Yup, it’s that time of year.

You might have seen a statistic from the University of Scranton that shows 92% of people who write New Year’s goals don’t achieve what they set out to do.

That leaves 8% of people who do.

Guess which bucket I’m in?

Not this year. Not in 2022. Hell, I’m planning on making this the year I break through and gain some real traction towards achieving my goal of being a full-time writer.

Here’s how I’m going to do it.

What resources did I use to guide my reflection and goal setting?

In previous years I would write my goals in a notebook and forget them by the second week of January. Needless to say, I rarely met my goals.

Over time I started to plan out my goals and the work that needed to be done to ensure I met all of goals. I also learned that a goal is something that I can control; not a wish or something that relies on someone else. That’s kinda the nice thing about writing: a goal can be word count, page count, number of projects completed, etc.

This year I decided to take a slightly different approach and take my time with crafting goals. To do this, I followed a series of posts by Scott Myers on his website Go into the Story.

On the website, Scott has a series of 10 posts of super short, but reflective, exercises that you lead from reflection, to goal setting, to vision articulation, and to inspiration.

During the last two weeks in December I sat down for 30 minutes or so every day and read Scott’s posts (1x per day) and completed the writing tasks he suggested. It was a great accountability piece, and it lead me through a process that made sense. I wasn’t just crafting goals out of thin air. I was constructing goals in alignment with my vision for what I ultimately wanted.

What did I accomplish in 2021?

2021 was a hell of a year; or should I say, it was hell in a year. I didn’t complete much in the way of actual scripts but that was intentional.

As the pandemic raged at the start of 2021 (kinda like how it is now), I knew 2021 was going to be a rough ride. My wife and I also had some hard decisions to make with regards to our jobs and housing situation, so I knew my writing would be put on the back-burner at some point in 2021.

Below is a list of what I consider accomplishments for 2021. As I reflect on what I accomplished, I’m confident that I have a solid foundation to build upon as 2022 ramps up.

• No COVID cases in our family - I feel incredibly fortunate that neither my wife, our kids, nor myself got infected with COVID in 2021.

• Joined 2 writers’ groups - I started 2021 in two writers’ groups. One I found on Twitter and the other I found via a random email from a screenwriting organization. It was good to socialize with other writers, especially during the pandemic, and it was good to read others’ scripts as well as get feedback on my own work.

• Started a new pilot - My theme for 2021 was process, as in I wanted to work on how I develop an original idea and how I can improve my overall craft. I spent the first 6 months of 2021 working through an original pilot that’s kinda been sitting on my brain for some time. The pilot is focused on the indie music scene, and it really dives into my passion for independent music.

• Started a list of story concepts to explore - For me, ideas tend to sit on my brain until I do something with them. In 2021 I spent a lot of time collecting ideas for future projects or that could be integrated into existing projects.

• Built relationships online and in real life - So important for screenwriters (or any creative pursuit for that matter). I’m usually awful at building relationships with people, but I focused on putting myself out there and interacting with as many creatives as possible. I met a ton of cool people, and even have a few that I consider close friends. I’m looking forward to meeting more people in the community and deepening my relationships with those I regularly talk to.

• Focused on process and not product - As a writer I’ve focused too much on the finished product (the script) and not enough on the process and craft of writing. Coming into 2021 I wanted to focus on developing a process for writing that works for me and to serve as a foundation for when life just gets out of control (which is basically how everything operates right now).

• Shot an experimental short film on my iPhone - Near the end of the year I started getting into iPhone filmmaking. I love the DIY, make my own shit attitude that no/low budget filmmaking affords. I spent a few weeks in October teaching myself different camera angles and shot types, culminating in me going to the abandoned LA Zoo with my kids to shoot a short. This is definitely an avenue I want to explore more in 2022.

• Lastly, my wife and I got new jobs in the summer. The change was hard (it’s still hard) but we’re in a much better place financially and emotionally than we were at the beginning of 2021 (except for the ridiculous housing prices in LA….WTF!).

What are my goals for 2022?

Usually when I make goals for the year I tend to write out a bunch of stuff I’d like to write and not think anything of it. No intention. No themes. No clear purpose.

For 2022 I took a step back and looked for patterns within the goals I wanted to achieve, something that ties everything together.

That’s when I realized I could categorize my goals into three clear “buckets” that describe the intent and purpose for my goals, a sort of mini-theme.

What I came up with is: Make, Learn, Share.

MAKE: What am I going to make?

LEARN: How am I going to improve my craft and deepen my understanding of the business?

SHARE: What am I learning that I can share with others?

Also, in terms of timeline, I chopped the year in half with the projects I want to get done in the first 6 months of 2022 and what I want to accomplish during the back half of 2022.

Goals for January through the end of June:

MAKE:

• Write and shoot 2 short films.

• Write and shoot 2-3 micro films on my iPhone.

• Write and market (get feedback, query, etc.) a script based on a book in the public domain that I read in grad school.

LEARN:

• Read 1 screenplay (alternating between TV and film) every week for a total of 26 screenplays read.

• Complete a course on iPhone and indie filmmaking.

SHARE:

• Write and publish 2 blog posts per month for a total of 12 blog posts.

Goals for July through the end of December:

MAKE:

• Finish the script I started last year, or finish writing the book that my wife’s been asking me to write for the last 8 years.

• Write and shoot 2 micro films on my iPhone.

LEARN:

• Read 1 screenplay (alternating between TV and film) every week for a total of 26 screenplays read.

• Enroll in a screenwriting course to get feedback on my scripts.

SHARE:

• Write and publish 2 blog posts per month for a total of 12 blog posts.

What can I do to be a better writer in 2022?

The more I thought about and reflected on the years I’ve struggled to gain any traction in the arts - as an actor then as a writer - I’ve noticed some key elements of my process and routines that are missing.

In addition to writing, I came up with the following five elements/beliefs/practices that I’m trying to implement in 2022.

1. FINISH - No sense in writing something if I’m not going to finish it. I didn’t finish much last year, so I’ve got to flip the script (pun intended) this year. I’ve settled on my theme for 2022: FINISH.

2. SHARE - Now that the script is finished, I gotta put my big boy pants on an share it with people. Sharing also means querying and submitting to The Blacklist. I’ve done the whole screenplay competition circuit, and this year I want to try a different set of strategies.

3. MAKE SHIT - Okay, I finished what I wrote, and I shared it with people. Now what? Why not try and get something made? Doesn’t matter how small the project is, or even how good the project is, it’s about making shit because making shit is how shit gets made.

4. READ MORE SCRIPTS - The only way to get better is to read scripts, watch movies, and write pages. I have to improve my craft and that begins with reading what’s been bought and produced.

5. TIME & GOALS - Getting 1% better each day means sitting my ass down and doing something each day. From reading scripts, writing pages, developing ideas, making shit, and sharing my learning on this blog, I have to name the day, the time, and the action with intent; my actions and goals must support my end goal. A deadline is every writer’s best friend.

What can I do to manage the work?

If you’re like me, then managing my time and scheduling my creative work is the biggest weakness in my game. I’m really good about saying “yes” to a lot of things without actually taking into account how much time is needed to get each “yes” done. And done well.

I applied the same “bucket” approach to my time management and scheduling habits to identify a key task for each day. Naming a key task for each day gives me focus, and it’s something that gives me freedom to do more as long as I take care of the essential items for the day.

Here’s what I came up with:

MONDAY - Write a Daily Stoic Journal response/reflection; Read 1 screenplay (TV or Film).

TUESDAY - Write a Daily Stoic Journal response/reflection; Write or Revise at least 1 page of script.

WEDNESDAY - Write a Daily Stoic Journal response/reflection; Write or Revise at least 1 page of script.

THURSDAY - Write a Daily Stoic Journal response/reflection; Write or Revise at least 1 page of script.

FRIDAY - Write a Daily Stoic Journal response/reflection; Write or Revise at least 1 page of script.

SATURDAY - Prep/develop concept, story, and characters for upcoming script; Work on blog post; Watch or read about some aspect of the craft and/or business (Masterclass, YouTube videos, blogs, and books).

SUNDAY - Prep/develop concept, story, and characters for upcoming script; Work on blog post; Watch or read about some aspect of the craft and/or business (Masterclass, YouTube videos, blogs, and books).

How long am I going to wait?

For the longest time I sought validation and permission from others to be a creative person (from acting to writing). I don’t know why. I had a good childhood. I have healthy relationships with family and friends. I have people who love me. But I couldn’t shake the feeling of wanting someone to pluck me from the crowd and put me in some imaginative place full of bliss and luxury.

I had to change my mindset and belief system if want any chance at being a person who makes their living and can support their family through writing.

I also realized (I’m a slow learner) that everyone’s to wrapped up in their own shit to even give a flying frying pan about me and my concerns.

Nobody was going to come and save me. No one was going to give me the permission and validation I sought.

So, I decided to give it to myself.

Why go outside yourself for that which you seek can only be found on the inside?

As Epictetus says, “How long are you going to wait to demand the best for yourself?”