An End-of-Month Check-In
It’s the end of January. Remember those writing goals we talked about at the start of the month?
You’ve had about four weeks to test them against reality. So. How’s it going?
Maybe you’re crushing it—your rhythm is working, pages are accumulating, and momentum feels good. Or maybe you’ve already fallen off track. Life happened. Work intensified. The goals you set feel like they were made by someone who didn’t understand what this month would actually demand.
Both experiences are completely normal. And both offer something useful.
If Your Goals Are Working
First: congratulations. You’ve found something that fits.
Now ask yourself: why is it working? Is it the accountability structure? The time of day you’re writing? The way you broke a big goal into smaller steps?
Pay attention to what’s making the difference. When life shifts—and it will—you’ll want to know which elements to protect and which you can adjust.
If Your Goals Aren’t Working
Here’s what we want you to know: falling short of a writing goal doesn’t mean you’re failing at writing. It means the goal didn’t fit.
The question isn’t “What’s wrong with me?” The question is “What needs to change?”
Sometimes the answer is the goal itself. That daily word count might need to become a weekly one. That March deadline might need to move to June. That ambitious revision plan might need to start with one chapter instead of three.
Sometimes the answer is the support structure. Maybe you need accountability. (Have you checked out Project Write Now’s Morning Pages?) Maybe you need to shift when or where you write. And sometimes the answer is to pause and ask if this is actually the right project for right now.
This Is Your Permission to Adjust
If your January writing goals aren’t serving you, you don’t have to white-knuckle through eleven more months. You can revise the plan. You can try a different approach.
Here are some questions that might help:
- What part of my writing practice is actually working?
- What’s getting in the way? (Be specific.)
- What’s one small change I could make?
- Do I need more structure or more flexibility?
- Would support from other writers make a difference?
What Progress Actually Looks Like
Here’s something we see constantly at book inc: writers who feel like they’re not making progress because they’re not hitting targets, even though they’re showing up, learning, and doing the real work.
Progress isn’t always measurable in word counts. Sometimes progress looks like finally understanding your protagonist’s motivation. Or realizing your memoir needs to start in a different place. Or figuring out you write better in the afternoon.
All of that moves you closer to the book you’re trying to write. If you’ve shown up this month—even inconsistently—you’ve made progress.
What Happens Next
Before February starts, take a few minutes to reflect:
- What worked in January?
- What didn’t?
- What do you want to try differently?
Then set a February goal that fits your actual life—not your ideal life. Not the life of the writer you wish you were. Your actual life, with its actual demands.
Maybe that goal is smaller than you hoped. That’s okay. Small and sustainable beats ambitious and abandoned every time.
And if January was hard, you’re not alone. Writing a book is genuinely difficult. It requires sustained effort over a long period. That’s a lot to carry by yourself.
This is why community matters. Our Memoir and Novel Incubators are currently in session, but our next Book Revision Lab begins later this year. If you’re realizing you need more structure, accountability, or support, learn more about our programs.
Your February Invitation
Take stock of where you are without judgment. Adjust your goals if needed. Celebrate what’s working. Troubleshoot what isn’t.
Then show up to February with a plan that actually fits.
Your book is still waiting. You haven’t missed your chance. The year is just beginning.
Here’s to small adjustments, realistic goals, and the kind of steady progress that actually gets books written.