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Whatever project you are working on, it can be very challenging to get motivated to write.
There are so many rewards to writing, but we all have busy schedules that make it hard to sit down and write regularly.
On top of that, our inner critics can be just as destructive in killing our momentum to keep going.
Here are five ways to work through all that, and get yourself motivated to write.
1)Form a Community
While writing is a solitary activity, it is hard to stay motivated without having other eyes on your work.
Having at least one other person (ideally 2 or more) to share writing and give feedback will give you a sense of accountability.
When you form a community, you are not just writing for yourself anymore so there is more incentive to do it.
From a practical standpoint, having others read your work improves your writing. Oftentimes we are so immersed in our writing that we miss gaps that others can see.
An outsider can show us what is missing and give valuable feedback.
Before I met my writing group it was just me alone with my novel. I would spend several months just working on a scene.
My novel was stagnating and I had no real reason to move forward with it.
You may have to form a Virtual Community…
While it is great to have people you can share your writing with in person, that is not always possible. I personally do not have anyone in my circle of friends who is interested in writing in any serious capacity.
I came across my current writing group by taking a writing course on Coursera during the pandemic.
By taking the writing course I was able to find people as passionate about writing as I was. They were able to give valuable feedback.
I will note that finding a group is not always easy. I went through several groups before I found the one now.
Most people just posted a couple chapters and vanished. I believe the reason for this is that many people find it very hard to keep up the momentum to write. After the initial excitement of the idea wears off it is hard to be consistent.
Which brings me to my next tip to stay motivated….
2) Pick Reasonable Deadlines and stick with them
The easiest way to lose motivation to write is by not seeing any progress. We are wired to get a small rush of dopamine when we see progress in any area of our lives. If we do not see any progress in our writing, then we can experience the opposite emotion, ie. despair.
Not seeing progress in our writing is a sure fire way to want to give up.
Setting deadlines for yourself is very important. Many people are able to write regularly while taking classes with deadlines, but not on their own. This is because there is no outside force making us complete something.
Even if it is just one chapter/poem/short story, or article a month, commit to finishing it, then move on to something else.
Your work does not have to be perfect at first. You can always return to it later. Perfectionism can drastically slow you down in the beginning processes of writing.
3) Pick a Reasonable Schedule and Stick to it:
The easiest way to lose motivation to write, is to go a long time without making it a priority. You cannot simply rely on the thralls inspiration to keep you writing.
It is important to pick a reasonable schedule to sit down and write, and stick to it. A daily planner is extremely helpful in designing a schedule that works for you.
Everyone’s situation is different. Take your own life into consideration when planning your schedule, rather than just doing what works for others.
For instance, some people have more time in the evening, some more in the morning. If you realistically can only carve out three days a week to write, then do that. Just stick religiously to those three days!
Having non realistic expectations will kill motivation. You can always write more if you feel inspired, or time suddenly pops up.
I used to try to write for five hours straight every morning, and then beat myself up for coming up short. Now I commit to writing an hour or two in the morning.
If I am able to write longer, that’s great, but I don’t beat myself up about it. It’s better to keep writing regularly than to burn out and give up.
4) Don’t Expect to be Inspired at Every Writing Session
You will be very discouraged and lose motivation if you expect to channel the Gods every time you sit down to write.
Moments of inspiration will come, but writing is more about consistency than anything else.
Do not come into your session with grandiose expectations. Simply stick to your deadlines and schedules and let that be enough.
5) Stop Worrying that your Writing is not Good Enough.
One sure way to lose motivation to write is to feel like our writing is not good enough.
We are often our own worst critics when it comes to our own writing. Many people never even start writing because they think they are bad at it.
Remember the only way to improve is through practice. If you keep writing consistently, your writing will improve over time.
If you read the earlier works of many talented writers, you’ll see that their first books are not nearly as well written as their newer ones. This is because they did not have as much practice when writing their first works.
Learn to ignore your inner critic when writing. Simply acknowledge that it is there, and keep going. Eventually it will lose energy, and you can focus on what’s really important: sitting down to write!
Need some Guidance in your journey….
I am a lifecoach specializing in life purpose and goal setting.
Because I believe everyone’s needs and goals are different I offer as little or as many sessions as needed.
For a free 15 minute consultation email me at aglassofcheri@gmail.com