In the next few days, I’d like to share a few tips for setting your writing and publishing goals for 2008.

Here’s today’s tip:

When setting your goal(s), make sure each goal is something you have control over.

Many writers set goals like: I want to have three published stories in Highlights magazine by the end of this year.

That may sound like a great goal. But actually, the writer really has no control over whether or not three of his/her stories will be accepted and published in Highlights or any other magazine.

So, if the person setting this goal isn’t able to make this happen, he/she feels like a failure, when actually, his/her stories may have been rejected by Highlights (or any other magazine) for a variety of reasons that the writer has no control over.

A much better goal would be this: I plan to SUBMIT three stories to Highlights magazine this year.

See why that’s a much better goal?

You DO have control over this.

You CAN make this happen.

You CAN write and submit 3 stories to Highlights (or any other magazine) this year.

And, at the end of the year, you will have met your goal – whether or not the stories were accepted for publication.

Eventually your stories will be accepted for publication in the magazines you are submitting them to if:

1) you have learned what it takes to write a good story for kids,

2) you’ve constantly practiced writing and improving your work, and

3) you’ve done your market research so you are actually sending your stories to appropriate markets (by that I mean, the magazines that are right for the types of stories you are writing).

Look at your goals today.

Do you have control over whether or not you reach these goals?

If not, rethink your goals.

Create goals that are not dependent on outside forces, things you really have no control over.

Then do whatever it takes to achieve those goals this year!

Happy writing!

If so, plan to join Suzanne Lieurance, The Working Writer’s Coach, next Thursday night, December 20th, at 7:00 central time for a free teleseminar called Set Your Sights on Success in 2008!

During this free 55 minute teleseminar, you’ll learn how to set your writing and career goals for 2008. You’ll also learn the steps you must take in order to reach those goals.

To receive an email invitation to this free event, send an email to suzanne@workingwriterscoach.com with the words “free goal setting teleseminar” in the subject line.