Writing can be one of the most rewarding experiences in the world. With the ability to educate and inspire, sell and ponder, and take you and readers to new and exciting places, it’s magical, but can also be extremely challenging, especially when you lose motivation.
Decide on Your Goal
With this in mind, you don’t need to sit and beat yourself up over the lack of drive you may be feeling. Instead, you can use any of the six powerful methods below to reignite your spark, get your motivation back, and feel inspired to put words on paper.
1: Just Start Writing
Okay, this isn’t as daunting as it may first seem, and obviously easier said than done. However, if you lack motivation, grab a piece of paper or open a blank word document and start writing. It can be about anything, even along the lines of “I don’t know what to write”.
Let your brain open and go with the flow. Write down everything and anything, even if it’s only in a bullet point form. Once you’ve got through the floodgates, writing can become so much easier.
2: Don't Forget Editing
While writing, it’s easy to believe your writing isn’t going to be good enough, and it can be quick to lose heart and not feel inspired to write. However, nobody churns out a bestseller or a viral blog on the first write-through, and every piece of writing needs editing.
This is why it’s important to storm through your first draft as quickly as possible, even if you think it’s rubbish. You can turn a foundation piece into something great later, but you need something to start working with.
3: Change Your Environment
If you’re sat in a place you always work in, but it seems to be too busy and chaotic, and you can’t seem to focus, it can make a huge difference to switch things up. Whether you’re moving to a new place, a new café, or a new room, mix things up to get a fresh mindset and a fresh perspective.
Even making small changes to your current environment, such as getting a house plant, changing the levels of the lighting, or listening to soft, ambient music can make a world of difference.
4: Commit Yourself
One of the biggest problems writers will have is that fact they work on their own time, which means it’s easy to fall out of routine and habit. Some days you may work lots of hours, other days none.
“This is why it’s important to set yourself a writer’s schedule. With set working hours you’re committed too, you’ll be able to learn the habit of focusing, and your brain will be trained to work during certain hours. Once you get going, this process becomes much simpler and easier.” Explains Scarlet Hamilton, a writer for Brit Student and Australia2Write.
You can also set a daily word count writing goal, and make sure you commit to it to ensure you succeed.
5: Give Yourself a Reason to Write
Why did you stay writing in the first place? Are you trying to inspire people with blog posts, or entertain them with your books? The chances are you’ve got some content online somewhere, and probably some nice comments that helped you feel inspired and motivated and acted as a reminder you were on the right path in your life.
When you’re feeling a little lost, take yourself back to these comments or reviews and remind yourself how you felt. You never know, you may feel inspired to write something new!
6: Exercise!
Perhaps not a point you wanted to hear, but we cannot overstate the importance that exercise can have on the brain and the body. With the blood pumping around your body and a clear mind, you can sit back down and ready to write with a fresh mindset and a willingness to commit.
“Whether this means going for a run, taking a quick walk, doing a yoga session at home, going to the gym, or just meditating for several minutes, this can be one of the most effective solutions” shares Daisy Taylor, a blogger for WriteMYX and Next Coursework.
Summary
As you can see, there are plenty of approaches you can take when it comes to re-engaging yourself when it comes to writing, and it’s perhaps just a matter of trying them out and seeing what works for you. Good luck with your writing endeavours!
Author bio:
Katrina Hatchett, a writer at Academic Brits and writer for Origin Writings, and a WIP novelist. She loves nothing more than creating new characters and worlds and helping other writers realise their full potential. You can find her articles at PhD Kingdom blog.
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