Hello, Writers!

You know you should be writing, and you intend on writing, but you can’t seem to get your butt in the chair and actually write. If you can identify with that statement, then this blog post is for you.

Thanks to the rise of modern technology and we’re living in an instant gratification world. This instant gratification encourages us to allow this habit to flow into other areas of our lives. As writers, this leads us to fall into the trap of writing when you feel inspired and to put it off until next time in those times when you don’t feel like it.

So, how do you get motivated to write a novel or continue writing a novel?

In this episode, I’m going to share with you one quick strategy on how to get motived to write a novel. But, why one strategy? The key to starting and continuing on that trajectory is to start SMALL and build up as you become consistent.

Tip #1: Focus on the simple act of writing every day

The reason why you’re not feeling motivated is you’ve lost track of what is really important. The most important part of publishing your first book is the simple act of writing every day. When you take your eyes of this simple goal, you start to notice the long list of things you need to do before you hit publish. As a result, a feeling of overwhelm will take residence.

As overwhelm starts to grow you lose sight of the present and focus on something crazy, like writing the perfect draft. This notion of perfection often drives you to do story research, or writing craft research or even to stop writing altogether. It’s important to note, that story research and learning the craft of writing is important but, it shouldn’t be done at the expense of finishing the first draft.

Actionable Step

So, what do you do when you’re in these moments? Take your eyes of the large goal of finishing your first draft or publishing your first book. This advice does sound counter-intuitive but, hear me out for a second. Instead of focusing on writing the first draft or even writing 3,000 by the end of the day, focus on developing the habit of writing every day. This is what matters most. It’s this habit that will serve you in the future.

Tip #2: Chunk down your goal

The easiest way to develop a daily writing habit is to chunk down your goal. What do I mean by chunking down a goal? Instead of focusing on publishing your first book, focus on something smaller and more achievable. This may mean chunking your goal down beyond a daily word count to simply writing for 10 minutes or 50 words. The reason why I say to break down your goal to this level is writing for 10 minutes is easier than writing 3,000 words or attempting to catch up on your word count. Essentially, you need to trick yourself back into writing.

Often, the hardest part of developing a daily writing habit is getting started.

And, I know you’ve realised this. It’s why you’re reading and watching the video posted above. But, once you’re in the chair and have committed to 10 minutes of writing, you’ll find it’s easier to keep going. As a result of getting started, you may end up writing for 60 minutes or writing 1,000 words instead of 50. You just need to do whatever it takes to get yourself in the chair and actually writing. This is the real secret on how to get motivated to write a novel; lowering your expectations. Once, you develop the habit of getting started and being consistent, that’s when you change your goal and focus on productivity.

You’re not alone in feeling unmotivated

If developing a daily writing habit is something you’ve been struggling with then I want you to know you’re not alone. It’s perfectly normal, and I get it. Every writer has been where you are right now. The difference is, the more seasoned or experienced writers know to push through the feelings of resistance and write. I too have struggled with developing a daily writing habit. There have been seasons in my life where I’ve written as little as 5,000 words in a quarter of a year.

What actionable step are you going to take, today to get motivated to write a novel? How are you going to develop a daily writing habit? I want to hear from you. Let me know by sharing your thoughts in the comments section below.

Your coach,

Amelia xx