Setting Realistic Writing Goals
Before drafting your novel, it is essential to establish a writing routine and set clear writing goals. This approach can significantly enhance your productivity, efficiency, and overall writing time.
- Writing
- June 13, 2025
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As an aspiring author, deciding to start your book is a major milestone. Whether you are a plotter or a pantser, having a clear and detailed writing plan is essential—not just for finishing your manuscript, but for managing your energy, time, and expectations along the way.
Writing is not only about drafting your story but also about knowing what you want to achieve at the end of the day. Our focus today evaluates two key components of success:
- Designing your writing routine
- Creating your writing goals
To help explain each section, I will share how I apply each step in my own writing life, so you can use it as a working model to create yours.
Design Your Writing Routine
A writing routine is a set of steps you follow each time you sit down to draft your novel. By designing a writing routine, you begin to create a habit of writing every day (or as often as you decide) that will help you write consistently and boost productivity over time. Aspiring authors should create a new (or updated) writing routine that will help them achieve their goals.
To create your writing routine, you will want to (1) create a dedicated writing space, (2) estimate your writing time, and (3) choose a realistic and achievable deadline.
Create a Dedicated Writing Space
Where do you write? Is it in an office away from everyone, or at the kitchen table? Do you have what you need nearby, or do you need to stop what you are doing and get it from somewhere else?
These questions are important for every writer, as where and how you write affects your output. Consider the following elements when creating your unique space:
- Desk & Ergonomic Chair. The desk (or table) should be at the right height, whether using an ergonomic chair or standing. Personalize the desk and chair with items that help make the space uniquely yours and inspire creativity.
- Lighting. To help avoid eyestrain, ensure good lighting not only on the desk itself but also around the room. If possible, natural light is best.
- Noise Level. Some writers need complete silence, while others don’t mind a bit of noise in the background. A place with the lowest amount of foot traffic (and minimal distractions) is the best choice.
- Privacy. Most writers prefer to have a space where they can be uninterrupted, enabling better concentration and helping foster an enduring writing habit.
- Screens. Using multiple monitors can help increase efficiency. Removing the extra movement (and time) needed to access everything you need quickly, having the digital files prepared for quick extraction, and organizing the information on one or more screens will help with productivity.
- Storage Space. Ensuring your space is uncluttered and organized is the best way to foster creativity and productivity.
- Writing Software. Do you use Microsoft or Google (or a combination of both) software? Is there a specific writing program you prefer or want to try? Do you have easy access to the websites you need to help with brainstorming, outlining, and worldbuilding?
- Writing Tools. Decide what you need when you write. Do you have a laptop or a tower? Do you have a printer that works well? What about notebooks, pens, pencils, filing materials, and even binders and folders? Having them within feet of your writing space will save time and won’t interrupt your creative streak.
Design a space you look forward to coming to, one that speaks to you both as a writer and as a place where you can focus on what matters most in your writing.
Estimate Your Writing Time
Aspiring authors should always have an idea of their writing speed, which can help them plan realistically. Without this knowledge, correctly scheduling the time you expect to achieve your writing goals without causing undue stress can be difficult.
To uncover your writing time, there are various formulas you can use. The information you will need to calculate includes: (1) your novel’s approximate word count, (2) daily word count, (3) hourly word count, (4) hours to draft the book, and (5) buffered hours. The equations and calculations presented below are from my spreadsheets, providing a working example for you to use as you create your own.
Your Novel’s Approximate Word Count
Your novel’s word count is based on which genres your story falls within. The best way to figure this out is to find your primary genre and understand the conventions readers expect to see in those types of novels. Then, if you have other genres that you plan to include, take that information into consideration as well.
For example, my books include five genres: Family Saga, Coming-of-Age, Drama, Psychological Horror, and Mystery. The primary genre is Family Saga, with the remaining genres that support and build upon the primary.
Each genre varies in the length of the book:
- Family Sagas: 80,000–250,000 words
- Coming-of-Age: 55,000–80,000 words
- Drama: 70,000–100,000 words
- Psychological Horror: 70,000–100,000 words
- Mystery: 80,000–100,000 words
Therefore, I believe each book will be around 150,000 words (which is equivalent to approximately 333 pages, at 450 words per page). It could be less, but to give myself extra breathing room, I will assume the higher word count for now.
Daily Word Count
Writers quickly learn that there is no single (or average) daily word count. Why? Because it varies depending on several factors such as writing style, time commitment, personal preferences, the type of work being produced, and the individual. The important thing to remember is that your daily word count does not value you as a writer. Whether you write 250 words/day or 2,000 words/day, the consistent progress you make adds up, bringing you closer to your goal.
To find your daily word count (which always improves over time), you can use the following formula:
Daily Word Count = Total Target Word Count/Number of Writing Days
My current novel is approximately 150,000 words, and assuming I write at least 360 days of the upcoming year, the calculation looks as follows:
416.67 words/day = 150,000-word novel/360 writing days
My personal daily word count is approximately 417 words per day. Here is how it appears on my spreadsheet:
Hourly Word Count
Aspiring authors typically average 300–500 words per hour. Intermediate and experienced writers range from 500–1,200 (or more) words per hour. The factors that affect word count include consistency, writing type, and writing speed. As a fledgling writer, expect your hourly word count to start at the lower spectrum.
To find your hourly word count, you can use the following formula:
Hourly Word Count = Average Words Written in One Focused Hour
979 words/hour
The best way to do this is to complete a timed session of four fifteen-minute blocks, with a break of 5–10 minutes between. For each session, note the total words written and add up after the hour. Here is a screenshot of how it appears in a spreadsheet:
Hours to Write a Book
An aspiring author should know how to find the estimated amount of time it will take to write their first draft (research, outlining, editing, and revisions are not typically included within the calculation). The formulas to use include:
Hours to Write a Book = Total Target Word Count/Hourly Word Count
Buffered Hours = Hours to Write Book x (1 + Buffer Percentage)
The first calculation is a specific number of hours you will take writing your book. In my case, with an approximate 150,000-word count at 979 words/hour, I should take approximately 153 hours.
153 Hours = 150,000 words/979 words/hour
The second calculation requires adding buffer time (or extra time) to your writing time, allowing for flexibility and adaptability to successfully incorporate unexpected delays, interruptions, or changes during the writing process. In other words, buffer time acts as a safety net (or insurance policy). In most cases, buffer times are anywhere from 10–50%. In my case, I assume a 30% buffer with the following formula:
199 Hours = 150 hours x 1.3
As you can see from the screenshot below, inputting these numbers into a spreadsheet will help you keep track of where your writing is.
There are also other formulas you can choose to use, depending on how complex you want to make your spreadsheet:
- Writing Sessions per Day = Daily Word Count / Sessions per Day
- Days to Finish at Current Pace = Total Word Count / Average Actual Daily Word Count
- Remaining Word Count = Target Word Count – Words Written So Far
- Remaining Hours to Finish = Remaining Word Count / Hourly Word Count
- Estimated Completion Date = TODAY() + Remaining Days
- Weekly Word Count Goal = Daily Word Count X Days per Week Writing
- Percent Complete = (Words Written So Far / Target Word Count) x 100
Understanding how to use these calculations will give a writer improved accuracy when it comes to predicting writing time.
Choose a Realistic Deadline
Deadlines help you stay focused, but they must be realistic and manageable. Depending on the type of goals you decide to work toward, you can choose any deadline you like. However, it is always best to keep in mind the following tips:
- Break it down. Assign deadlines to each phase of your project. Make sure to break down your deadline as much as possible into different components so you can complete your project within a reasonable period.
- Celebrate milestones as you reach them. Create a reward system for yourself for each milestone, including the smaller ones you complete. I have found that using larger milestones that are broken down into smaller ones is easier to work with. For example, you could have 2–5 smaller milestones within a larger milestone, giving you motivation to keep going.
- Create added buffering. Daily life happens and adding in extra hours to account for interruptions should always appear in your deadline.
- Keep it realistic. Not only is your daily life packed to the brim with everything you need to do, but you also have varying steps (or phases) you need to follow for research, drafting, revision, editing, and preparing for either self-publishing or submission to a traditional publishing house. Each phase will take a different amount of time, especially when you consider the story’s length and complexity, your writing habits, and your current workload.
Once you have chosen your deadline, write it down where you can find it, or use a project management program to help you keep track of each phase.
Create Writing Goals
With your writing routine in place, it’s time to develop your writing goals. Although the internet offers a variety of opinions on the number of goals an author should pursue at one time (typically two goals at most), there is no strict rule saying that should be the case. Personally, as a business owner, I can understand that recommendation, as the distinct types of strategies needed for the overall company and each division tend to add up (even with abiding by strict 2–3 goal limits) and can be overwhelming at times. As such, I have decided on only two writing goals (with the ability to add more later if needed).
To figure out your goals, make sure to (1) reflect on your past goals, (2) list and prioritize everything and decide which ones to pursue, and (3) break down those goals into milestones and SMART tasks.
Reflect on Your Past Goals
Do you have existing goals that you have been trying to achieve but find yourself unable to manage? If you have existing goals and have thought about where you want to be in the future, now is the time to evaluate how well they are working.
Reflection on past goals allows a writer to improve their future and appreciate what they have carried out. If you have more than one goal, write down a sentence (or paragraph) about each and the progress made. Be honest with yourself. Then, print and put it aside for reference as you begin to set up new goals.
List & Prioritize
What are your biggest writing goals? Do you have some that you’ve considered in the past but put aside for one reason or another? Here is where you write down every goal you have had. Focus on what you can control right now; external rewards (such as awards and accolades) can come later.
Once your list is complete, thoroughly evaluate each on a closer level and prioritize them accordingly. For example, when I created my goals list, I produced fourteen possibilities, including:
- Developing a consistent writing habit
- Publishing my novels through hybrid publishing
- Completing a multi-character family saga by age 65
From this list, I decided upon the following two:
- Create a flexible but consistent writing habit by August 15, 2025.
- Publish the first round of books in my series by June 2027.
From here, I can start to break down the goals into milestones and SMART tasks.
Breaking Goals into Milestones & SMART Tasks
A milestone is a significant stage of progress in a project, while a SMART task ensures each stage is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This means that for every goal you choose, you can break down that goal into smaller, more manageable steps as you work your way through the project. Each goal should be broken down into:
- Large milestones: Your final target (such as publication).
- Medium milestones: Major checkpoints (such as draft completion).
- Small milestones: Step-by-step tasks (such as outline completion).
Instead of completing everything in the goal from the top to the bottom, start from the bottom and work your way to the top.
Small milestones > Medium milestones > Large milestones
The trick here, though, is to schedule each small, medium, and large milestone within a reasonable and achievable time limit. Therefore, I wait to put a deadline on each milestone until I know for certain I have included everything (or at least as much as possible). Then, I work from the bottom up on my dates within ClickUp to track mine, but a paper calendar or spreadsheet works too.
Prepare to be Flexible!
Writing should help, not hinder. Life, creativity, and inspiration all shift; so, build flexibility into your routine and adjust when needed. A goal that adapts is far more powerful than one that burns you out. Until next time!
