For the last two years I’ve been setting annual goals for my freelance writing. My first goal was to make $1,000 as a paid writer. I missed that one by $15. This past year I wanted to get 100 articles published; I managed to get over 150 in the papers. Now I’m looking ahead, and I’m setting a different type of goal.

As you know, I want to pursue larger markets. As I’ve researched those markets I’ve discovered that getting published (and paid) can take a lot longer than it does with the local papers. With that in mind, I’m not sure that financial or published goals are the way to goal. I think I’ve got a good alternative, though.

For 2011 I’m going to make it my goal to have at least two queries accepted a month. I don’t know how much they’ll pay, so I can’t put a dollar amount on it. And because a lot of larger publications won’t print for 6-12 months after acceptance, I’m not going to say “so many” published next year. I’m just going to focus on the number of articles accepted.

I know it doesn’t sound like a lot of writing, but there’s more to the plan. I’ll still be writing for the Grand Traverse Insider and Kalkaska Leader. I’m also going to work on my novel.

Yeah, that’s right. The long forgotten novel – I’m going to work on it. I’m pretty disgusted with how little I’ve done with it. In fact, I’ve already started getting serious. I’m actually writing this two weeks early, so I’m hoping that by the time this posts, I’ll have at least half of the novel done. My original goal was to finish the manuscript by the end of the year…my goal for 2011 is to finish the whole thing: first draft, revision, query letters, pitch, proposal – all of it.

That’s my plan for 2011. My goals are set, you are my witnesses. Here’s to a productive year!

QUESTION: What are your goals?