It’s the time of year for plans and goals and trying new things. It’s also a good time to shake up your goal setting habits and try a new approach. In a post on the Stage 32 blog, S.K. Valenzuela says she designs her creative year by approaching it like a story. Like many writers, she is neither a plotter nor a pantser, but a little bit of both.
Valenzuela starts out with a plot, beginning with her big picture: her long-term creative career goals. For you, this might be a 3-year or 5-year plan. What projects to you want to finish? What do you want your creative life to look like then? You’re not locked in, but you have a visual end in mind and that can help you make the right choices in the now.
Next, she plans her development slate, the projects that will help her reach her long-term goals. “My own development slate is organized by genre and includes (at minimum) the following information about each idea: story type (feature, TV, novel, short story), premise line, stage of development, submission status, awards/recognition,” she explains. “I try to update it at least quarterly so that it gives me an accurate picture of my creative work.” Using her big picture as a guide, Valenzuela chooses the projects that will bring her closer to that goal.
Finally, she plots her skill development. “I’m a huge believer in building awareness of the skills we need to reach those markers on our creative journey,” she says. “We learn to write, but we also write to learn. Every project has the potential to further our growth and development as writers. So how do we plan for this kind of growth?” Valenzuela regularly assesses her skills by asking for feedback and working on trouble spots. Writing groups, classes, and advice books are good ways to learn.
With her plot down, Valenzuela leaves some room to pants her creative goals, leaving room for inspiration and opportunity. “If you know where you’re headed, you have the clarity of vision to discern when something is a genuine opportunity and when it’s a distraction,” she says. “You can feel free to take a chance and walk through that open door because you know it’s ultimately taking you in the right direction. We leave ourselves open for the most amazing surprises — those chances we never dreamed would come our way. And those are often the surest leaps forward we can take.”
