Sailor Uranus has approved this Challenge as Sanctioned.



Most of us have writing goals—it comes with the territory of being a writer! We could be aiming to complete an RP, write a novel, edit a masterpiece. Goals can change and fluctuate over time, but the important part is having them! In fact, you are much more likely to accomplish your goals if they are established and referred to. To help us all stay accountable for this beautiful new year, the January challenge for 2017 is... goal setting!

What is a challenge?
A challenge is an objective (or objectives) that a single Writing and Roleplaying Guild member strives to attain, based on the outlined criteria. This is not a competition against others—your only rival is yourself.
Find out more about Writing and Roleplaying Guild challenges: Guild Challenges, Contests, and Games!

What's the purpose of this challenge?
By formally establishing goals and recording them for yourself, you'll be able to check back throughout the year and keep tabs on your progress. You'll also have the opportunity to reconsider a goal you set in the past and edit it to suit any changes in your writing "vision". Stay accountable and succeed!

What counts as a writing goal?
For the purpose of this challenge, the goals should meet SMART criteria. For those unfamiliar with the acronym:

Specific – target a specific area for improvement. Measurable – quantify or at least suggest an indicator of progress. Assignable – specify who will do it. Realistic – state what results can realistically be achieved, given available resources. Time-related – specify when the result(s) can be achieved.

Disqualified Goal	What's wrong with it?	SMART Goal
I want to write more.	This is not specific or measurable. How much is "more"? Without a definition, you are unlikely to make a plan and actually complete it.	I (assigned) will write at least 500 words (specific)(measurable)(realistic) every month (time-related) during 2017.
I want to RP something new this year.	Again, neither specific nor measurable. It attempts to set a deadline ("this year"), but that's it.	I (assigned) will join an RP as a Final Fantasy-universe character (specific) and make at least two posts per month (measurable)(realistic) before June 30, 2017 (time-related).
I want to finish a whole novel.	How long is your novel? What kind of novel? Have you already started writing the novel? There are a lot of questions here related to specificity, the ability to measure the results, and the realistic probability that such a goal can be achieved. If you've only ever written 100 words at a time, an entire novel is a high goal!	I (assigned) will participate in NaNoWriMo, writing at least 50,000 words (specific)(measurable) in November of 2017 (time-related). (Is it realistic? Depends on the goal-setter! Know thyself!)
I want to become a 2017 New York Times best-selling author.	This is a long-term goal with at least an element of realism coming into play. It's good to dream big! But big dreams need supporting goals. This would be better served with a particular task that works towards the larger long-term goal of making the NYT best-sellers' list.	I (assigned) will attend two seminars on getting published as an author (specific)(measurable) one in each half of the year (realistic)(time-related) to learn more about entering the industry.

How do I participate in the challenge?
Begin by working through some of your thoughts on writing for year, posting in this thread with your theme or initial thoughts. Maybe you've already posted an RP Resolution for 2017 or you're hyped up about getting things done in 2017 or any year.

How do I complete the challenge?
Post in this thread with at least two (2) writing and roleplaying-related goals for the year that meet SMART criteria!

As the year continues, come back to this thread to:
• Set additional goals!
• Review your progress on these goals!
• Modify your goals based on your trajectory!

Pending participation in goal-setting, we may have other challenges related to progress on goals!

So let's go! Establish goals for 2017!

Remember, participating in and completing a challenge earns points and helps you collect the super cute Writing and Roleplaying Guild Sanctioned Challenge Stamps!