How To Stay Motivated On Your Writing
Whether you’re writing a novel, a poem, a short story, or the writing project equivalent to the Sistine Chapel you need to get AND stay motivated to write.
Writing isn’t always easy. It takes a lot of hard work and self discipline to do. And at the end of the day, just like 99.9% of everything else in life, you cant rely on anyone but yourself to get it done.
1. Hold Yourself Accountable.
No one else is going to write for you. No one else is going to take YOUR dreams as seriously as you do. Don’t give yourself premission to fail and not get your s*** done. YOU and only YOU are going to accomplish this. You are in control. There’s no excuse. Yes, life gets to be a pain the a** sometimes but there is a whole 24 hours in a day. AT LEAST half an hour of those can go toward your writing. Trust me, I know all about life getting in the way. I am a 33 week old pregnate person and I still am holding only myself accountable for what I do and how I spend my time. Motivation doesn’t write for you, YOU write because you are a writer.
If you tell yourself everyday that you’re going to write and actually do it everyday eventually you will make habit of it. Once it becomes a habit you will feel weird and incomplete not writing. Isn’t that the point? You want to write everyday because even if what you write needs A LOT of editing you can fix it later. And if you write everyday your skill level becomes better. Writing everyday will also ensure that you are always progressing. Who cares if you wrote ten pages of bull****? You can edit and rewrite that. You cannot edit a blank page. Making writing a habit everyday only makes you better and all you have to do is … Wait for it…. WRITE EVERYDAY. Even if it is only for thirty minutes. Get it done.
3. Set Daily Goals For Yourself AND Reward Yourself for Getting Them Done.
By setting daily goals you will know that you are on the right path to accomplish what you are trying to do.
Trying to write a book? It will not happen overnight so you have to set goals. Trying to write that short story? Set goals to get it written. Trying to gain a bigger reader audience? Set goals. The list goes on.
Anything is possible when you set reasonable daily goals for yourself.
And be sure to reward yourself when you accomplish a goal!
Did you write that chapter like you wanted to? Did you write that poem or short story like you wanted to? Reward yourself with something you like like a movie, a snack, or even a break.
Your brain will associate being productive with feeling good and that in itself is motivation to continue. Plus, you’ll feel good just knowing you accomplished a goal.
I don’t want to hear about the sob stories about “commitment issues.” You wanted to be a writer SO BE ONE. Commit to writing and accomplish your dreams! Tomorrow is not guarranteed to anyone. Do you want to look back on your life and think: I could’ve written that but it’s too late now.
It is one thing to have a hundred unfinished writing projects. Thats okay. Giving up and not writing is a completely different thing.
Don’t be a quitter, be a winner.
You’re life could be a lot harder than this problem of not being motivated to write.
There are people in this world who don’t even know how to read let alone write and the fact that you know how to spell your name is a luxury some people will never know.
That alone should motivate you to write.
The fact that you can and will not because you would rather binge watch Breaking Bad is literally a smack in the face to people who would chew off their own leg to be able to know how to write.
I don’t say this to make you donate 25 cents to that commercial you saw. I say this because it’s real.
*No offense to Breaking Bad– I love the show like I love oxygen.*
Quit being so mean to yourself! Now! Stop It!
Quit telling yourself you’re a sh**** writer. Quit telling yourself you won’t succeed.
Like I said before, YOU control your writing. Need to get better at something? Learn. It is as simple as that.
You also cannot compare yourself to other writers.
You are your own writer. Don’t be discouraged because you think you don’t “fit in” or something. Originality is not being like everyone else. Originality comes from being YOU.
7. Amp Yourself Up To Write!
Writing is a kickass thing! Pump yourself up to do it.
You know how those big brawly hockey players hype themselves up before a game to boost their performance?
Pretend to be one of those gladiators!
Listen to music that gets you pumped up and jam out to it like nobody’s watching.
(My top three lately have been Bodak Yellow by Cardi B, Under the Influence by Eminem, and Survivor by Destiny’s Child. Judge me.)
Read success stories to pump yourself up.
You can even start keeping a notebook of positive reviews and comments on your writing to look back through to amp yourself up. Trust me, this works because I have been doing it since I was fifteen years old.
If you have to drink thirty energy drinks to pump yourself up. (I am kidding, don’t do that.)
So there you have it folks, motivation is only part of the writing process–motivation really comes from self discipline. So listen to my advice and get out there and write!
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*bobbing head to Survivor by Destiny’s Child as if I am Sasha Fierce* Don’t mind me, we have established I have a few screws loose. 😙
