Planning for success with SMART Goals

It’s that time of year again. New Years. We set our goals, make ambitious targets, feel good about our aspirations… only to become disillusioned in March when we’re off track, and give up entirely.

Here’s the thing. Most goals fail because we’re putting our success in someone else’s hands. Want to get traditionally published this year? That depends on agents, editors, and the current market. Want to hit the bestseller lists? That’s down to readers, algorithms, and some marketing magic I still don’t understand.

Even something like setting a daily writing goal can fail, if your goal is either too vague or too ambitious. I used to be like “well, in a sprint I can write 1,000 words in an hour… so 5,000 a day is easy, right?”

I was wrong.

Without the preparation that goes into a sprint, I just ended up staring at the screen, with no idea of what to write. Let me tell you, it was not fun.

That doesn’t mean we can’t set meaningful writing goals. As someone who went from being the queen of unfinished manuscripts to self-publishing my first book last year (and on my way to my second), I learned SMART goals are the difference between dreaming about finishing and getting something out there.

SMART Goals are…

Specific

We need to be honest with ourselves. Instead of “write every day” (too vague), we need to get into the nitty gritty. We can try:

• Write 500 words every weekday (or weekend day if that’s your jam)
• Edit one chapter every Saturday morning
• Spend 30 minutes plotting every Sunday

See how these aren’t nebulous goals, but rather clear targets that you can measure and track? Speaking of…

Measurable

Numbers are our friends, even if you’re allergic to math. My current tracking system looks like this:

• Daily word count tracker in a spreadsheet to avoid distractions
• Weekly chapter completion checkbox (I love checking boxes!)
• Writing sessions set using my phone’s timer (I use the Pomodoro method, but you can set the time limit that works for you)

The key is making it dead simple to answer: “Did I do it? Y/N.”

Achievable

This is where most of us mess up. We look at Stephen King’s daily word count (2,000 words, as mentioned in his book On Writing) and think we should at least match it. We don’t have to.

Instead, try this approach: take your best word count for the writing time you have allotted and cut it in half.

If we write more in a session, then great! We can re-evaluate. We want an achievable goal - i.e. one that we can work towards every day/week. We want the little wins.

Relevant

Every process goal should connect to your bigger writing dreams. We need to know why we’re doing this. So for example, setting a daily word count leads to a finished first draft. Doing weekly editing sessions gives us polished chapters. Taking time out each month to plan and re-evaluate your plot keeps your story coherent.

Giving yourself reasons for each goal reminds you why you are doing them in the first place.

Time-bound

This is the easy part; action goals (i.e. short-term, specific steps) are time-bound because they’re daily or weekly. But let’s get even more specific.

Perhaps you want to write one book a year, and so you want the first draft finished within x amount of months. Or you are taking part in NaNoWriMo, and so your end point is the end of November (or the end of October if you’re making a plan of action for the month).

Set your end date so you aren’t tempted to procrastinate.

The most important part

Your SMART process goals should be so easy, they almost feel like cheating. Why? Because success breeds success. Meeting your goals regularly, even if they’re small, builds momentum better than occasionally hitting ambitious targets.

Small steps are even more important for neurodivergent writers (for example, writers with ADHD). Getting that dopamine hit from small daily wins builds momentum, and creates a positive feedback loop. Showing up each day at your desk (or coffee shop, or sofa) becomes easier.

Where a massive goal like “write a novel” can trigger task paralysis, breaking it down into tiny chunks (even just 100 words a day) makes it feel less daunting, and approachable.

Small actions, repeated consistently, create finished books

Putting this into practice

We’ve covered a lot here. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath. Remember that time you thought that video game boss was impossible to beat, but then you learned the patterns and suddenly it clicked? Writing (or any) goals are like that.

Start small. Maybe it’s just “write for 20 minutes each day” or “finish one short story this month.” That’s fine! You can always level up later. For those of you who still need a little guidance, here are some ideas.

First Draft Goals

The only rule here is forward momentum. My goal for 2025 is simple: complete one 65-80k draft by June. That’s it. No judgment about quality, no worrying about market trends. Just words on the page, moving the story forward. Some days those words are beautiful, most days they’re just okay. But they’re all progress.

To make this a SMART goal, I have phrased it as such:

I know that to have the biggest chance for success, I have to make a coherent plan of action, have my ducks in a row, and so perhaps before I put pen to paper I need to make another SMART goal (for the planning)… It is worth considering the variables when making your goals and see if anything needs to be arranged first.

Editing Goals

This is where we transform that hot mess of a first draft into something readable. An editing goal could look like:

The secret to success isn’t setting perfect goals - it’s coming back when you get knocked off track. Because you will get knocked off track. Life will throw side quests at you. Your dog will eat your plotting notes. Your favorite game will release new DLC the same week as your writing deadline. It happens.

Be realistic for your schedule, and what you can achieve.

The difference between giving up and succeeding isn’t talent or luck - it’s choosing to start again. And again. And maybe one more time after that. Because at the end of the day, that’s all any of us can do - show up, do the work, and trust that the words will come.

What are your goals for 2025? We would love to share in your wins, big or small.

Kate Robinson