The last letter in SMART goals is the T. Not only does this represent the need for a deadline, but it also encourages the writer to explore their plan for a defined amount of time. In other words, each of your goals should have time-related parameters built-in. This gives you additional structure and allows youContinue reading “T is for Time-bound”
Category Archives: Resources
R is for Realistic
When we talk about a Realistic goal, the plan is achievable given the available resources and time. One way to test whether the goal is realistic is if YOU believe that it can be accomplished. Ask yourself: Is the goal realistic and within reach? 1. In the last steps, a measurable and attainable number ofContinue reading “R is for Realistic”
A for Attainable
When doing any goal setting, you want to make sure that the tasks are truly something you can do. I think that an excellent example of ‘attainable’ is the challenge that many writers know of, and either love or hate, National Novel Writing Month, or NaNo for short. The challenge is to write 50,000 wordsContinue reading “A for Attainable”
M for Measurable
In my last two blogs, I started a discussion about S.M.A.R.T. goals. Last time, I wrote about the ‘S.’ Specificity is a solid start, but once you apply a NUMBER to your goal – it becomes measurable. Setting a quantity or making sure they are measurable allows you to track your progress, check in onContinue reading “M for Measurable”
S for Specific
Setting goals needs to dig down into the details. The most important thing is to be SPECIFIC. Instead of saying, “Next year, I will write my novel,” try to break the goal into steps, and the details. Only by being specific, will your goal be effective. When you break writing a novel down into pieces,Continue reading “S for Specific”
S.M.A.R.T. Goals and your Writing
One of the buzzword that flies around from time to time is SMART goals. The hype is that everyone should set goals – but they need to be SMART. That’s a great premise, but first you need to understand what is so special about these goals. It all lies in the word, SMART. It isContinue reading “S.M.A.R.T. Goals and your Writing”
Elements of the Short Story – the Importance of Character Arcs
*Image from creativetips4writers.wordpress.com **this blog is based on information I gleaned from ‘Creating Character Arcs’ by K.M. Weiland – one of my favorite resources. What Is A Character Arc? When you boil it all down to one single definition, a Character Arc is the structure of your character as they move through your storyline. YourContinue reading “Elements of the Short Story – the Importance of Character Arcs”
Elements of the Short Story – Theme
What Is A Theme? If you think about it – the Theme of your story is what the Story is REALLY about. For instance, you write a loving story about spending time with your grandmother in her kitchen while you were young. You tell about the smells, the feel of spending time with her, andContinue reading “Elements of the Short Story – Theme”
The Process – Evaluating an Idea
Those of us who write know that in order to overcome the blank page, we need an idea. Essentially, the idea is the FIRST PART of the writing process. But an idea is truly just the beginning. When the project (book/story) is done, the idea HAS to be fully developed. As a writer, it isContinue reading “The Process – Evaluating an Idea”
The Adverb and your Writing
An ADVERB is really defined as descriptive words used to qualify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
