by Liz Talley

Hate to break it to you, but we’re already over a third of the way through 2026.

Sound the alarm—the end of May is looming!

<cue weak knees and a frantic search for the fainting couch>

Hard to believe four and a half months have already flown by and summer is knocking at the door. Which makes right now the perfect time to stop, take stock, and adjust your goals for 2026.

Back in January, you probably stared down that shiny new year full of possibility and set some writing goals. I’m a big believer in two things when the calendar flips: choosing a guiding word for the year and creating a business plan. But even if you didn’t sit down with a fresh notebook and color-coded markers, I’m willing to bet you at least had a mental list of what you wanted to accomplish.

Maybe you planned to:

• finally finish that first draft
• revise the NaNoWriMo manuscript that’s been collecting digital dust since 2021
• start an entirely new project
• snag that elusive agent
• figure out Amazon ads without losing your sanity

Whatever your writing goal was (or still is), this is the perfect time for a gut check. Because if you want to kick butt in 2026, you need to know exactly where you stand.

Before we deal with this year, let’s take a quick glance in the rearview mirror.

How was 2025?

Did you accomplish what you set out to do? Looking back isn’t about beating yourself up—it’s about honesty. Accountability matters in a writing career.

So… what did you accomplish?

I’ll wait.

drumming fingers…

Still waiting.

more dramatic drumming…

Okay, got it?

Maybe you’re thrilled with how last year went. Or maybe, like many writers, you didn’t quite get there. Maybe last year’s goal became this year’s goal.

That happens.

Life gets messy. Doubts populate like dust bunnies. The publishing industry does what the publishing industry does. Rejections pile up. Family needs you. Health takes you on a detour. But, whatever happened in 2025 is done.

Finished. Finito. In the books.

Forgive yourself. Then move on.

What now?

At this point, some of you are thinking, “Well, it’s too late to make a plan now."

Um… no.

No, it is not.

We still have nearly two-thirds of the year left.

That’s seven and a half glorious months to:

• draft a manuscript
• revise a manuscript
• write a query letter
• research agents
• build a website
• learn social media strategy
• finally figure out what the heck Amazon ads do for you

That’s not “too late.” That’s opportunity.

So pick the goal that matters most.

Here’s the key: don’t try to do everything at once. Pick the goal that absolutely needs to get done.

For me? It’s drafting a new book.

Is that doable with the time left in 2026?

Yes.

So that becomes Priority One.

Now comes the important part: making the goal actionable.

Right now, I have the tiniest spark of an idea. Before I can send a synopsis to my editor for approval, I need to flesh out the story.

That means:

• brainstorming with trusted writing friends
• drafting three chapters to find the story’s voice
• creating a three-page synopsis
• getting all of that done by mid-June so I have six full months to draft an 80–90K manuscript.

Once the project gets approved, I can reverse-engineer the writing schedule and calculate exactly how many words I need to write each month.

See what happened there?

I created a deadline.

Okay, sure. Setting deadlines is easy. Keeping them? That’s where the rubber meets the road. Because ultimately, you have to honor the timeline you create.

One of the tools that helps me stay on track…

A business plan.

Every year, I sit down with a few trusted writing friends and walk them through my goals. That accountability makes all the difference. Something about saying your plans out loud and then pinning them to the bulletin board in your office makes them real.

(Download the Sample Business Plan above by clicking here.)

For me, the top priority is always writing new material or revising a book. Always. But the secondary goals matter too. Because modern writers aren’t just writers. We’re marketers. Brand strategists. Social media managers. Website coordinators. Networking professionals. Occasional emotional support humans.

It’s… a lot.

My secondary goals for 2026 include:

• building a website for my new pen name
• hiring a branding consultant
• researching publicists
• getting updated headshots
• requesting blurbs
• developing a social media strategy

Honestly? It all feels a little overwhelming. But overwhelming goals become manageable when you assign deadlines.

Of course, setting deadlines can feel a bit like chasing a Slinky down the stairs. Remember those? One minute you’re motivated. The next minute it’s three weeks later and somehow you’re looking for your escaped slinky instead of writing Chapter Five.

That’s exactly why timelines matter. And why writing friends who lovingly hold your feet to the fire are priceless.

Final Thought

Creating a business plan and setting measurable goals can feel about as appealing as sticking your hand into a hornet’s nest. I understand. I am not naturally organized. Not even close. But I do believe visible, actionable goals help writers finish projects and move forward.

* * * * * *

About Liz

Liz Talley is the USA Today best-selling author of over thirty heartwarming stories. A finalist in both Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart and Rita Awards, Liz has published with Harlequin, Hallmark, and Montlake where she reached number one in Kindle romance and was named to Publisher’s Weekly mass market bestseller list. Her stories are set in the South, where the tea is sweet, the summers are hot, and the porches are wide. In 2023, she also added screenwriter to her accomplishments, co-writing an adaptation of her novel The Wedding War, which landed in the Top 20 of the Louisiana Film Prize.

Find Liz Talley's books here.

Featured image purchased from Depositphotos.