03

Jun

How to Set and Achieve Your Goals in Freelance Writing

It is easy to become a lazy freelance writer. You need to set a number of goals each week, avoiding too much flexibility, and creating realistic working hours. You might want to be a well-known writer, possibly crave a little fame, and want some financial incentive for your penmanship. However if you don’t add a little structure to your working week it is possible that your dreams will fall apart due to lethargy and procrastination.

You need to manage your time and set yourself achievable goals. Here are some tips to help you on your way to a more structured timetable, profitable in time and hopefully finance.

Brainstorm

 What do you want to accomplish ? Write down all the ideas you have. This could include increasing your visibility on social networking sites, finding an agent, learning new skills, or something as simple as setting your alarm clock. Write down anything that will enhance your career as a writer, and try to set goals that are achievable for you. Think big but consider the time span of each goal you set. You want to be able to meet those goals realistically and not be disappointed when you don’t.

Prioritise

 You possibly have so many ideas that it is easy to focus on the wrong things too early. Prioritise your goals. Which goals will help you achieve another? Create a list in order of importance. Which tasks will accommodate others more readily? For example if you feel that there are areas of your writing you need to work on, do that before submitting an article for publication. If you are looking for an agent to represent you, then do the research into the areas they specifically cover.

Be visible

 Whatever your writing stage we need to be visible to others. It’s no good keeping your writing to yourself if you ever want to make a career from it. Consider the following:

- Create a website to highlight your work. It may sound daunting but there are sites that enable you to do it with  ease.
-Create an identity on social networks such as Facebook and join writing groups online. LinkedIn is a good source to meet other writers and to share ideas.
Join a local writing group. Meet others face to face who have similar interests to yours and encourage and critique each other.  A second opinion always helps us to grow.
-Create a name for yourself online by writing for free for any website that allows you to contribute.

Commit yourself

 It’s possible you have already found an audience by the writing you have done on other websites. You have achieved some of your goals but you need to stay committed. Be pleased with the goals you are able to tick off.

Do not fall back into old habits. Keep writing. Freelancing is a difficult business but if you have goals and a timeline in place it will help you mentally overcome any procrastination and give you something to aim for. There are large and small hurdles to leap before becoming a successful writer. By crossing the smaller ones you will be better suited to approach the large ones. Keep going. You can do it!