What We Want: 6 Goals Writers Have for 2011

The story I am writing exists, written in absolutely perfect fashion, some place, in the air. All I must do is find it, and copy it. ~Jules Renard, "Diary," February 1895


It seems nothing has really changed since 1895 for writers and our need to grab that little piece of air and write it down. So what can we do to make 2011 ours...to claim it, to mold it out of the air?

Sure, there's the traditional and proverbial new year's resolutions: lose weight, be kinder and gentler with our families and friends. Exercise more. Drink more water. But what about your goals for your writing business? What say you?

If we share our goals, it makes us just a little more accountable for them. So, I approached some colleagues and asked them: what say you for 2011? And here's what writers wanted out of 2011:

Show me the money. We're focused on our business for our interviewing, researching, writing, editing, and revising; and we're concrete about goal-setting. Kelly James-Enger, author of several books including my personal writers bible Six Figure Freelancing, says she plans to make $60,000 working 15 hours a week, averaging $100 an hour. "I'm trying to streamline and work as efficiently as possible, reducing what I spend on my sitter and time away from kids." Kelly's blog, http://www.dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/, is a must-read for all professional writers.

Freelancer Steve Sears thinks along the same lines: in his second year of fulltime freelancing (like me) he plans to triple his income, focusing on obtaining more $1.00 per word magazine clients and adding ghostwriting projects.

Book 'em, Danno! Writers are focused on producing their next books, whether it's non-fiction or fiction, part of a series or a first, penning your memoirs, or ghostwriting for a client. C. Hope Clark, the editor of another must-read for professionals, FundsForWriters, is covering new ground in 2011. She will handle a book release for her first mystery book, due out next winter, edit book two and complete book three. By the end of the year, she plans to start book four.

Releasing our Dysfunctional Relationship with Our Blog. We know we must spend more time with its success. We're getting over it--we love it; we hate it. We think, 'I really should blog to keep my name out there, it's a great marketing tool, it's a great way to keep writing,' but we continually seek new content, scratch our heads, and think 'now what?' Many of us are re-thinking the blog's direction in an attempt to gain more audience. Writer Alanna Klapp over at the Chipper Writer plans to launch an interview series "The Seven Questions Series," with writers for writers on her blog.

Market Madness. We've all realized the importance of marketing--whether you're a novice or a pro: we've seen how networking and creating our platform is essential for more business. So we're hitching up that blog post, we're Linking-In with editors and we're querying like mad. "I have a goal of marketing myself more consistently....I need to be marketing myself all the time, not just when it's slow," says Enger.

Another favorite writing teacher of mine, Linda Formichelli, over at http://www.therenegadewriter.com/, is planning a direct mail campaign in 2011 to increase the copywriting side of her business.

Lovin' every minute of it. Most of my colleagues--as I do-- seem to love their jobs.  What's the point, if you don't absolutely love what you do? None of us got into writing because we thought we'd get rich. Writing is the simplest (and yet the hardest) of resolutions; we're seeking enjoyment from our profession. Writer Mary Jo Campbell, a writing teacher for young adults, blogs at http://www.writerinspired.wordpress.com/ that 2011 is the year of happiness, and she's posted a great archived list from Literary Mama that you should check out. "Where your mind goes, your energy flows," she posts.

Movin' On Up. And freelance writer Julie Steed says what we're all thinking. It really comes down to this: "My resolution is to continue moving forward."

While a writer in 1895 realized that writing is about taking something from the air and jotting it down in words, writers in 2011 want just a little bit more. May we all claim it, my friends. #

Photo courtesy of www.free-stockphotos.com.