Tag Archives: Setting achievable goals

Happy New Year (Guest Post)

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Happy New Year

The word "September" in a pretty font, with coloured maple leaves above and a drawn fern frond below.
Image credit: Pixabay

by Steph Beth Nickel

No, it’s not January 1. Nor do I have school-aged children. However, I do view September as a New Year of sorts.

Truth be told, autumn is my favourite season. Cooler temperatures. Cozy sweaters. Cute boots.

A white mug with a frothy drink is held by someone whose sweater sleeves are pulled over their hands. In the background is an open book with scattered autumn leaves.
Image by Melk Hagelslag from Pixabay

But more importantly, at least in my neck of the woods, the trees show off the Creator’s . . . well, His creativity.

And the smells of autumn and the crunch of dry leaves underfoot . . .

Love. Love. Love.

Because kids are headed back to school and the summer routine is drawing to a close, plus because we have an entire third of the year left to accomplish our goals, it does feel like a new beginning.

So, Happy New Year.

What’s on my list of “New Year’s resolutions”?

Since my hubby retired at the end of March and we’re planning to move west next year, Lord willing, it’s time to seriously buckle down and declutter. This will make the renos to our century home much easier. (And there are a fair few needed before we put the house on the market.)

It’s also time to keep up with my editing projects. I’m so thankful they’ve been steady but not overwhelming this year.

And what about writing?

Well, I did spend several hours attending a free online writers’ summit last week. So, I am once again inspired to get back to my YA spec fic novel.

And my collections of devotionals on the gospel of John.

And, most importantly, Deb Willows’s second memoir. (We’re getting close to having it ready to fire off to the publisher.)

Like any good list of resolutions, developing healthier habits is also one of my priorities. Walking more, eating more veggies and fruit, and drinking more water are at the top of the list. I’d love to do more resistance training as well. But better not to take on too much at once. That’s how resolutions fizzle and fail.

So, how about you?

What are your New Year’s (aka fall and winter) goals?

Do you view September as a new beginning if not a new year?

If you could only achieve one of your goals before December 31, what would it be?

Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography

As an editor, Steph Beth Nickel has the honour of coming alongside writers to help them polish their work. As the coauthor of Paralympian Deb Willows’s memoirs, Steph has been blessed to work with this amazing woman. And as a future self-published author, with the Lord’s help, Steph has taken brave steps toward publication.

If you would like more information about her services, you can contact her at stephbethnickelediting@gmail.com.

You’re invited to visit her website: http://stephbethnickeleditor.com/.

You can join her Editing Tips Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418423519384351.

Setting Bite-Sized Goals (Guest Post)

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Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Setting Bite-Sized Goals

by Steph Beth Nickel

Time for some true confessions…

When I have an unavoidable but overwhelming task to accomplish, too often I choose to procrastinate and put it off for another time—sometimes, years in the future.

Overwhelming Task #1: Preparing to Downsize and Move Out of the Province

In three years or so, my hubby will have retired, and we plan to relocate. After living in our home for over 25 years, that will not be an easy task. (Not to mention the fact that our home was over 100 years old when we moved in. Let’s just say there’s lots of work to do to get it ready to sell.)

Overwhelming Task #2: Making Healthier Choices

Unfortunately, just because I used to be a personal trainer and actually enjoy exercise and eating healthy foods doesn’t mean I don’t make poor choices too often, planning to do better tomorrow.

Overwhelming Task #3: Buckling Down and Actually Writing

One day in the not-too-distant future, I would like to be bringing in a decent income from indie published books. (That means writing, publishing, and marketing said books, however.)

What’s on your Procrastination List
(aka Your Overwhelming Tasks List)?

What with our day-to-day responsibilities and volunteer obligations, it’s no wonder our ultimate goals can prove overwhelming. What can we do to break them down into more bite-sized goals that propel us in the right direction?

Let’s take my writing goal as an example.

Let’s say in 20 years I want to have at least 30 books out in the world. That’s a very achievable goal if I break it down into smaller tasks.

I can see myself writing a book a year for 10 years and two books a year for the following decade, Lord willing.

Thankfully, I have a head start on a number of those manuscripts. In fact, I have several children’s picture book manuscripts on my computer that I could make available in the next couple of years. I also have a series of devotionals on the gospel of John that I’ve begun to rework for publication. The two novels I have begun are each the first in a series, and writing a series is one of the best ways to develop a readership.

So, what can I do to get my manuscripts to the next stage?

Picture Books

Hire an illustrator and research print on demand. Although it’s possible to make children’s books available as ebooks, I prefer to make them available as physical books only, preferably hardcovers, but I’ll have to do my research on that one.

Devotionals

As I see it, I have two choices: 1) rework each devotional to conform with reader expectations or 2) expand what I have into more of a fleshed-out Bible study.

Christian Women’s Fiction

It has been years since I looked at the story I began approximately a decade ago, but I still like the premise and the idea of creating a Hard Choices series. For now, this book will remain on the back burner, but I haven’t given up on it.

YA Spec Fiction

I’m in the midst of re-reading and tweaking what I’ve already written. At 45,000 words, I’m approximately half done. So, completing the first draft is Step 1, which is possible in approximately three months if I stick with it.

I have the resources I need. I have connections to several successful indie authors. Plus, I have access to a plethora of books, podcasts, and FB groups that lay out how to self-publish a book.

While making these plans doesn’t ensure that I will accomplish my long-range goals, it does give me a starting point. And the first step I plan to take is to complete the first draft of my YA speculative fiction novel.

How about you? What project have you been putting off that you can take a step toward accomplishing today?

Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography

As an editor, Steph Beth Nickel has the honour of coming alongside writers to help them polish their work. As the coauthor of Paralympian Deb Willows’s memoirs, Steph has been blessed to work with this amazing woman. And as a future self-published author, with the Lord’s help, Steph has taken brave steps toward publication.

If you would like more information about her services, you can contact her at stephbethnickelediting@gmail.com.

You’re invited to visit her website: http://stephbethnickeleditor.com/.

You can join her Editing Tips Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418423519384351.