Looking Ahead: Mapping Out 2015

I know we are smack in the middle of two holidays. I’m in the middle of a break from work. But this is the time of the year when I start to get antsy about what’s going to happen in the next year. I start to make my goals and really outline how I’m going to accomplish them. Last year, I shared two new sheets (quarterly goals sheet and monthly focus sheet) I created to help with my goal implementation in 2014. While I liked the focus for the month page and not planning too far ahead by creating quarterly goals, this year I’m modifying things a little.

Look Back to Make Changes

First, I reflected back at 2014. I was able to accomplish a lot, but I spent a TON of time taking classes (both for my library certification and in writing for self-growth). I don’t think I’ll ever be done taking classes, but in 2015 I want to take the time to implement that which I have learned in my MFA, in workshops, and in online classes I’ve taken. This year my craft focus will be lighter on taking online classes and more on utilizing craft books and notes from classes already taken.

Make a Dream List

I know this post is about goals, but when I looked at what I would like my year to look like, as a writer, I started listing all of the things I would like to accomplish this year. It’s a big list.

Then I organized my list by topic. Everyone’s topics will be different. But mine were:

• Picture Books
• Chapter Books
• Middle Grade Novel
• Educational Writing
• Business

Share Your Goals

I think it’s really important to share your goals with a few close writer friends. I’m not sharing them on here because many of them involve specific book subjects and titles that I’m not ready to share publicly yet. But I do think it’s a good idea to share them with some writers that you trust. You can encourage one another toward those goals in that way.

Block Off Your Calendar

You can use a pre-printed calendar or just a blank calendar printed from Microsoft Word. I went ahead and marked off the times I knew would affect my writing.

For example, in July I will be attending a week-long writing retreat in Georgia, then I’ll be teaching two weeks at Hollinsummer. I’m not saying I’m not going to be writing then. I probably will be. However, I will NOT be trying to restructure a whole novel during the month of July. That would be setting myself up for failure.

In February, I will be doing the Writing Marathon with my students, just like I did last year. I wrote with them and got a big project outlined and started writing sample chapters during that month. So, knowing that the marathon is coming up, I went ahead and planned out what I’d be working on for that extra writing time in February 2015.

Map Out Your Goals

Then I started plugging in the major projects I want to accomplish in 2015 and mapping them out. For instance, I actually have two middle grade novels I want to revise in 2015. Can I do that? Of course, I can—with proper planning. I have to be realistic about how long it will take and map out specific tasks to get those revisions done. I’m blocking off time to plan for the revisions and time to actually revise each chapter–all mapped out on the calendar.

Minimize Distractions

I have an issue with time wasting–especially on the Internet. This year, I’m trying something new. I’m not sure if it will work for everything I need, but so far, I like it. I’m trying the new Google Chrome extension Dayboard. You can plug in the 5 most important tasks of your day. Whenever you open a new browser, the tasks come up first–before anything else. It’s a good reminder of what you really need to be doing.

Right now, I’m using it to plan my next day. But it doesn’t go out any farther than “tomorrow.”

Evaluate Your Season

Each year I feel like I need to evaluate my season in life. What will my schedule look like? I always have a set time that I write each morning for an hour that doesn’t get affected by job or kids (usually). But there are pockets of other time that I can use. But I have to be intentional about them.

For example, my daughter has violin lessons and both kids have karate each week. During those times, I’m able to get a ton of stuff done. The key is planning for that time. I have a hard time writing fresh during that time (I do that in the morning). But I’m writing in the violin schedules and karate schedules on my calendar for January-May. I’m am planning how I will use that time at least a month in advance.

That 45-minute violin time is an excellent time to brainstorm and draft blog posts or articles. The two-hour karate time gives me time to research nonfiction picture books that I want to write.

This year will mean big changes for our family. I think they will positive changes, but they will affect my schedule. For this reason, I’m only planning for the first half of 2015 right now. But I also want to be intentional about not overusing my weekends for writing. I just can’t do that right now. I am blocking off one weekend a month to do extra writing, but that’s planned in advance.

What If I Get Derailed?

There’s a good chance something will come along to derail my carefully laid out plans. In the past, some of those derailments have been excellent for me. If they come along again in 2015, I’ll probably shuffle my schedule to accommodate them. I’m writing my plans on my calendar in pencil for a reason.

I anticipate change.

I anticipate that I’ll need to move things around. Something will take longer than expected.

But without a roadmap, I might be wandering aimlessly.

What About You?

What are your goals for 2015? Are you planning for success? Share how you map out your goals for the year.