Writing Goals

One of the things I look forward to during the holidays is getting together with family for our annual Cookie Exchange Party. We take turns hosting the party each year. At the gathering, we listen to Christmas music, catch up on the latest in family news, eat delightful snacks, and then start the “ritual” of the cookie exchange. The cookie containers get fancier and fancier each year.  Some are so beautifully wrapped, you hate to even open and disturb the elaborate decorations that you know have been created with a lot of love. Over the holidays, I share the dozens of cookies (all different varieties) with neighbors and friends. It’s a tradition I have enjoyed with my family for many, many years now. Do you have a special tradition you treasure during the holidays?

And it’s not too soon to start setting some writing goals for the coming year. In Jody Calkins’ article, “Breaking Down Your Writing Goals and Setting Doable Tasks,” on the Institute of Children’s Literature blog, the key word here is “doable.”  She writes that writing goals down is easy, but achieving them is another thing. (I can vouch for that). In this article, she comes up with a “a different approach to defining your goals.” Step by step, she shows how to break up goals into smaller goals that are “doable” and not so overwhelming. This is an excellent article to read before you start writing out those goals. Wishing you luck with your writing!

"My never-fail secret to getting your book published ... Write it!" -- Sephanie Gordon Tessler