The start of a new month hits writers differently. If you’ve been thinking about your writing goals for May, you’re probably hoping for a clean slate, fresh momentum, and maybe—just maybe—fewer existential spirals. It’s like cracking open a brand-new notebook—so clean it dares you to ruin it. You tell yourself this will be the month you finally finish the chapter, hit submit on that short story, or tame the chaos in your manuscript. The month you finally morph into that mythical beast: a writer who actually finishes things.
But then life happens. Again.
And suddenly it’s May, and you’re staring at your calendar like it personally betrayed you.
The Illusion of the Monthly Reset
Writers tend to treat time like a tool. New week? New writing plan. New month? Let’s make some goals. New year? Oh, honey—we’re rewriting our entire author identity.
But let’s be honest: A clean slate only works if we don’t bring last month’s avoidance and self-doubt into it.
We tell ourselves this is the month we’ll get it right—without burnout, without guilt, without having to battle perfectionism every step of the way. But here’s what usually happens instead.
I ended April with a list of intentions:
- Rewrite the chapter I’ve been avoiding.
- Submit at least one flash fiction piece.
- Edit my current WIP without spiraling. (Now this one’s tough, because it’s already with a beta reader, but I just can’t stop myself from looking at it again after reading some new Medium article on filler words, which naturally led to me writing my own take on filler words . . . and then tightening even more. Because clearly, I hadn’t done that enough in the last eight or nine rounds.🤦🏽♀️)
What I actually did:
- Cleaned my desk.
- Organized folders on my laptop. (And, of course, created a few more.)
- Sent out a few queries letters for my Virago novel. (Okay so this one was slightly productive.)
- Binged on the final season of You. (Because honestly, how can you resist Joe Goldberg and a perfectly curated murder monologue?)
In short, I brought all my creative avoidance into May like carryon baggage.
What May Day Has to Teach Us (Yes, Really)
If you’re a fellow research-obsessed writer, then maybe this tidbit will spark something too: May Day isn’t just a page flip—it’s history in motion.
Traditionally, May 1 has symbolized renewal, resistance, and reckoning.
The ancient Celts celebrated Beltane with fire festivals to welcome growth, fertility, and light—marking the sacred halfway point between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Flames were believed to purify, protect, and ignite the abundance to come.
That energy continues today in modern celebrations like the Edinburgh Beltane Fire Festival, which transforms Calton Hill into a spectacle of ritual, rhythm, and flame each year.
Enjoy this clip from this year’s event above—special thanks to Edinburgh Evening News and Daily Motion for capturing the glorious chaos so the rest of us can feel like we were there (but with fewer embers in our hair).
In the 19th century, May Day took on a new layer. It became International Workers’ Day, a time to acknowledge the value of hard work and the need for balance. People gathered to advocate for better hours and fair treatment, and while the details vary, the spirit was the same: enough is enough.
In other words, May 1 isn’t just about fresh starts. It’s about fighting for better terms. On the job, in your life, and, yes, even on the page.
So toss last month’s excuses into the fire and watch them smoke. Change doesn’t come with the calendar flip. It comes when we declare what matters.
And for writers? That often means burning through our old stories. Especially the ones we tell ourselves.
Writing Goals for May: The Real Talk Writers Need
There’s nothing wrong with using May to start fresh, but we can’t confuse treating a calendar flip like a personality transplant with actually doing the work.
Here’s the truth I sit with: You don’t need more time. You need more honesty.
Ask yourself: Am I avoiding writing, or am I just scared of doing it badly?
Am I revising, or am I endlessly tinkering to delay submission?
Am I “not in the mood,” or have I made writing too precious to touch?
When I paused to answer those myself, here’s what I found: I wasn’t “blocked.” I was afraid. Afraid that what I write this month won’t be better than last month. Afraid of rejection, again. Afraid I’ve run out of ways to say something new.
But I also remember first drafts always start with a lie: “This won’t be so bad.” And then it grows in discipline. And joy. And unexpected breakthroughs.
So here’s my actual plan—realistic writing goals for May that don’t require reinvention, just honesty and effort (burnout not included).
My Three Realistic Writing Goals for May
- Revisit the chapter I keep avoiding. Yes, the one that feels like narrative quicksand. No, I don’t need a new playlist or a special coffee blend to do it. I need to open the file and deal with it.
- Submit something that’s finished, not perfect. That one flash piece I edited six times? It’s going out. Someone else will get to decide if it’s “good enough.” Not me.
- Write one scene without judging myself. No backspace. No second-guessing. Just write what happens. Let the characters surprise me instead of micromanaging every move.
(Also: Use fewer “justs” and “surelys.” My manuscript currently reads like a drama queen in yoga pants. Kill your darlings is often said. Instead I say, kill those filler words. And maybe your weak loglines while you’re at it.)
Let May Be a Reckoning, Not a Rerun
If April was full of delay and distraction, you’re not alone. But May doesn’t have to be a rerun. It can be a reckoning—a chance to ask:
What story do I really want to tell this month?
What fear is stopping me from writing it?
What small win would support my writing goals for May right now?
You don’t need to overhaul your writing life. You just need to strike a match under your writing chair before it collects more dust—something that says this matters. Even if no one sees it but you.
Final Thoughts: Progress Beats Perfection
Writers often think in big arcs: finish the novel, get the agent, land the book deal. But our lives are built in pages, not plot twists.
So don’t aim for a perfect May. Aim for a meaningful one. One where you show up, even when it’s messy. One where your inner critic takes a nap for 20 minutes so your weirder, braver inner self can mumble something half-interesting.
And if all else fails? Remember this: The great novels weren’t written in one perfect month. They were built in fits, flukes, and fragments, while coffee went cold and doubt paced the room.
If you’re searching for ways to stay consistent this spring, consider setting some practical writing goals for May. Whether you’re attempting a monthly writing reset, working through a case of burnout recovery, or just figuring out how to finish your novel without losing your mind, know you’re not alone. These small, intentional shifts are often how we start overcoming writer’s block—quietly, awkwardly, and one stubborn paragraph at a time.
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What about you? What will you finish—or even just start—this May? Let’s hold each other accountable in the comments.
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