DEAR WRITER: Your simple, sexy, straightforward writing career plan - Prequel - Let desire lead

YOUR SIMPLE, SEXY, STRAIGHTFORWARD WRITERLY CAREER PLAN

In 2021, I took a class offered by Black Girl Bliss about how to pursue our dreams and goals in a way that wasn’t soul sucking OR inducing burnout/early quitting. This class completely changed how I approach setting goals in any area in my life. (Here’s the link to buy the the class. Thank me later…)

What follows is a fluid structure to create your one-of-kind writerly career plan. It’s half intuitive/magical and half structured/streamlined because I really do think that’s one of the best balances to have as a modern-day artist, to be wild enough to dream of writing and pragmatic enough to take the steps to make it happen. I recommend having your artist statement nearby and thinking of the writers, artists, and creative human beings who inspire you.

I wish someone had asked me or encouraged me to think deeply and honestly about where I wanted to be as a writer from the very onset of my career. It would have made a world of difference. I hope this guide helps you create a writing career, practice, and creative life that fills you up and gets your best words out into the world.

1.  PREQUEL: YOUR WILD, WONDERFUL, DEEP DESIRES

2.  PART ONE: MAKE DESIRES INTO S.M.A.R.T. GOALS

3.  PART TWO: THE PAIN AND PLEASURE LIST

4.  PART THREE: FORCED AND INSPIRED ACTION LIST

5.  PART FOUR: YEAR ONE GOAL + PLEASURE + ACTION

6.  PART FIVE: BREAKING IT DOWN

7.  EXAMPLE

THE PREQUEL: FREE-WRITE DESIRES

1.  You have received a magical wand. Write out what your dream life would look like at each stage listed below. What are you doing? Where are you living? Who is around you? How do your days feel? What are you writing?

Go big, go small.

Give each stage a five to ten minute free-write.

You can also create a vision board or even get ChatGPT to create some images for you.

(Feel free to use a notebook or more paper…)

  • One Year From Now I Desire

  • Five Year From Now I Desire

  • Ten Year From Now

Part One coming up!

book coaching, artist statement, writing workshop, writing planHannah Ekowriting anxiety, writing career plan, writing goals, writing workshop