Bank holiday is over, autumn isn’t be that far off, and with that back-to-school feeling it’s time to get back to work and re-commit yourself to your writing.

4 months to the end of the year… 4 months is a long time. You can definitely write a novel draft in that time – I know, I’ve done it. People start businesses, record albums, grow half a baby (give or take) in 4 months.

You probably have a job and a life that will do their best to get in the way of what you want to do, but those distractions will always be there. And if you can convince yourself to put in the hard work regardless, it’s amazing what you can do in 4 months.

So, what will you do? Will you create something to be proud of in 2013?

You don’t have to aim to have written and got an agent for the next bestseller either. It’s much better to think about where you want to be in a year or two and choose the goal that will put you in the best position to achieve that, whether that’s to work up to writing a little every day consistently or finally sending out that novel that’s clogging up your hard drive. Something that’s do-able and that you’ll enjoy and want to do, that will make you pleased you’ve finally pushed through and done it.

You probably know that I’m a bit goal-obsessed, so it’s time for you to join me in a writing challenge!

I’d like you to pull on your thinking pants and post in the comments below:

1. What is the ONE thing you want to achieve with your writing by  31st December 2013? Make sure it’s both specific and achievable.

2. What are two or three things you can do right now to make it easier to meet that goal and that will make it more likely to happen?

 

We’ll come back at the end of the year and revisit these, and I want to hear about completed novels, poetry pamphlets, plays being produced, agent letters submitted, competitions entered. You can do it!

 

(And if you need a little extra help doing it, I have spaces available on residential writing retreats in Devon from 17-20th September, and from 15th November. Come and join us!)