By Leslie Lindsay

Got an old manuscript shoved under your bed?   Dreams of writing for a big glossy?  Or finally putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and penning that novel you’ve always said you’d write.  Maybe you just want to write more than say…your grocery list.  Well, whatever your writing goals are in 2013, this post will surely help you start tackling them. 

About 4 years ago when I reluctantly began blogging (who’ll read it, it’s kind of like tooting your own horn, etc.), I have grown considerably as a writer.  And the thing with writing is, it’s a cumulative process.  It doesn’t have to happen all at once.  Read that again.  You don’t have to start doing all of the writing you’ve ever wanted to do all at once.  Baby steps.  Start the blog.  Read Writer’s Digest religiously.  Sign up for a continuning education class.  Write something daily.  Start slow.  Build up to writing that novel. 

I know, I know…I am not one to subscribe to the “take it slow” camp.  I want it all.  Now.  Yesterday.  But, that’s not how it works in this business.  And yes, writing is a business. 

Think very carefully about what you want the most in  your next 355 or so days of 2013. 

Go ahead, make a list.  Here’s mine:

1.  Finish and submit my novel-in-progress.  (baby steps:  continue revisions with writing partner, find a suitable group of agents, polish my query, send the darn thing out)

2.  Blog.  Daily is the ultimate goal, but would settle for 3 solid posts a week.  Host guest  authors, speech-language pathologists (SLPs), families also walking the apraxia path. (Again, call for submissions–if you are interested in being featured on “Practical Parenting…with a Twist” just shoot me an email.)

3.  Begin a new fiction (novel) project.  How far will I get?  Hard to say…but really seriously get started on it. 

4.  Attend a writing conference or retreat, most likely at the U-of-Wisconsin-Madison. 

And of course, there are a few others, too like expanding my mind by reading more about the craft of writing, joining a writing organization/group, and networking with fellow writers. 

Writing down your goals will help you actualize them.  Telling others about them will help, too.  I could probably go into a big discussion as to how and why we set goals…but I’ll leave that up to your mom.  : ) 

Here are some great websites and blogs to help you think about those goals for the upcoming year:

• How to Write Shop.  It’s not a “store” as the name might imply, rather a resource for everything writing related.  Check it out now and often.  http://howtowriteshop.loridevoti.com/
• Hosted by “writer mama,” Christina Katz, The Prosperous Writer will give you lots of tips, tricks, and more for making those writing (and getting paid to write!) dreams come true.  http://christinakatz.com/
• Writer’s Digest.  The on-line magazine to everything literary–what it means to be a writer in today’s world.  http://www.writersdigest.com/
• Agent Query.  Gonna reach out to an agent this year?  Don’t waste your time and money with a print edition of that giant book…go to http://www.agentquery.com/, a trusted database for comparing and narrowing down literary agents. 

Okay–that’s just the tip of the iceberg.  If you have some other sites you love, by all means, don’t hesitate to let me know! 

For now, Write on, Wednesday!