What about this research? Keep your goals to yourself: Derek Sivers on TED.com http://blog.ted.com/2010/09/02/keep-your-goals-to-yourself-derek-sivers-on-ted-com/

I've been thinking about all of this a lot this past week and I'm excited to try this exercise. I've always had goals at the start of the year but never write them down. So, here goes... 1)Finish my current spec and send it to managers/agents/producers, etc. 2)Continue work and finish an indie spec I've started 3)Write a different indie spec my partner and I want to write 4)Finish writing a short I've started and film it myself 5)Write a children's christmas book I've prepped and then begin work on the film adaptation 6)Begin prep/research on two high concept story ideas I recently came up with Writing these out shows me the daunting task I've set for myself, but I believe I can stay on track and work my ass off next year on all of these projects. Here's hoping!

I've also decided to use the exercise in my athletic life. I've been doing triathlons for 3 years now and this upcoming year I have a lot of huge plans and goals. Hopefully this will work in that area too!

Just as I say, "There's no right way to write," same thing with handling goals. Each person is different, so one size definitely does not fit all. Besides Sivers is awesome, so a good counterpoint to what I've been advancing this week. I just know this having dealt with hundreds of writers through online education over the past decade: For most writers, having specific goals and due dates facilitates the writing process. Of course, you can do that and keep your goals private, too. All I'm trying to do is provide a spark to writers to get things done. I've seen too many good story ideas waylaid by the vagaries of life. Thanks for the link, hosaka88. Good food for thought! And important to acknowledge -- again -- there is no one right way to approach writing.

Here we go... 1) rewrite my horror feature (pretty much from page one, I think) 2) write at least one other spec feature script from the three at various stages of planning and outlining 3) finish the spec TV pilot I'm currently writing and get it out there 4) complete another TV script which I have in mind That doesn't feel like a lot for a year, but on top of work on my series (especially if it's recommissioned), I think it's about right...

Scott, check out lulu.com for publishing your textbook: print on demand + ebook + amazon placement for both versions. I consider Aronson's 21st Century Screenplay to be the only general textbook worth anybody's time. Please make yours as good as that one.

It didn’t feel like I accomplished as much as I wanted in 2011. Sure, I graduated with a BA in Film with a Minor in Writing – long overdue but something that has been my full-time focus for the past 2 years. So there’s a bunch of school-related tangibles of what I did do: • a web comic • a single-issue 22-page comic book • 2 poems (which is huge since I don’t write poetry) • 8 reviews of jazz CDs • 4 short story polish/rewrites • 2 new short stories • 2 film theory research papers • 2 animation research papers • 2 web series project proposals including 1 short script • 9 blog entries • joined a writing group • got up on stage for a reading with a short story But 2011 didn’t feel as satisfying as I would have liked. I didn't read as many scripts or see as many films as I probably should have. This next year I want to do a lot more in addition to still being a full-time student and earning a second degree (BS in Liberal Studies), I plan to do the following: • Apply to 5 MFA programs for fiction and/or screenwriting • Finish writing 2 novellas and self-publish • Prep/research and Write 3 scripts – 2 features and a one-hour tv pilot • Read 1 script a week (film or tv) and write a critique/review/coverage • Watch 1 movie a week and write a critique/review • Regularly post to my blog with weekly posts of 3-sentence stories; monthly posts of new short stories (1000-2500 words); weekly movie reviews & possibly the script reviews So I know this is a good chunk of work, but I find that I need deadlines and more defined goals to keep focused. I think it will be manageable with school as long as I block out my writing time just like I schedule my classes. And I plan to monitor my goals with some goal tracking software, checking in probably every Sunday night and looking at the week ahead to plan my time better. I’m also setting a couple 5-year goals: • earn an MFA • write, produce & direct a feature There. It’s out in the universe. Now I just have to do it all. Thanks Scott! I don’t know why this goal-setting is resonating with me so much but I am gladful (I like to make up words) for the kick in the pants.

My agent sets his clients a one spec film script, two spec TV scripts a year minimum. I'm going to beat that in 2012: three TV scripts, one film. I'm also going to finish at least the first draft of my first novel in the next year.

My goals have been laid out for me by my two producers and my "agent": 1. Finish horror/comedy script prior to Jan.1, 2012 2. Direct said horror/comedy throughout March and April, 2012 3. Three specs written prior to August 31, 2012. Pretty ambitious but, like I said, this is THEIR GOALS FOR ME, not necessarily mine. If I fall short on any of them, I can live with it. I guess, for my money, as long as I get the feature done and one additional spec, I'm happy. And, as I stated in a prior post, re-assess where I'm at in my "career" in August. If I like where things are at, I'll continue on. If not, there is a veritable laundry list of other ways I'd like to flex the creative muscles that don't involve the cinema, not the least of which are numerous prose-related projects and a book of poetry. So... plenty to do! Back to work!

[...] writers. Inspired by Scott Meyers’ Go Into the Story post about year-end goal planning and going public, here’s my goals for [...]

I've had my goals solid for a few days now, but was too hesitant to 'go public' until just now... http://thediversionist.wordpress.com/2011/12/28/writing-looking-forward-to-2012/ The Gist of It: - Increase my output per year from 600 to 800 pages a year. - Keep my two blogs, The Diversionist and The Signal, active. - Complete my university commitments and graduate. - Write my first screenplay and my first dramatic spec script. - Get an agent. I think that will do for my 2012 minimum...

Here we go... + Complete rewrite of my feature-length script, QUEEN TO BE and resubmit it to next season's contests. + Complete feature-length script that's currently in the outlining stage in time for next season's contests. + Complete second feature-length script that's also currently in outlining stage. + Participate in local writing group. + Read 1 script/week + Watch 1 movie/week + Produce my own short using stop-motion + Attend the Austin Film Festival + Redesign & update my website Here's to a fun 2012 for all of us.