Hi all! Rebecca Sullivan, author of Night Owls and Summer Skies (out June 30 from Wattpad Books) here with a guest post on staying motivated as a writer. Welcome, Rebecca! --Shreya Getting Over Writer’s Block, Some Tips to Keep MotivatedI get asked all the time, how do I get motivation to write? Here’s what works for me and what may work for you.
1. Write Every Day or Create a Steady Routine That Works for You The hardest part of writing is sitting down and starting. One trick that has worked for me is making writing a part of my routine. The more you use that writing muscle, the easier it will be to find that creative space inside your head. The biggest challenge is that sudden surge of inspiration to write an entire novel one day and the next being disappointed that you’re not writing as quickly as you would like. Any progress is progress. Once you’ve set aside time for yourself, make a realistic goal. Maybe one day you can spend one-hour writing, so aim accordingly. Another day you might have fifteen minutes. It’s important to not compare your progress one day to the next. 2. Write First. Edit later. This is a mistake I’ve made a few times but I’m learning! Editing and writing uses different parts of your brain. If you’re constantly swapping between these modes, you will run out of steam and creative juices. At least, that’s what happens to me. Finish the draft, enjoy the process, try and ignore that editor’s voices in the back of your head until the words are on paper and then tackle the beast all you want. 3. Get Rid of Distractions Now this comes back to formulating a routine that works for you. Do you need some background noise like music when you write? Do you enjoy a cup of tea or like to snack on something while you write? Get those things ready before you sit down and begin to write. There’s nothing worse than when you’re writing something that’s going exactly the way you want and then you notice the painful silence or the rumbling of your stomach. It’s a distraction and distractions can be avoided. Now we all heard this advice before, but it works, I promise. Turn your phone on silent and turn it upside-down. Set an alarm and only look at your phone when the alarm goes off. What works for me is, half an hour writing, five-minute phone time, half an hour writing. Do what works for you! 4. Breaks Are Important I know I mentioned creating a routine, getting rid of distractions, and the hardest part of writing is sitting down and beginning, but sometimes, writer’s block can hold us hostage or we’re not in the proper headspace to produce anything on paper. That’s okay! There is absolutely no shame in taking a break from your book and the world you created for a few days. Sometimes a break can jump start your ideas and passion for your project. What if you take a break and still can’t get back into the story? Sometimes, a writer’s block can be because of your routine too. Change the font on your computer or the page colours or the environment you picked to write. Sure, routines are great, but that’s no reason not to have fun too. 5. Your System Everyone is different. Play around with different ways to help motivate yourself and if something doesn’t work for you? Move onto something new.
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The BaronessHey, I'm Shreya! I love to read, write, travel, and drink tea. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of bookshop.org and I will earn a small commission if you click the above link and make a purchase.
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