As a writer, you know how satisfying to have a flash of creative inspiration and feel that you just can’t type the words fast enough. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen every day. The reality is that you’re going to have days when you don’t feel motivated to write at all. Learning to stay motivated is a valuable skill for any writer to learn. After all, if you waited around to feel 100% motivated before you write anything then your book may never get written. So let’s look at what you can do to stay inspired to write.
Know why you are writing
If you are not feeling motivated to write it could be that you don’t have a clear idea why you are writing. Having a reason for writing will help you stick to your routine and put in the hard work even when you aren’t feeling it. Take a moment to think of why you want this book: is it because you want to make a living as a writer? Do you want to hold your book in your hands? Only you can answer the question of ‘why’ you write and only you need to know the answer.
Know your road-blocks
Are there certain distractions that consistently railroad your writing progress and cause you to lose momentum? How can you eliminate or at least reduce these roadblocks? I know myself I find it difficult to get into the zone on Mondays. I try and start with the easiest piece of work and build up into the day from there. Know what holds you back and you can focus on finding solutions.
Track your progress
Tracking your writing is vital to ensuring that you are making progress and keeping yourself motivated to continue. Whether you track your progress by your word count, hours spent at your desk, milestones or daily streaks, research shows that people that track their progress are more likely to achieve their goals.
Share your journey
It can feel very lonely putting in the long hours of writing at your desk. Don’t be afraid to reach out to others for support. Cultivate a network of writer friends (online or off) that can relate to where you are in your writing. Team up with another writer to discuss goals and keep each other accountable. Need more? Consider enlisting the help of a mentor or writing coach to keep you on track.
Finally, enjoy writing
Something enticed you to begin writing. Return to that when you are feeling down about your progress. Not every writing session will be a flow of creative inspiration, sometimes it’s just sheer hard work. Re-read your favorite books and remind yourself what it is like to get lost in a good story. What makes these stories work? How can you capture some of that magic yourself? Put down your work-in-progress and try some free writing. Bring the joy back into your work by loosening up and allowing yourself some time for creative play.
