smaller ones. You want to create a sturdy religious base in your world? All right, start by writing a one or two page description of each God. By focusing on the smaller goals first you won't feel half as overwhelmed.
Focus on the building blocks-what you need to do to get where you need to go, whether it be write X number of words/pages per day or write one character profile per day-and you will build your success.
Once you've got an organized list of what you need to do, it's a lot easier to figure out when/where you're going to do it. Tomorrow I'll write about what I do daily to work towards my own writing goals.
Happy writing everyone and thanks for reading.
Now, I will admit. I've tried to apply this over and over and over again with varied amounts of success. Nanowrimo is the one goal I have consistently achieved (excluding my second year of course) and I am very proud of it.
I've been writing seriously for about six years. In that time I've written many goal lists and I've had varying levels of success completing these goal lists.
When I write a goal list I usually divide it into sections. For example, here is my list for June-July worldbuilding work for Jihad. This is pretty much the way it's laid out in my binder:
Religious Orders 1 page each
~Healers of Raychel
~Truthtellers of Rasie
~Followers of Astarael
~Monks of Bondage
~Order of the Triad
(This section is actually complete, yay)
Myths
~Elvish Myths
*The Great Forest (creation)
*Ascension (Rasie)
-insert room for more-
~Human Myths
*Creation Myth
Timelines
~Elvish Rising
~Jihad (origin)
~Jihad (2)
~Drakor Building
Character Bios (3 pages)
~Kaitlyn (Completed)
~Alaendril (Completed)
~Miriam
~Keith
~Taea
~Shalorin
(Note that the characters are all originally from the original idea for Jihad. Shalorin and Alaendril also play important parts in other books.)
You'll notice that I have the main categories of assignments and then I have mini categories in some spots, like 'Elvish Myths'. Also bear in mind that this is just my list of things to do for this month to do with world building-material for my reference book.
When making your own goal list, divide your goals into categories. For example, one category could be 'Blogging Goals' and another could be 'Fiction Goals'. It depends on how you work in terms of your writing and your world building.
Break the big goals up into smaller ones. You want to create a sturdy religious base in your world? All right, start by writing a one or two page description of each God. By focusing on the smaller goals first you won't feel half as overwhelmed.
Focus on the building blocks-what you need to do to get where you need to go, whether it be write X number of words/pages per day or write one character profile per day-and you will build your success.
Once you've got an organized list of what you need to do, it's a lot easier to figure out when/where you're going to do it. Tomorrow I'll write about what I do daily to work towards my own writing goals.
Happy writing everyone and thanks for reading.
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Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
Now that I have started to construct histories its like Im scared to trip over my own details. But I would like to do the stories of the family trees, and Gods.
My diaries from the perpective of the planet itself are very helpful. Its her story more than the characters, anyway.
Comment by Dianna G
I Wish This Was 42
Fictional Worlds
Of course tripping over your own details is always something to watch for; but even if you're going to keep the readers left in the dark it's good to know yourself what's going on.
~Dianna
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
But I think if I focus on the history, which is fresh, new, interesting and fun, it will also give me more ammo for book one.
Comment by Dianna G
I Wish This Was 42
Fictional Worlds
Yes indeed. History is fun and definitely provides dozens of new ideas.
~Dianna
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
But seriously, thanks again. I only wrote two entries for Omecka, then yesterday I pulled out my folder.....Packed with drafts, scenes, sketches, maps, family trees, the thing weighs a ton! And I started doing lost of background work. Its good to be working on it again in a constructive way.
My goal is to start a new draft of book one. But for the moment, Im just very pleased to be able to work on it, and that its interesting instead of daunting, all thanks to your diaries, which inspired 'Omecka's Ledger'
Comment by Dianna G
I Wish This Was 42
Fictional Worlds
I haven't done any big family trees yet... I should only have to do two or three, because the majority of the families don't matter; mostly just the royal Elvish family.
The diary is a very interesting exercise. It makes it fun rather than tedious, which is what a lot of world building becomes if you let it. I'm glad that you've been inspired