Have you been staring at an empty page? Is the flashing cursor on your word document mocking you?
There are tons of things you can do to get started and keep yourself motivated. Try these 7 tips and see what works for you!
1. Schedule writing time
Treat writing like a job because, well, it kinda is. Even if you aren’t a full-time writer, it’s still a part time job or side hustle, at least if you want to make money.
Sure, writing can just be a hobby just for fun of course, but even then, if you find yourself staring at a blank page it can be helpful to schedule a few hours of writing time.
Doing so helps because it holds you accountable. You can make sure it’s a time when you won’t be distracted by family or responsibilities. You can turn off your phone and just focus on writing.
Start small by scheduling a couple hours a week, maybe Friday morning from 11 to 1 is your writing time. Then you can increase the time spent from just a few hours to maybe full time hours. Find what works for you.
2. Start off each morning journaling or with a prompt
This is a great way to get the juices flowing. By allowing yourself to just write whatever you feel like you open yourself up to new ideas and get out some of the junk.
Prompt writing is great because you might surprise yourself with what you come up with and how creative you are.
Journaling is awesome because you are able to get out all those thoughts that are just jumbled up in your head onto paper. The best part about journaling is no one ever has to read it, it’s just between you and the page.
3. Give yourself goals
The goals will vary by what you are trying to accomplish and how much time you have. Many writers like to do a word count or pages goal. You can give yourself daily, weekly, or monthly goals depending on your schedule.
Don’t give yourself huge goals, make sure they are achievable. You may be tempted to give yourself high goals so that you finish a piece quicker, but you are actually setting yourself up to fail.
If you give yourself a goal of 5000 words a day, there is a good chance you are going to miss that goal pretty often. Now if you do 5000 words a week, that is more achievable. It might not seem like a lot compared to other goals, but once you start to reach it consistently then you can add a little extra.
Also don’t be afraid to reward yourself for achieving your goals! Just like a boss might reward their employees when they reach their goals, you are your own boss so don’t be shy in rewarding yourself! It could be buying yourself something nice or even giving yourself an extra day off from writing to relax.
4. Read
The best writers are also readers. You can read anything you want, it doesn’t have to be similar to what you write about.
Pick up a fiction book and get lost in another world. Look up a few articles on topics that you’re curious about. Grab one of the non-fiction books that have been sitting on your bookshelf collecting dust.
Reading can not only help to inspire you, but it also helps you to become a better writer. You can learn new techniques other writers use, discover new words, see how different writers have different voices and so much more.
When you can’t find something to write, find something to read.
5. Take a break every hour
This will help your brain to recharge. Writing is mentally taxing, so we need to make sure that we give ourselves multiple breaks throughout the day.
They don’t have to be long breaks, just 5 or 10 minutes where you get up and stretch, check your phone, grab a snack, or walk the dog.
If you are writing all day much sure to take a lunch break. It’s okay to even take a full hour for lunch like you would at an office job. Eat something healthy and tasty or even run out to have lunch at a café.
6. Get out of the house
If you find yourself staring at your screen with nothing coming out, it might be time to get out of the house.
This can work in a couple different ways.
First, you can take your computer or your notebook and go somewhere else to write. Maybe a coffee shop, a park, or a library. Just being in a different environment can help to get the words flowing.
Another way to do this is to just get out without stressing about writing. Take a walk, lay out on the beach, go for a hike, invite a friend out for lunch; the possibilities are endless. The idea is to just get out and let your mind be inspired by something new.
Bonus points if the place you go is out in nature. There is something about being in nature that has a way of inspiring and refreshing our minds.
7. Surround yourself with other writers
Writing can be a lonely job, it’s just you and the page many days. That’s why it’s important to find a writing community.
Doing so keeps you encouraged, helps you to feel understood and holds you accountable.
Many of these tips I’ve shared with you have come from writing friends of mine. One of the best tips I hear again and again from successful writers is to find other writers to hold you accountable.
There are many ways to do this. You can join a writing group such as a read and critique group or a prompt writing group. Some groups even just get together and write in silence for an hour just so you aren’t working alone and each person gets in at least an hour of writing.
You can take writing classes. By doing so you’ll learn valuable skills, many times by accomplished authors and writers. Writing is one of those skills that it really helps to learn from someone who has already done it and understands the struggles.
You can even network on writing sites such as Medium and WordPress. The awesome thing with these is you can meet writers and bloggers from all over the world.
It doesn’t matter how you do it, but it is important that you do it.
You are not alone on your writing journey.