One of my favorite bloggers, Mattie James (Mattieologie.com), posts her monthly goal list at the top of each month, and I've been inspired to do the same. Around the 1st of each month, I'll post the goals I'm focusing on for that month. At the end of the month, I'll check back in with this post and let you know how I did with these goals. I think that this will provide a little accountability while giving you sneak peek into projects that I'm working on. So...about my goals for October:

1. Post consistently on NicholeONichols.com at least 2-3 times per week.

I think the problem I've always had with blogging has been that I haven't always been clear on what I want to accomplish with this blog. I've been torn between fashion/style blogging, literary/book blogging, and lifestyle blogging, but when I really thought about what I envision for this space and what I hope to accomplish through this space, I realized that my main goals are to promote what I love: all things literacy and writing with a little style and a lot about navigating life as a creative. Now that I'm clear on that, posting more consistently should be a little easier.

2. Create outline for OnyxBelle Magazine Kickstarter plans.

My original goal was to publish the first issue of OnyxBelle in January 2016, but after listening to Arielle Loren's podcast about crowdfunding and looking through the resources from her Crowdfunding Mastermind course, I've decided to push the first issue back to July so that I can raise funds through my own Kickstarter campaign. I really want OnyxBelle to be done right, and that is going to take a lot of planning and  a staff of more than me. I believe in paying well for good talent, so I hope that, with the help of my network, I'll be able to attract a team that will make OnyxBelle mirror the vision I have in my head for her.

3. Schedule intentional Instagram posts for both of my brands (OnyxBelle & NicholeONichols.com).

As many of us know well, social media rules the world these days. As a creative who is working to build an audience to release my work to, mastering the techniques that make the most of social media is mandatory. I've been taking an Instagram for Bloggers class from Kim Postell of BlogWithKim.com and TheNaturalFashionista.com to step up my efforts on Instagram, which is the social platform that I'm focusing on right now. I've learned a lot in the last three weeks I've spent in her class ranging from how to make photos look more professional to what apps to use to make posting quality photos on the 'Gram much easier. The first thing I did in her class was write out a content plan/vision for the overall effect of both of my accounts. This helps me have some direction in terms of what types of content to post and what to avoid. I'm looking forward to making some changes in my content and seeing what affect these changes have on my follower numbers and engagement.

4. Submit at least one short story to a literary magazine for publication.

I'm going to take the advice I got from the panel from the Bookmarks festival that I wrote about in this post starting this month. I've got a few possibilities that I'm considering polishing up for this particular goal, and I'm excited about pursuing publication!

What are your goals for this month? Download a copy of my monthly goals worksheet , write them down, and post them up in a place that you'll see often. Happy planning!