How to Set Your Writing Goals 2026: 5 Questions to Transform Your Year

Your Best Writing Year: Practical Strategies from Professional Writers

Last week, Jo-Anne Richards and Richard Beynon came together for the first All About Writing webinar of 2026 to tackle a question on every writer’s mind: how do we set our writing goals and stick to them?

In this interactive session, they explored five essential questions about writing intentions, creative obstacles, and sustainable routines. The discussion covered everything from managing multiple half-finished projects to creating character depth when you’re stuck, from establishing sacred writing time to understanding what makes memoir work.

What made this webinar particularly valuable was hearing directly from writers at every stage of their journey – those sorting through years of accumulated ideas, others finishing book three in their series, and many determined to finally establish that consistent writing practice. The collaborative nature of the session, with participants sharing their challenges in the chat, created a rich conversation about the realities of the writing life.

Watch the full replay below, then read on for a comprehensive summary of the key insights and actionable advice that emerged from the discussion.

Start the Year Writing: Full Webinar Replay

Five Questions to Transform Your Writing Year

Want to make 2026 your breakthrough year as a writer? Last week’s ‘Start the Year Writing’ webinar brought together writers from around the world to explore practical strategies for achieving writing goals. Here’s what we discovered.

1. What are your writing intentions or goals for the year?

Setting Realistic Writing Goals for 2026

The webinar opened with Jo-Anne and Richard sharing their own goals. Jo-Anne is in that nerve-wracking limbo of waiting for publisher feedback on a submitted manuscript – a vulnerable position that many writers know well. Her intention for the year depends entirely on whether the manuscript is accepted, reminding us that not all goals follow a neat linear path.

Richard, by contrast, set an ambitious target: four cozy murder mysteries and two short story collections. As he acknowledged, it sounds more daunting than it is –some stories are already written, and each novel takes roughly two months to write plus a month to edit.

The chat revealed the wonderful diversity of writing projects: memoirs waiting to be told, series needing to be completed, novels rescued from drawers, short stories demanding attention. One participant, Frankie, articulated a challenge many writers face: having too many disparate ideas accumulated over years, creating paralysis about where to begin.

How to Choose One Writing Project When You Have Too Many Ideas

Jo-Anne’s guidance to Frankie applies to many of us: focus on one doable project. Don’t try to capture and squash together all those disparate ideas. Instead, think about what story excites you most. Ask yourself:

• Who is the character in this story?
• What is the arc?
• What does my character want?

Let your bank of ideas stand as resources you can draw from, but commit to one story and start from there.

What Writers Can Control vs What They Can’t

Richard made a crucial distinction: writing the book is within your control. Publishing it is not. Unless you have an existing relationship with a publisher, setting “get published” as your primary goal sets you up for disappointment. Instead, set goals around what you can control: write the best possible book, finish the draft, complete the revision. These are achievable targets that depend on you alone.

2. What do you need to do to achieve them?

Building Discipline and Structure for Writers

Participants identified several key requirements: discipline, structure, selfishness about protecting writing time, and someone to bounce work off when lagging. The word “doggedness” appeared more than once – that quality of simply sitting down and persisting, even when the words don’t flow easily.

Creating Writing Rituals That Work

Some writers need rituals. One participant described wearing specific comfortable clothes and making tea as essential preparation – not because these items are magical, but because they signal “writing mode.” Once dressed in writing clothes, she can’t do anything else. It’s the writing equivalent of Rafael Nadal lining up his water bottles with millimetre precision.

Establishing a Daily Writing Routine

Richard shared his routine: waking at half past five, making coffee, and writing before the day’s demands intrude. Early morning emerged as a popular choice—fresh mind, no interruptions, a sense of accomplishment before the day properly begins.

The Power of Writing Appointments

The single most practical suggestion? Thank you Pam! Schedule writing appointments in your diary. Several participants responded enthusiastically to this idea – treating writing with the same respect you’d give a doctor’s appointment or important meeting. Block the time, honour it, show up.

3. What obstacles stand in your way? And what can you do to mitigate these?

Common Writing Obstacles: External and Internal

The obstacles writers identified ranged widely. External challenges included time constraints, financial limitations, and practical responsibilities (as Chris noted, “sometimes the ‘obstacle’ is food on the table”). Internal obstacles proved equally challenging: negative self-talk, fear of failure, fear that nobody will be interested in reading what you’ve written, and the tendency to choose easier practical tasks over the hard work of writing.

How to Use Character Development to Overcome Writer’s Block

Richard shared valuable insight from his television writing experience. When his writing teams hit dead ends, they consistently returned to character work. They’d ask:

• Who is this character?
• What does she really want at this point?
• Where does she come from?
• Who are her most important relationships?
• What are her strengths, weaknesses, contradictions, secrets?

Digging deeper into character not only makes the story more interesting but generates new story ideas. When blocked, don’t focus on plot – focus on character depth.

Dealing With Perfectionism: Writing Your First Draft

Many writers struggle with perfectionism during the first draft, constantly going back to revise earlier sections instead of pushing forward. Jo-Anne’s approach offers balance: she reviews what she wrote in the previous session to get her head back into the story, making small changes as she goes. By the time she reaches the end of that review, she’s ready to write new material. But she doesn’t go back to the very beginning repeatedly.

The crucial mindset shift? Accepting that draft one is just draft one – not complete, not finished, not perfect. It’s where you feel your way forward. Most writers write several drafts. Save the perfecting for later drafts.

Overcoming Fear and Self-Doubt

Several writers mentioned fear as their biggest obstacle – fear that nobody will be interested in their work, especially after difficult experiences with agents or publishers. Jo-Anne’s advice to Bindi, who had faced rejection from a New York agent, was direct: write because you love to write, not because you’re worried about what will happen to it. Write because you need to write, because it’s part of who you are. Don’t worry about the publishing aspect – that comes later.

The most insidious obstacle is negative self-talk. As Jo-Anne noted, everyone suffers from this – it doesn’t matter how many books you’ve published. The key is recognising it’s universal and not being so judgemental about yourself and your writing.

Richard added an important reminder: some of the greatest novels ever acclaimed were turned down by perfectly respectable publishers. They just weren’t right for them. You can’t let rejection – whether from publishers or your own inner critic –stop you from writing.

Practical Strategies When You Get Stuck

Pam shared her approach to dealing with unexpected interruptions and blocks: she reschedules her writing appointment as she would any other, gives herself grace when that’s not possible, and adjusts deadlines when necessary. When experiencing blocks or resistance, she looks to a different writing task for the day to see if that works. She also meditates and free-writes to get around blocks.

Jo-Anne agreed, noting that when she feels stuck, free writing helps get her back into the flow.

Fear of Consequences in Non-Fiction

For non-fiction writers, particularly those writing memoir, Margaret raised the fear of consequences – conflict between truth and the effects it will have on others. Jo-Anne’s guidance: write it first, then worry about it. If you carry those people on your shoulders while writing, you’ll become stilted and stuck. Write it, then look at it in your second draft and ask: Can I live with this? Does it really matter? What’s important – getting that truth out there?

As someone once said: if people want you to be nicer to them in your memoir, they should have treated you better in the first place.

How to Write Memoir: Creating Story From Life

For memoir writers, a particular challenge emerged: how to create story from life without it becoming a mere chronology of events. Jo-Anne’s guidance was clear: memoir means selecting incidents and situations from your life that help build an arc and a story. Your character (who is you) starts somewhere, faces obstacles, and ends up somewhere else.

The helpful technique? Create some distance by thinking about yourself as a character who needs an arc. Ask:

• What story from my life needs telling?
• Where does it start?
• What did I want at that point?
• What stood in my way?
• How did I change?

As Mari noted in the chat, writing memoir requires seeing your life with fresh eyes, slightly detached – thinking about that person (you) as if considering a third person. This doesn’t mean writing in third person, but it does mean making that mental shift from “this is my life” to “this is a story drawn from life.” The art of memoir, ultimately, consists largely of deciding what not to include.

4. Having thought this through – have you revised your intentions?

The Role of Writing Community in Achieving Your Goals

The webinar concluded with participants expressing genuine shifts in their thinking. Several noted they’d be making writing appointments in their diaries, revisiting character sketches, and implementing specific strategies discussed.

The power of community emerged clearly: accountability, shared experiences, knowing you’re not alone in your struggles. Whether through writing circles, courses, retreats, or monthly webinars, connecting with other writers makes the solitary work of writing feel less isolating.

Your Action Plan: Making 2026 Your Best Writing Year

Whether you’re tackling your first novel or your sixth, the principles remain constant:

• Choose one project and commit to it
• Create sustainable routines and honour your writing appointments
• When stuck, return to character depth
• Accept that first drafts are exploratory, not perfect
• For memoir, remember you’re creating story from life, not recording life
• Find your community and use it for support and accountability

As Richard noted at the start, he’s an “inveterate maker and breaker of resolutions.” The key isn’t perfection – it’s persistence. Set your intentions, create your structures, and keep showing up at the page.

Your best writing year doesn’t require genius or perfect circumstances. It requires consistency, character depth, and the courage to begin.

Looking for support on your writing journey? Our live Creative Writing Course starts 22nd January, and we offer mentoring for writers working on larger projects and a Writers’  Circle that meets monthly. Join our writing community and turn your intentions into achievements.

Ready to Make 2026 Your Best Writing Year?

Whether you’re just starting your writing journey or working on your next manuscript, All About Writing offers the support and guidance you need to achieve your goals.

Start every week with writerly inspiration by signing up for Richard’s Monday Writing Motivations.

Creative Writing Course – Our comprehensive 10-week live course (starting 22nd January) takes you from the fundamentals of storytelling through to crafting compelling narratives. You’ll learn essential skills in character development, plot structure, dialogue, and revision – all whilst receiving feedback on your work and connecting with fellow writers. Sign up here

One-to-One Mentoring – Working on a novel, memoir, or larger project? Our experienced mentors provide personalised guidance tailored to your specific manuscript and goals. Regular sessions help you maintain momentum, work through challenges, and develop your craft whilst bringing your project to completion. More information here

Writers’ Circle – Join our supportive monthly community where writers share work, receive constructive feedback, and benefit from the collective wisdom of the group. It’s the accountability and encouragement many writers need to keep showing up at the page. Join here

Writing Retreats – Immerse yourself in your writing whilst exploring inspiring locations. Join us in the tranquil Karoo at our Barrydale retreat, experience the charm of the English countryside in Stow-on-the-Wold, or find creative inspiration in the romantic canals and literary history of Venice. These retreats combine dedicated writing time, expert workshops, and the opportunity to connect with fellow writers in beautiful, distraction-free settings. There’s something transformative about stepping away from daily life to focus entirely on your craft.

Free Monthly Webinars – Don’t miss our monthly webinars where we explore essential writing topics, answer your questions, and build a community of committed writers.

Whatever stage you’re at in your writing journey, the key is to start now. Make those writing appointments, focus on one project, and surround yourself with a community that understands the challenges and celebrates the victories. Your story deserves to be written—and we’re here to help you do exactly that.

If you’re not sure exactly what’s right for you, why not test the waters with our free Power of Writing Course or  ​email Trish to discuss your writing project and how we can best help you achieve your goals.