I prefer setting goals to making resolutions. Somehow they feel more positive and attainable, less like resolving not to do something and more like committing to a new behavior or action.
One of the most powerful ways to get something done is to establish the goal first. The simple act of committing a goal to written form and then sharing it with one or more other individuals can dramatically increase the likelihood of success.
I have several different goals lists with respect to family, health, and other areas of my life – but the following are my writing-related goals for 2011. By sharing them here, I am committing to them openly and wholeheartedly:
1) To write and deliver the two next installments in The Very Fairy Princess book series with my lovely Mom.
2) To complete the first leg of a new book project designed to get kids writing with my good friend and other writing partner, Mariah Bruehl.
3) To continue to provide valuable resources, support and learning for fellow children’s book authors through this blog, my editorial services, my role at the Southampton Children’s Literature Conference, and through my new Children’s Book Hub membership site – officially launching next week.
4) To develop the next installment of my Just Write for Kids program – a middle grade writing course.
5) To maintain a trajectory of growth as a writer through the continued pursuit of my MFA in Writing and Literature, as well as through reading, learning from, and dialoguing with, other writers.
What are your writing goals for 2011? Let’s hold each other accountable.
And a very Happy New Year to all!
