 Short Stories: September 04, 2013 Issue [#5867] |
  Short Stories
This week: Set a Goal and Write a Story Edited by: Dawn Embers  
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Goal creation used to be the topic of January but now on WDC we have a chance at weekly goals. This newsletter discusses how the short story writer can use the opportunity to make goals along with why you might want goals in the first place. Because whether it's a goal to write 10 stories in a month, or a goal to submit one story in a contest, goals can be useful for many different writers.
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I am a big fan of making goals. Never got into New Year's Resolutions, but goals I use on a regular basis. In fact, I like them so much that when it's not NaNoWriMo my group (NaNoWriMo Plus) focuses on monthly goals the members post. When the option came to create weekly goals, I jumped on it. But what does this have to do with short stories? Easy. While it might be easier to connect long works with goals needed, there is still a use for short story writers in creating goals.
Why bother to make goals?
While some don't like the option, there are a few reasons someone focused on short stories might want to consider making goals. Some of my top favorites include: focus, accountability and something to reach towards with my writing.
Focus
When one has many stories to write, so many that sound awesome, it can become a challenge to pick which to write next. This doesn't just rest in what to write either. Where to submit is also an aspect of focus. In particular, the more detailed the goal, the more it provides focus. "Write 2 short stories" is a generic example, which does give direction in length and quantity of stories but doesn't give much else. However, one could instead say "write 2 short stories for WDC birthday contests" gives a more focused target. This focus can help increase productivity for some writers.
Accountability
This is where a deadline comes in. Making a goal with a deadline is helpful because it provides a timeline for the progress of the story writing. When posting them for others to see in a group, forum or blog, that provides even more accountability because others will see the progress you make in the writing. I use my monthly goals group to be accountable for working towards my goals as it helps having the others to root me on and to listen when I struggle to make a goal (or when I don't make one and have to readjust).
Reaching Upward
This is for some of the touch ones, the goals that are harder or would mean taking big steps forward in possible accomplishments. What I mean by this is goals like submit to official contest, send letter to agent, or even create new blog to start an online presence, all can work to help you reach upwards towards things that are just out of reach. It's that old saying "reach for the stars, even if you fall you are in good company" (paraphrased quote). Making goals adds steps to help aide in the long reach.
Goals for Short Story Writers
There are a few different options for short story goals. They range in the type of detail and focus, but all of which are ones who focus on stories that are short (as opposed to say novel writer goals). Here are a few examples of goals you can make as a short story writer;
1. number of stories in a given time (5 stories in a month, 2 stories in a week, etc)
2. enter contest by deadline (enter Writer's Cramp tomorrow, or enter Novelette by deadline)
3. including word counts ( write 3 stories that are between 1-3k words, write an 8k story)
4. submit other than contests (submit to Flash Fiction Online, Submit to other magazines)
5. combinations (word counts, number of stories, contests entered all in one goal)
In the end, goal writing will work for some and others will not like it. One thing I recommend when making goals is not to be too hard on yourself if you don't make a goal. While they are self-imposed deadlines and the idea is to get them done in time, you don't have to consider it a "failure" if not making it to a goal. Life happens, distractions occur, and focus gets lost. But what you do next and whether you keep trying after a fall will make a big difference. To be honest, ever month there are goals I posted but that I don't accomplish by the deadlines. While it gets a sigh that I didn't make what I set to do, once that has set in all I do is reconsider my goals, figure out what I want to get done next and keep moving along. If that works for you, then goal making can be a useful tool in this writing process. If not, there are other options. We all have to find what works for us as writers and it won't all be the same.
But for me: I like using goals to get writing done.
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Interested in making goals on a weekly basis? Check out this forum:
Here are some stories and a contest I found on the new goals forum. Most were in updates people made about their progress from goals they had made earlier. Some were more successful in reaching their prospective goals than others but all made progress that is evident here.
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
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Questions for this week's newsletter:
Do you use goals when it comes to short story writing?
What kinds of goals do you make?
If not, what would you say works better for you than goals?
And yay! I finally am doing a second newsletter instead of yet another first, so I get to use feedback that I received from my very first newsletter. I wrote about the idea that it can help a reader to have a reason to care about the characters in the stories they read. Here is the feedback from that newsletter:
Jeff 
Congratulations on writing your first official NL! Great job! 
- Thanks Jeff.
Leger~ 
Hi Dawn, great job with your first newsletter! Do you need to care about the character to enjoy a short story? I'm not sure "care" is a good term but you have to at least relate to their situation and empathize with their feelings. Who is my favorite character to write about? Strong women. Be it fantasy or romance, a strong woman brings spice to the story. Is it easier to relate to first or third person point of view? Both have to be written well, but I enjoy third more.
- Thanks Leger. Strong women were my favorite growing up too, like the girl who trains to become a knight, loved that one.
BIG BAD WOLF is Howling 
All I'll say is "It depends on the story I'm making." 
- Whatever works for you.
Doug Rainbow 
I thought about your NL and have this observation: Whether and how a reader (me) cares about a character depends (1) on what they do, (2) on what they say, and (to a lesser degree)on what hey look like. I don't know if there's much more to it than that.
- Interesting observation. 
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