How To Actually Get Writing Done
β Iβve seen so many posts on how to feel productive, but not too many on how to actually be productive. I do firmly believe in the power of mindset but that only does so much if youβre not actually going to sit down and get to work. I hope this is helpful to those who need it right now, whether youβre facing the end-of-the-year deadline or youβre trying to finish an essay before Christmas break is over or if youβre just trying to get out of a writing rut. This, as always, is my advice derived from personal experience and it may not work for everyone, but if this can so much as point you in the right direction, it has served its purpose.
Get Your Priorities Straight
Do you really want to spend this time writing? Or do you need to get that essay done? Is the laundry piling up in your closet, forming into the shape of a demon thatβs going to scare the crap out of you tonight? If there is one thing I can pass onto you as advice, itβs to write with a clear mind. Iβm not saying that you canβt write if you have other responsibilities, but writing to escape the million other things you know you need to do is not going to make that weight leave your shoulders and isnβt going to allow you to create good content either. it is much easier to be creative when the boring chores of reality arenβt nudging at your brain whenever you get stuck on a word that sounds wrong.
Eliminate All Distractions
Social media is not the only distraction there is thatβs keeping you from writing. If you need to get stuff done, realize that maybe it isnβt wise to have two friends over toΒ βstudyβ. Be honest with yourself when the situation is starting to get critical. Do not set yourself up to fail by turning Netflix on in the background becauseΒ βthe noise just makes me feel more comfortable when Iβm aloneβ. Thatβs what ASMR is for. Donβt make excuses for the fact that creating distractions is a form of procrastination.
Your brain is going to tell youΒ βJust one more YouTube videoβ orΒ βJust a 30 minute power napβ orΒ βIβll have more time to write tomorrow anywayβ. Ignore that voice. Recognize that that, forgive me if I offend you, is BS. You cannot have faith in the convenience of the future if you want to be a successful writer. If you constantly depend on the cozy belief that you will feel it tomorrow or that you donβt have anything going on tomorrow so you can spend today doing whatever and shove it all on future you, you are going to get slapped hard by reality a lot sooner than you think. Train your mind to hear that voice and respond withΒ βno, there is a good to fair chance that something unexpected is going to pop up tomorrow and that right now is the only time Iβll get to get this done, so Iβm going to power through and do it nowβ because it is much better to have it done early than be worrying about it later on.
Write What Youβre Excited About First
So, itβs common sense that youβll be more motivated to start writing when youβre excited about what youβre writing, so start with that. This is one of the oldest pieces of advice in the book, but itβs popular for a reason. If you need to, start at the end or the middle or a scene youβve been thinking about a lot recently or whatever. Even if you go back and edit one of your past scenes to throw yourself back into your own story, itβs ok. Itβs allowed. Do what you need to do to get into it.
I promise you that writing is more fun and exciting and a lot easier than you think when you just do it. Even if you know that what is coming out of your pen is garbage, just enjoy it. Fool yourself into thinking itβs the best art there has ever been and sometime into the writing session it will become such. If you tell yourself what youβre writing is golden, it will become golden. Confidence is pretty much everything when it comes to writing, because the confidence shows in the final product at the end of the day. Just remember, like everything else in life, you just have to fake it until you make it.
Youβre not going to get 10,000 words written and edited and ready for publishing in one day. Youβre not going to wake up tomorrow any more motivated than you are right now. You arenβt going to suddenly feel ready to write your entire book if you spend an hour scrolling through inspirational quotes on Tumblr. You are never going to be more ready to write than you are now, so stop making excuses and procrastinating and read this as a sign:Β start now. Donβt second guess it, donβt spend time making your surroundings perfect and outlining the chapter ad nauseam. Just write. Right now.
Request A Writing Help Post/Themed Playlist/Writing Tips!
Send Me Poetry To Feature On Our Instagram!
Receive Updates & Participate In Polls On Our Twitter!
Like us and share on Facebook!
Read More On Our Masterlist & See our Frequently Asked Questions!
Tag What You Want Me To See With #wordsnstuff !
