SMARTer Goals for Writers: Achieve Creative Success with Focused Planning

Look, “I want to write a story someday” is cute, but it’s not a goal—it’s a wish. If you want to make actual progress, you need goals with teeth. Enter: SMART goals. Let’s break it down:

Specific: What exactly are you trying to do? Don’t just say, “write a screenplay.” Say, “finish Act 1 by Friday.”

Measurable: How will you know you’re on track? Is it a page count? A certain number of scenes? A finished first (or 50th) draft? Be clear.

Achievable: Don’t set yourself up for failure by promising to write 100 pages in a week when you know life is lifing. Be realistic.

Relevant: Does this goal move you closer to your big creative vision? If it doesn’t, it’s not worth your energy if we want to keep it a buck.

Time-bound: Deadlines aren’t your enemy; they’re your accountability partner. Give your goals an expiration date.

Want to supercharge those SMARTer goals? Pair them with time blocking strategies. When your schedule and goals align, you create the kind of consistency that gets results.

To stay on track with your SMART goals and time blocks, grab the Empowered Expressions Planning Journal. With sections for goal-setting and daily planning, it’s your creative accountability partner.