Long-Term Writing Goals

Looking Back

Most creative people like to set goals at the start of a new year. Full of enthusiasm, we plan out what we hope to achieve in the next twelve months. But those are short-term goals. Our writing career will hopefully last much longer than the coming year. How many of us make long term goals? I've been thinking about longer-term goals lately. The journey went something like this.

I turned 40 last year. As you can imagine, it was a time of reflection. I looked back and realised it had been 20 years since I had turned 20. What would my writing career look like, I wondered, if I had taken it more seriously in my twenties. It’s not that I didn’t write during that time, but I could have taken it more seriously. Improved my craft more, and more actively pursued publication. Life was simpler back then. I didn’t have a wife and kids to support. I didn’t have a mortgage to worry about. I had all the time in the world and no responsibilities.

True, the self-publishing revolution hadn’t happened back when I was in my twenties so I wouldn’t have had the tools that are available to me today, but I would have been ready to take advantage of them on day one. Heck, I could have even become one of those early Kindle millionaires. You never know.

Don’t get me wrong. 40 is hardly the twilight years, but I began to feel like I’d wasted my opportunity. That I was too far over the hill to really make it like so many others had.

Looking Forward

A little looking back is healthy, but I was getting into regret territory. I had to pull myself out of that. Instead, I started to think about the next 20 years. That would make me 60. My eyes lit up. In another 20 years I’d only be 60. I wouldn’t exactly be ready for my deathbed at that point. What if I were to retire early, at 60, and transition to full-time writing at that point. It’d be more of a career change, than a retirement.

If that was the plan, it meant I had 20 years to work toward a self-sustaining writing career. Two decades. Suddenly that seemed achievable. It’s not like I was putting off becoming a successful author until I was 60. To write full time by that point, I would already have needed to become quite successful.

So that’s now my long-term goal. I want to be able to quit the day job and write full time by the time I reach 60 years of age. I have two decades to achieve it. (And if I take that goal seriously, and work hard toward it, I may achieve it sooner.)

Short-Term Goals

This is all well and good, but long-term goals are just dreams unless we break them down into steps. What must we do practically in order to achieve the larger goal? This is where the short-term goals come in. This is where we make it practical. But now, we are designing our short-term goals with a bigger picture in mind.

Examples of short-term goals to achieve a big dream like mine above could be writing every day (or 6 days a week), setting aside money for editing costs and cover design, or publishing a book by a certain date.

And there's one other important aspect that is easy for forget.

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
Proverbs 19:21

We can make all these plans ourselves, but if we don't involve God, or consider how those goals fit in with his will and desires, we can be working at cross-purposes with him.

What about you?

Okay, it's your turn. Have you set any goals for 2019? Do you have a long-term goal that you're working towards?

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Adam David Collings is an author of speculative fiction. He lives in Tasmania, Australia with his wife and two children. Adam draws inspiration for his stories from his over-active imagination, his life experiences and his faith.
Adam is a great lover of stories, enjoying them in books, movies, scripted TV and computer games. Adam discusses these on his own youTube show – Stories with Adam Collings.
Find him at adamdavidcollings.com or sign up to his email list for a short story.

CWD Member Interview - Lynne Stringer

Question 1: Tells us three things about who you are and where you come from. 

My name is Lynne Stringer and I was born in London but am now an Australian citizen. We moved to Australia in 1973. My mother is Australian and my father English. They met in the bookshop where they both worked while she was on a working holiday. Isn’t that romantic?😊

Question 2: Tell us about your writing.  What do you write and why?

I write because I have stories knocking on the inside of my head, demanding release. They have to come out. I write mainly for the young adult market and more for the secular market than the Christian one, although my stories are, of course, influenced by my Christian faith.

Question 3: Who has read your work? Who would you like to read it?

My books are written mainly for young adults and I find that many are drawn especially to my debut novel, The Heir (Verindon #1). I’ve also found that people of all ages, even ones who don't like science fiction, usually love it once they've read it. 

I think the most exciting encounter I've had with someone who loved my books was the day I was walking my son to school when I was wearing a t-shirt dedicated to The Heir. I knew that the school’s book club had read my book and one of the high school students came up to me and said, ‘Are you Lynne Stringer, the author of The Heir? I loved it so much!’ It was very exciting!

I’d love my books to be made into movies so if anyone with industry clout read them I would be happy.

Question 4: Tell us something about your process. What challenges do you face? What helps you the most?

Because I’m also a professional editor, I find there are times of the year where I become exhausted from reading and writing and need to take a break. That might sound strange but that’s the way it is. I usually find it kicks back in again after I’ve had a holiday but sometimes writing can feel like work. 

However, as I once worked as a journalist, I’ve learnt how to write in spite of that. For example, I know that if I really need to write and can’t think of what to say I just write complete and utter rubbish, knowing that, sooner or later, I’ll find my way and then I can go and fix up the rough parts later. It’s hard but it’s a great way to break through something like writer’s block.

Question 5: What is your favourite Writing Craft Book and why?

I don’t really have one. I usually find I don’t learn well from what I read in instructional books. I'm more of a 'hands on' person.

Question 6: If you were to give a shout-out to a CWD author, writer, editor or illustrator – who would they be?

Can I say two? Jeanette O’Hagan and Adele Jones. Both are fantastic writers and they’ve become good friends. We go to events together and complement each other well in what we write.

Question 7: What are your writing goals for 2018? How will you achieve them?

I am hoping that my latest manuscript will be published and perhaps another as well. I’ll be trying one with a new publisher so that will be an adventure. I have also just started writing a new manuscript. I hope it will be my best work yet.

 

Question 8: How does your faith impact and shape your writing?

Everything I write is written with the idea that the God I worship has a high standard. However, I’m also writing about people who will never meet that standard, so I walk the line between honouring God and writing realistic scenarios in speculative fiction settings. It’s an interesting mix.

Lynne Stringer has been passionate about writing all her life, beginning with short stories in her primary school days. She began writing professionally as a journalist and was the editor of a small newspaper (later magazine) for seven years, before turning her hand to screenplay writing and novels. She now works as a professional editor and proofreader.



Lynne is the author of the Verindon trilogy, a young adult science fiction romance series released in 2013. The Heir was the first in the trilogy, followed by The Crown and The Reign. Her latest novel, released in October 2016, is Once Confronted, a contemporary drama. Visit Lynne's website for more information.

You can follow Lynne on:
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You may also enjoy the following sites:
Wombat Books
Rhiza Press