Your writing goals for 2016 – do they sound familiar?

In December, Valerie asked the AWC community (via our newsletter and this blog) to let us know what writing goals they had for the coming year. We received a huge response – with the image above an actual word cloud of the most popular sentiments sent in from everyone.

And because we enjoyed reading them so much, we thought you might too. Here is a collection of these goals for 2016 sent in from members of our community – some very specific, some rather less so!

Through them all, you’ll most likely pick up some very common themes (if the word cloud didn’t already make it quite clear). Writing novels! Finishing manuscripts! Setting up blogs, or simply finding a way to start. How many sound familiar? And if they do, check out our course suggestions at the end of the list… Bring it on 2016!

• To stop talking about and actually do it.
• I hope to start. I have a billion ideas race around my head but I can never form the strings into a web. I would be really impressed if i could just start something and hopefully stick with it.
• To finish my book.
• My writing goal for 2016 is to make allowances for the things I cannot change.
• My writing goal is to pull together the research and interviews I have gathered to complete my local history book entitled: New Pioneers of Cairns: A Lasting Legacy 1950 – 2000.
• My goal [in 2015] was to write the first draft of my manuscript and it looks like I've only completed a quarter of it. I feel I didn't prioritise writing over other things such as wedding, training for a 10km run, playing video games, reading, work etc.
• My writing goal for the year is to write my first book. I am a design journalist and have written so many articles for magazines and newspapers, plus I have my own blog, am finishing my Masters in Design and now is the time to write that book!
• My goal is to learn new words and develop characters.
• I want to write 250 words a day. Tolkien took 11 years to write LOTR which at 650k is about 250 a day. I'm not as good as him (at all!) but he was slow and still got there.
• My writing goal for 2016 is to get something published; the same as it was last year. Better luck this time!
• My goal for 2016 is to self publish my first book.
• To finally finish my memoir – I have already enrolled in Life Writing in January with Patti Miller to kickstart the process ;)
• My 2016 goal is to complete writing my memoir, and get it out into the world somehow.
• Writing Goal 2016 – to have more short stories published and to have successful submissions in Australia-wide writing competitions. My very first short story Disappointment is being published in January – it would be great if it did really well and that the profits that go to my charity of choice (The Aboriginal Literacy Foundation) are substantial. I'd also like to finish my debut novel Lost with Rupert but at the same time I hope I'm so busy with short stories that I don't have time!
• I do have a goal for my writing next year. My techniques of writing have improved this year but I still lack the big picture. I just start at some beginning and blunder towards some end. Not next year! Next year I'm going to concentrate on planning and plotting my little yarns.
• To have the courage to put my writing out into a public forum.
• I would like to start and complete the Stage 1 writing course, Stage 2 and the full 6-month novel writing course. These are my goals for 2016.
• Finish my novel.
• To make the most of the local library and state library resources to support my research. I hope to make my writing more informed by historical influences and local knowledge.
• My goal for 2016 is to write down as many of the children's stories that are floating around in my head as I can. That is if I can catch them and pin them down with my pen onto the paper.
• Bringing my memoir to a publishable standard.
• Finish a novel I started a few years ago but haven't been able to bring myself to sit down and just do it.
• To read all the books I have on my list to read!
• A couple of weeks ago I had my YA manuscript critiqued by Cathie Tasker. Starting January 6 I'm going to be rewriting. I've decided to get some large pieces of butchers' paper and block out the plot, based on Cathie's advice.
• Write something every day.
• 1: Edit current novel manuscript, 2: Complete draft next novel, 3: Set up professional blog.
• Finish my sci-fi novel.
• To complete at least two of my unfinished chapter books for children (even if it's just to first draft), and to find a publisher for my (completed and polished) short children's chapter book.
• My goal is to finish the novel. To not be discouraged by feedback that punctured my balloon of happiness, and just damn well get on with it. Finish it. Love it. Find someone to publish it. Believe it is possible. That's what 2016 is going to be for me.
• To start writing short stories again. I did some courses about three years ago, wrote some stories, and then life and trying to earn an income took over. In January I'll be 70 and it is time to get going again.
• Find a publisher for my completed MS of The King Amongst The Shadows (that was partially written during the 2014 Write Your Novel course at AWC)
• Write six hours per week and have the backbone of my book ready before my 60th birthday in July!
• I'd love to get published in The Huffington Post and bring the ‘I' back into my writing.
• My writing goal for 2016 is to finish the first draft of the follow up to the book I have just finished the first draft of.
• Write regularly and aim have an article published.
• My first is to finish my third book in my Merlin's School series – The Grail and Back Again. My second goal is to finish a YA book I've been playing with. And my third goal is to see this particular book published.
• I've just finished Write Your Novel with Cathie online, and I'm now part of a very motivated and wonderful group of writers thanks to that course. We chat most days on our Facebook group and have a weekly submission roster up and running for workshopping 2-3k words of our manuscripts.
• My writing goal for 2016 is to keep a journal. I've been meaning to start this again since the age of 20. (Am now 55).
• I'm releasing my 6th book in early 2016. Unlike my usual how-to books, The Liberator's Daughter is an historical memoir. I'd love to have an audience in English speaking countries and for the books to win some kind of an award.
• 1) Get my latest novel (The Girl That Was Buried in Her Ball Gown) published . . . either by a traditional publishing house (priority), or self-published. 2) complete my diploma in proofreading. 3) Have at least four more audiobooks under my belt!
• Complete a copyediting and proofreading course.
• Finish the vomit draft of my first ever novel.
• My 2016 goal is to have my final draft completed and have actively commenced the search for an agent.
• Finally getting a travel article published.
• Finish the first part of a book I am writing about the family in a way that will attract readers, asking for more. Then to find a publisher interested to take on the book.
• My writing goal for 2016 is to get my novel finished and my freelance writing business up and running.
• You know what? I do love writing. I used to write all the time, once, a long time ago. Working full-time, committments, family, it all gets in the way, and something has to give. Sadly, it's my writing. I want to re-start my writing, get back into something that brings me joy. 2016 will be my year. I want to learn how to blog. I want to be a blogger. I want to entertain readers, make them laugh, make them want to check my blog everyday to see what words of wisdom or mirth I have put forth. I will turn 60 next year. It's now or never. How do I start?
• My writing goal is to find my voice and refine my style so I can be more confident in what I produce. I think some of us worry too much about what others will think of our work. I know I'm always looking for problems with my writing, I need to just let it flow and let go.
• My writing goal for 2016 is to get my blog up and to write regularly. I notice a lot of new blogs fade out in the first year. One of my areas is Emotional Intelligence (EI), … it's called the Mayer Salovey Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). That's pronounced mis-keet. Qualified coaches are sometimes called Mosquitoes. So I'm thinking of calling my blog, The Aussie Mozzie!
• Keep up a regular writing practice, finish things and get something published!
• To birth my gardening novel and be rid of both the labour pains of final editing and its accompanying ego entanglement.
• My writing goal for 2016 is to FINALLY finish my first novel!
• To start writing the 4th book in my Detective Jill Brennan series.
• Write at least 10 short stories.
• Finish the first draft of my fantasy adventure story and start on the second draft.
• Create a blog and regularly post content.
• My plan for 2016 is to focus on my journaling skills. I am going to take part in a program to help you let go of past pains and upsets that prevent you from truly getting the most out of both your present and your future. A large part of this healing process takes place in personal journals.
• Writing Goal – to have my eternal book, Depression Unmasked – escape rotes from despair – finished by my 74th birthday!
• My writing goal for 2016 is to have my first novel signed by a publisher (fingers are still crossed it'll happen this year, but we'll see) and to have a finished draft of my second novel to send my agent (NaNoWriMo has gotten me up to 47,000 words so far, so I should be able to!).
• Write a collection of short stories or a novel.
• Finish my second humour book My Breeze Smeels of Dog Spit.
• Continue to make a (steady-ish) part-time income from writing
• My writing goal for 2016 is to write one more manuscript for a book I have in my head. This will be no easy feat, seeing as I will be in Year 12.
• Complete final draft of my novel. Break into copywriting, in particular writing copy for real estate.
• My goal is to get from the first draft of my novel to the second.
• My writing goal for the new year is to finish writing my book The GateKeeper.
• Publish book 2 of my flash fiction. Get working on some (longer) short stories.
• My goal for 2016 is to give my first novel its final polish and then try to find out if was merely a pleasant writing experience, or if it has something more to offer.
• I know, inside me, and partly on my computer, I have a book worth reading, waiting to be discovered in 2016. It is my goal to finish my story, hoping you will laugh and cry, when you recognise or identify with my characters and situations I've written about. I want my book in print, to be enjoyed, in 2016!
• To stop writing. My last book will be published in March and that's it. I'm putting my feet up after that…

Gotta love that final one! If you’re keen to explore creative writing or getting that novel over the line, check out our Creative Writing Stage 1, Advanced Fiction Writing, Write Your Novel: Introduction and Write Your Novel: 6 Month Program courses.

Our Life Writing deals with memoir writing and is always very popular – as are our Blogging for Beginners seminars (also available online) and our Copywriting Essentials online course. And if you’re planning on using Scrivener for your writing, check out our on-demand course right now to show you how to get the most out of the program in no time at all. When it’s all complete, learn how to pitch to agents and publishers in another great on-demand course.

That is just scratching the surface. There are plenty of other courses on offer including freelance magazine writing, travel writing, screenwriting, young fiction writing, picture books  and more! Check them all out here on our website in the menus above.

Good luck with your goals in 2016!