How To Set Realistic Goals for Your Novel (5 Steps To The Finish Line)
Starting a novel is one thing. Completing it is something else entirely.
“I’m going to write four novels this year.”
I said those words at the start of January 2023, and I meant them. My goal was to complete four first drafts by Christmas, one full-length novel per quarter.
It’s now July, and guess how many novels I’ve finished so far: zero.
I got derailed by the time Spring rolled around and I haven’t gotten back into the swing of things since. My young-adult sci-fi mystery languishes around the one-third-complete mark.
This experience taught me an important lesson as an author — realistic goals are critical in your novel-writing journey.
To put it into context, I wrote three novels in roughly two years before I started Book Four, so I assumed I could up my game and bang out four in twelve months.
I set an unrealistic goal and couldn’t match it. Worse still, I didn’t even come close. Three novels would have been good; two would have been acceptable. Now, I’ll be lucky to finish one, unless I massively up my game.
It’s deflating to say the least because I love pushing myself to hit new targets. I’m of the opinion you should aim beyond your means, but falling so far short is a real motivation killer.
And I don’t want that for you. So what can you do to ensure the goals you set for your novel are realistic and achievable?
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