Dear fellow writer,
Welcome to Swordswings, my podcast series for writers in motion. These recordings are intended for you to listen to when you’re moving around — which is a great way to get your writing moving as well.
Today, I’ll talk you through the process of setting some SAFE writing goals for the year ahead: Simple, Achievable, Forgiving, Easy. Then, once your safety net is in place, you may wish to supplement your SAFE goals with a few RAD writing goals: Risky, Audacious, Daring!
These monthly podcasts are my thank-you gift to my wonderful paid subscribers. Members of my WriteSPACE community can now download the audio files and transcripts of all Swordswings episodes from the new Audio section in the WriteSPACE Library.
As always, I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
If you’re a paid Substack subscriber but not yet a WriteSPACE member, you can use this special discount code to unlock premium access to hundreds of additional writing resources including live workshops, exclusive videos, whizzy diagnostic tools, and colorful weekly prompts. I’d love to see you there!
Kia pai tō koutou rā (have a great day) – and keep on writing!
Helen
Here are the acronyms I discuss in this month’s podcast:
SMART goals
Specific
Measuable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-limited
SAFE goals
Simple
Attainable
Forgiving
Easy (and Enjoyable!)
RAD(ical) goals
Risky
Ambitious
Daring (and Delicious!)
The SPACE of pleasurable writing is:
Socially balanced
Physically engaging
Aesthetically nourishing
Creatively challenging
Emotionally fulfilling
Books on writing by Helen Sword
Writing with Pleasure
Princeton University Press, 2023
Air & Light & Time & Space: How Successful Academics Write
Harvard University Press, 2017
Stylish Academic Writing
Harvard University Press, 2012
The Writer’s Diet: A Guide to Fit Prose
University of Chicago Press, 2016
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