Its time for writing goals.
Last week newsletter I promised to share the framework I discovered and how you can use it too.
Scene
I am with ear phones plugged into my phone with no music playing. I am sitting in a class room with no teacher and different students muttering and reading in their different cliques.
Step-by-Step Guide to Using the 12-Week Year for Poetry and Creative Writing
The 12-Week Year (12WY) framework, popularized by Brian P. Moran, can be effectively adapted for poetry and creative writing. Here’s a guide to help you get started:
Step 1: Vision and Goals
- Vision: Define your writing aspirations for the next 12 months. What do you want to achieve as a poet or creative writer? (e.g., publish a collection of poems, complete a novel manuscript, win a writing contest)
- Goals: Break down your vision into smaller, more manageable 12-week goals. These should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound).
Example Goals:
- Poet: Write and submit 10 poems for publication to literary magazines.
- Novelist: Draft 50,000 words of my novel manuscript.
- Short Story Writer: Complete and revise 3 short stories for inclusion in an anthology.
- When setting the gaols I would advise you set goals that are within your control. A goal like write twelve short story collection is more concrete than be a best seller.
Step 2: Planning and Scheduling
- Model Week: Create a weekly schedule that prioritizes your writing time. Allocate specific days and hours dedicated to writing, research, revision, and other writing-related activities.
- 12-Week Plan: Break down your 12-week goals into weekly tasks. Map these tasks onto your model week, ensuring consistent progress towards your goals. Think of it as walking backwards from your goal over a 12 week period. The list would go onto 12 week period listing the little tasks you will do every week to get to the overall twelve week goal.
Example:
- Poet: Week 1: Brainstorm and research themes for new poems. Week 2: Write 2 draft poems. Week 3: Revise and submit 1 poem.
- Novelist: Week 1: Outline chapters 1-3. Week 2: Write 10,000 words of chapter 1. Week 3: Revise chapter 1 and outline chapters 4-6.
Step 3: Execution and Tracking
- Weekly Execution: Implement your model week and complete your planned tasks each week.
- Tracking Progress: Monitor your progress regularly. Keep a writing log to track your word count, submissions, revisions, and other relevant data.
- Weekly Review: Reflect on your progress each week. Celebrate your accomplishments and identify areas for improvement. Adjust your plan as needed.
Example:
- Poet: At the end of each week, review your writing log and submit poems to literary magazines. Reflect on feedback received and adjust your writing strategy.
- Novelist: At the end of each week, track your word count and revise your draft. Identify any challenges and adjust your writing schedule as needed.
Step 4: Breakthroughs and Learning (Weeks 13)
- Review and Reflect: Take a step back and review your progress over the past 12 weeks. Evaluate your achievements and challenges.
- Identify Breakthroughs: Recognize and celebrate your biggest wins and milestones.
- Extract Learnings: Analyze what worked and what didn’t. Identify areas for improvement and adjustments for your next 12-week cycle.
Step 5: Renew and Recommit (Week 14)
- Renew Your Vision: Reassess your long-term writing aspirations. Refine or update your vision based on your progress and learnings.
- Set New Goals: Set SMART goals for the next 12-week cycle. Consider your breakthroughs and learnings while formulating new goals.
- Repeat the Cycle: Begin planning and scheduling for the next 12 weeks, applying the 12WY framework once again.
Additional Resources:
- Book: The 12 Week Year for Writers: A Comprehensive Guide to Getting Your Writing Done by A. Trevor Thrall and Brian P. Moran.
- Website: https://12weekyear.com/
By adapting the 12WY framework to your specific needs and goals, you can gain greater focus, clarity, and momentum in your poetry and creative writing journey.
Next week I will share a walkthrough of me brainstorming and shortlisting my ideas down to the really important. It might be a podcast episode.
If you have any questions please ask.
Until next time keep writing.
