Nonfiction Ink

Writing down your goals and creating a plan of attack (tasks you can accomplish on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis) will keep you focused, allow you to see results, and provide a real strategy to actually attain whatever it is you endeavor to achieve with your writing.

1. DEFINE YOUR GOAL(S)
A goal should be specific, measurable, and have a deadline – such as “I will complete my nonfiction manuscript by the end of October.”

2. DETERMINE WHAT TASKS ARE NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL(S)
Create a list of all the necessary tasks associated with achieving the goal(s). If the goal is to develop a book proposal package to pitch to publishers the tasks involved might be: analyzing similar books on the subject, conducting market research, creating a promotional plan, writing an author bio, building an author platform, designing a chapter outline, writing a sample chapter, investigating nonfiction publishers in your genre, crating a query letter, etc…..

3. ORGANIZE THE TASKS & DEVELOP A STRATEGIC PLAN TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL(S)
Goals are easier to manage when they are broken down into small chunks: three-year, one-year, monthly, weekly, and daily. Start with your big goals and break them down to smaller and smaller tasks.

You want your detailed plan to be realistic for your lifestyle. If you maintain a full-time job and have two small children and a dog to care for, it may be difficult to fit three pages of writing in each day. Set yourself up for success by creating a practical plan. If you write one hour a day (after the kids go to bed), five times a week – or five hours one day a week (on Sunday when the kids are at grandma’s house) – that’s five pages of writing each week; within a year you will have completed a 250-page book.

You can outline your goals and plan using a simple word-processing sheet, a more complex spreadsheet, or a calendar-planning tool. Your outline may look something like this….

Long-term goal:
“I will be recognized as the expert in my field by the end of 2012.”

Goals for this year, which will help achieve the long-term goal:
“I will self-publish my business book by December 15, 2010.”

Monthly tasks necessary to attain the one-year goal:
January: I will gather initial research and create a book outline
February – March: I will research my topic in depth, interview sources, and obtain photos and permissions.
April – June: I will write the content.
July: I will have the manuscript professionally edited and proofread. I will set up my publishing company and begin pre-marketing for the book.
August: I will make final revisions. I will obtain an ISBN and bar code, register copyright, and apply for LCCN.
September: I will hire a designer to layout the interior of the book. I will hire an artist to create the cover for the book. I will list my book for pre-sale on Amazon.
October – November: I will hire an indexer to create an index for the book. I will submit the book for printing.
December: I will launch the book release.

Weekly tasks necessary to attain the specific monthly goals:
Week 1: I will investigate and evaluate comparable competitive titles
Week 2: I will collect initial research via the Internet
Week 3: I will brainstorm my topic to divide the material into sections
Week 4: I will create a detailed outline with sub-topics and separate chapters

Daily tasks necessary to attain the specific weekly goals:
Tuesday, June 8, 2010: I will write five pages of content.

Studies show that people who write down their goals and develop a strategic plan to achieve them are more likely to succeed. So make a commitment to yourself and your writing career – develop a plan and put it into action. Before another year flies by, you could be a published author.

YOUR TURN: What are your writing goals and plans for 2010?

Related posts:

1. 5 Steps To Help You Write That Book!
2. 6 Tips For Successful Writing Collaboration
3. The Five Step Process For Writing A Nonfiction Book
4. Five Ways To Create An Engaging Writing Style
5. Preparing To Write Your Book: Focus Your Idea With A Theme Statement

Tags: creating a writing plan, developing a writing schedule, writing a nonfiction book, writing goals

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