2025 is almost over, and if you’re anything like me, you’re feeling behind as a writer. This was a big year for me, but it was also an insanely unproductive year for my writing. In this episode, I’m sharing what I used to do to fit writing into my busy life as a full-time high school teacher. These are the habits I’m recommitting to in 2026 laid out so you can steal them and move forward on your writing goals this year!

Links Mentioned:

• Subscribe to the Better Writer Weekly newsletter here: https://olivia-helps-writers.kit.com/better-writer-newsletter
• Check out Sarah Elizabeth Sawyer’s work on Fictation here: https://www.fictioncourses.com/dictation
• Check out my blog post on setting flexible writing goals here: https://www.oliviahelpswriters.com/blog/using-flexible-goals
• Check out my blog post on setting non-word count writing goals here: https://www.oliviahelpswriters.com/blog/beyond-word-count-five-metrics-to-spice-up-your-writing-goals

Key Takeaways

• For me, 2025 was a pretty incredible year. It was also an incredibly busy year. I got a lot done, but my writing unfortunately took a backseat to everything else. In 2026, I’m recommitting to my writing.
• Here are my top tips for making writing a part of your life, even if you’re super busy.
• First, set goals that mix flexibility and accountability. For me, that meant setting a strict monthly goal (e.g., 10,000 words) and flexible weekly/ daily goals. I would aim to write an average number of words per week (e.g., 2,500) but adjusted the specific number depending on how busy each week was. The same was true for my daily goals. I had a number to aim for, but if I missed the goal, I moved on and used other days to catch up.
• I also tracked my goals, but I only focused on what I’d actually accomplished, not how far above or below my goal I was on any given day. That analysis was saved for the end of the week when I assessed my progress and adjusted the remaining weekly goals accordingly.
• Second, be realistic about your constraints. I prefer to set goals based on how much time I have, not try to fit an unrealistic goal into my life after setting it.
• Microgoals (e.g., 8 words per day) are also great for keeping yourself mentally focused on a goal, even if you don’t have enough time for a serious writing session.
• You can also embrace shorter writing sessions or writing sessions that look different from the norm. For example, dictating your fiction can be a great way to sneak in a writing session while doing something else, like driving.
• If you’re feeling behind going into the new year, stop it! As long as you’re making progress, you’re better off now than you were one year ago and you’ll be even better off next year compared to right now. Be realistic, set goals that make sense for your life, and enjoy the process.

Thank you for listening to another episode of the Better Writer Podcast! For a full transcript of the episode, please visit https://oliviahelpswriters.com/bwp/6