author, creative writing, writing

Writers: How to Stay Motivated

M.L. Davis

Good morning writers, I hope you’ve had a great week.

My week has been quite a drag and full of ups and downs. Good days and bad days. It got me thinking about how to stay motivated, how do you keep writing when life is busy and complicated and you are tired and stressed.

It can be really hard to stick to your story, especially as it can feel like it’s taking a lifetime to finish your drafts and edits. So, I thought I’d share some of the ways I keep myself motivated, in the hope it will help other writers when they’re struggling.

1. Look back on how far you’ve come
Writing is a long process that requires a great deal of patience and dedication. When you feel unmotivated take some time to look back at how far you’ve already come. You can do this by re-reading what you’ve already written and praising yourself for the word count you’ve already achieved. You could also read some of your really old work to realise how much your writing has improved. Whichever way you choose to look back, make sure you be kind to yourself and be proud of yourself. It’ll give you that burst of encouragement needed to carry on writing.
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2. Write a little every day
It is so easy to break the writing habit. If you sense yourself becoming demotivated try and make sure you write a little every day, so that you keep your writing habit alive. It doesn’t have to be much, even a sentence or two is enough to keep your head in your story. I have given some tips and advice before on how to fit writing into your life even when you’re busy, so you can always find a moment to get something down.
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3. Read a book
Reading makes you a better writer. That is a fact. One thing I find is that when you read a really great book it inspires you to get back to your own novel writing. There is something about enjoying a story, being in awe of words that gives you a push to tell your own tales and form your own sentences. Reading a great book also gives you some down time from writing, to enjoy yourself and relax, leaving you refreshed and ready to pick up a pen.
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4. Join the writer’s community
When I hit my biggest ever writing slump I had to come back to writing after more than a year away from my novel. The biggest factor for me was the writing community, specifically the one on here and on instgram. Surrounding myself with others in my shoes, unpublished writers facing this long and difficult journey, helped me to feel less alone. I realised we all go through the same and that together we can support and encourage each other. You could join a local writing group, if you prefer face to face interactions, of join us online for tips, advice and shared experiences.
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How do you keep yourself motivated? I would love to hear any of your tips so do comment below or contact me for a chat.

Until then,
Stay motivated,
M
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Published by M.L. Davis

Writer and novelist. Lit grad.

41 thoughts on “Writers: How to Stay Motivated”

  1. Thank you for all the writing advice. Do you have any regarding working on a non-fiction/memoir/humor piece? I keep trying to psyche myself up to “just keep writing,” but get a bit turned off when I approach its tangled-Christmas-light mess.

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  4. I do most of these nowadays (easy since I’m unemployed at the moment) but when I do work, I write a little daily, read, take things a bit at a time. My muses will not let me rest too long. 🙂

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  5. Pingback: Writers: How to Stay Motivated | Ann Writes Inspiration

  8. I didn’t write for so long that I got rusty. It’s been difficult emotionally because I used to be better. I’m still getting back into the swing of things. I’m considering taking a writing class to gain some confidence back.

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    1. Hello, thank you for stopping by. It can be really hard to get back to it after long while. I too had a long break a while back. A writing class sounds good, you’ll get to interact with like mined people! Best of luck with it and do drop by to let me know how you get on. ❤

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  12. I can never make up my mind which I am more enthusiastic about, my own writing or knowing other folk have been inspired to take up the challenge/inspired to keep on keeping on.
    This fine post must be reblogged.

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  15. These are great tips! Until I started my blog and learned the ways of WordPress, I had no idea how great it could feel to be in a community of other writers. I was pretty much writing in isolation before that, so it’s so refreshing to get inspiration from other writers and blogs (like yours!)

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  18. I allocate a set time of day for reading and writing. I find that anytime before 11 is usually best for me because it is when my mind is at its most active. If you can get in a routine with it, it usually helps.

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  19. #2 & #4 are probably my big ones.
    One thing that really helped me was finding a writer’s group that was focused on “writing” during the meetings. We would sit in a circle and just “write” for that time (usually in 10-15 minute sprints). It was great. And because we were together, there was a real sense of “group/communal conventions”, like “I came here to write, and they are here to write, so doing anything else would be a bit rude.”
    And there was an immediacy to it. Write a short little piece, very rough, and then share it. We didn’t try to critique, only offer some honest thoughts on what we liked or how we felt about it.
    Granted, there is also a place for the stern taskmaster and the sharp critique, but sometimes it’s good to let go of all that and just let the words flow, if only for a few minutes.

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