The Monthly Goalpost for July: Summer Fun

Summer (or any change in routine) poses a few problems when you’re trying to reach goals. It’s kind of like a diet—the fear is, if you stray a little from the regimen, your willpower will disappear and you’ll never get it back.

Summer doesn’t have to mean you won’t reach any goals. You just might need to adjust them to better fit  the challenges summer might present. Also, it’s SUMMER! You need to have some summer fun!

Some of you will have children to keep busy and your writing or illustrating time will be compromised. Use this as an excuse to write or draw something else. To do things away from your computer. Jot down all those snippets of kid conversation. Brainstorm new story ideas at the park or poolside or on the beach. Sketch all those summertime things: flowers, kids, animals, your Great-Aunt Hilda: beaches and family barbecues can be a goldmine.

Others might be taking a well-deserved vacation. Fill the well while away. Concentrate on what’s around you—not what you aren’t writing or drawing or subbing. Take in everything and journal before you go to sleep.

Plan ahead for when you do have desktop time and target those things you can only do on a computer. Send out a query. Submit something. Type up some notes you jotted down at the beach. But use this time wisely. A few well-targeted submissions might be better than hours on the internet ‘researching’ every possible agent or editor.

Make a summertime list of goals and be realistic. You may find that some of the restrictions that a seasonal change imposes will inform your ‘normal’ routine by introducing a better way to get things done. A new rhythm can stoke your creativity. Or while lolling about, you have that breakthrough your story needed.

Whatever the reasons, summer doesn’t have to mean no time to work toward your goals. Make summer work for you!

What have you got planned for July? Comment here or if you’re part of the private Sub It Club Facebook group, tells us how you’re doing on the July Goalpost thread there. If you’d like to join our Facebook group, send a request.