Writing Advice from the Bookshelf: Bob Mayer on Setting Goals

Here’s another thing about stating your goal. Putting it out there, verbally and in writing, is a form of making a commitment. I know many writers get some static from those around them about all the time and money they invest in writing when they are unpublished and there seems to be no payback. If all those around you see is you sitting in front of a computer staring into space and then going off to conferences, they might start to question what you are doing. Letting others know your goal is committing you to trying to achieve it and also lets others know you’re serious about what you are trying to achieve. Then showing your supporting goals such as how much time you allocate each day to writing, attending conferences, taking workshops, etc., will make sense in terms of the framework of the larger, long-term goal.

Mayer, Bob. Write It Forward: From Writer to Successful Author. Langley, WA: Who Dares Wins Publishing, 2010. 29. Print.