Maybe you know people who want to write a book, or maybe you want to write a book yourself. Maybe you want to become a blogger or something else related to writing. But what prevents most people from writing the book they always wanted to or from becoming successful bloggers? The problem is that they do not know how to stick with writing.
It is always fun and exciting when you start something new, such as writing a book or creating a blog. However, it can become really hard to pull it through until you finish a book or establish yourself in the blogging world. There will be times you will be tired, discouraged, and unmotivated.
Most people cannot realize how hard it may get at the time they start their journey. They figure this out along the way. For most people, it is hard to proceed and find solutions that work for them. They choose the easy way which is to give up. Giving up on writing is easy while sticking with it is hard.
Read also: 5 Reasons to Show You Why Writing is More Than Words
Table of Contents
- How to Stick With Writing
- 1. Remember Why You Started And That You Already Started
- 2. To Stick With Writing, Plan It, Set Milestones, and Generate Ideas
- 3. Sit and Write Just For 10 Minutes
- 4. Write Even Though You Know Your Writing Is Not Your Best. Do Not Be a Perfectionist.
- 5. When You Complete a Milestone Mark it as Completed
- 6. Think of What Will Happen if You Do Not Finish Your Book, Publish Your Post, etc.
- 7. Think of What will Happen if You Finish Your Book, Publish Your Post, etc.
- 8. Write Even If You Do Not Know What Will Happen. Have Faith In The Process And Just Let It Happen.
- 9. To Stick With Writing, Try Not To Stay Away From It For Long Periods
- 10. Do Not Allow Distractions
- 11. To Stick With Writing Do Not Take Criticism or Bad Feedback Personally
- 12. To Stick With Writing, Writing Itself is Important
- 13. You Will Be Discouraged But Have to Continue Anyway
- 14. To Stick With Writing, Remember There Is No Failure Other Than Giving up
- 15. Allow Yourself to Take Breaks from Writing
- 16. Writing is Fun But is Also Work.
- Final Thoughts on How to Stick With Writing When You Don’t Feel Like it
How to Stick With Writing
1. Remember Why You Started And That You Already Started
To start writing a book or creating a new blog is the first and most scary step of the process. Just be aware of the fact you have already made this step. Be proud of yourself for having found the courage to take this step and for the progress you have made.
What have you done so far is more of what people who only dream about it will ever do. You are ready to take more steps on your path and any of these extra steps means you are making progress.
To remember the reason that made you start will help you stick with writing since it can push you forward all these times you feel less motivated.
Read also: 6 Most Important Steps to Self Editing Your Blog Posts
2. To Stick With Writing, Plan It, Set Milestones, and Generate Ideas
Set a deadline and create a plan for how much writing must take place to meet this deadline. If you are writing a book, think of your plot, write questions about your characters and answer them, make research on what you do not know.
In case you are a blogger, generate blog post ideas, make keyword research, and plan your writing hours to meet your next publishing date.
None of the ideas shared in this paragraph involves writing itself, but when applied, they can help your writing flow much easier.
3. Sit and Write Just For 10 Minutes
These days when you don’t feel like writing, just sit and say that you will spend 10 minutes with your writing. If you are writing a book, read the last 2 paragraphs or the last page you wrote. Start writing the first thing that comes to your mind that might come next to these last words you had written.
Chances are you will want to continue writing for a bit more. Even if it feels like what you write is crap, who cares? You can make it better later on. What matters the most is that you beat the feeling of not wanting to write. You might not meet your 2000 words per day goal these days, but even 100-200 words are better than 0.
If you are a blogger, just write a few thoughts about the post idea you want to create. It could be your main outline. Elaborate a bit more. It might not become a perfect blog post, but it could be a good draft on which you can work a bit more later on.
Read also: 12 Useful Tips to Empower Your Writing Skills
4. Write Even Though You Know Your Writing Is Not Your Best. Do Not Be a Perfectionist.
Once having written enough, every writer can understand whether the writing he produces is good or bad the moment he writes it. However, it does not always matter. To stick with writing means you accept that your writing will hardly ever be perfect.
As it is said, there is no such thing as good writing, just good rewriting. Do not wait until you write the perfect sentence to proceed with your story or your post. The perfect sentence might never be created. But to create something, even though it might not be that good, is much better than creating nothing. You can always improve it later on.
5. When You Complete a Milestone Mark it as Completed
A milestone could be something different for everyone. It could be writing 1000 words per day for your book or completing 30000 words within a month. Another milestone could be writing a blog post per day or a blog post per week. It could even be to publish 4 blog posts per month.
Whatever the milestone you set is, just put it on a calendar and mark it as completed when you make it. It provides a sense of satisfaction that motivates you to complete your next milestone.
Read also: How Does Freewriting Help to Writer’s Block
6. Think of What Will Happen if You Do Not Finish Your Book, Publish Your Post, etc.
Just think about it. What will happen if you do not make it? Nothing will happen. Probably nobody really cares if you never finish your book or publish your next blog post. The only person who is truly affected by this is you. Won’t you feel you let yourself down if you do not pull through what you wanted to in the first place?
Writing a book and owning a blog are both personal targets. It is something we decide to do for ourselves and only.
7. Think of What will Happen if You Finish Your Book, Publish Your Post, etc.
Imagine you hold your book in your hands. How does that feel? Isn’t it a great satisfaction?
If you do finish this book, it does not mean that you will become a best-selling author, but having finished a book is more likely to become a best-selling author than not having ever finished it.
If you publish one blog post per week in a year’s time, you will have published 52 blog posts. In two years, 104 and so on. To build a blog and gain traffic means to publish consistently new posts.
Being present when your audience is expecting you to publish is the most important thing in blogging. To build a successful blog takes time and effort and yet it might never happen, but it also might.
Read also: 6 Great Tips to Use Storytelling in Blog Posts
8. Write Even If You Do Not Know What Will Happen. Have Faith In The Process And Just Let It Happen.
This one mostly is valid when writing a book. What I have noticed while writing is that sometimes I sit and start writing while I do not know what is going to happen next. I have taken some time to know my heroes and understand how they feel and what they fight for and once they are placed somewhere, they act and they react in a way that surprises me.
It is amazing how they turn from fictional characters to real people with their own thoughts, emotions, and needs. But to allow your heroes to become real, you must have faith in the writing process and let the story happen in front of your eyes.
9. To Stick With Writing, Try Not To Stay Away From It For Long Periods
Although taking breaks can be beneficial, staying away from writing for too long can detach you from your story and your writing style. If you stay away from your story for too long, you must devote time to remember where you left it, remember where your heroes were on their personal journey and where were you as a writer.
Read also: Tips That Will Help You Get a Good Writing Flow
10. Do Not Allow Distractions
When you write and devote yourself to it, writing can flow. However, where there are constant interruptions, eg. phone calls, people coming to talk to you, noises that distract you, writing can become difficult and have a sense of discontinuity.
To allow me to get concentrated and away from distractions, I keep my phone in silent mode in another room and listen to instrumental music which covers all other noise I do not wish to hear while writing.
11. To Stick With Writing Do Not Take Criticism or Bad Feedback Personally
No matter how good or how bad you are, chances are that there will be people who will not like your writing or you personally. Even Shakespeare and Homer were hated by some people. Thank god they did not take it personally and stop writing.
What I mean to say is that it is most possible that you will get rough reviews and negative feedback. But being bad at something and making mistakes always means that you are doing something. There is one person who never does something bad, and that is the one who does nothing. Validate that feedback and use it to your benefit to become better.
Read also: Introduction to Creative Writing – Benefits of Writing?
12. To Stick With Writing, Writing Itself is Important
To stick with writing, just write, write more and more. Writing as a process can become addictive. Once you make writing a habit, you will be eager for your time planned for writing. It will become one of your needs. To stick with writing, just keep on writing.
13. You Will Be Discouraged But Have to Continue Anyway
Chances are that like all the lonely journeys of this life, there will be a point when you will feel discouraged and want to give up on writing. We all do so at some point. This is how life is also, but thankfully we keep on living it. Imagine your writing journey as life itself. It will have its ups and downs, but it definitely worths the trouble.
14. To Stick With Writing, Remember There Is No Failure Other Than Giving up
You are not a failed author when you collect rejections for the book you wrote. Stephen King’s first thriller, “Carrie”, was rejected 30 times before it finally got published. You are not a failed blogger if you have fewer views than other bloggers.
Writing books and running a blog are personal goals. You never really fail until you decide to give up on it.
Read also: 8 Practical Ideas on How to Effectively Develop a Writing Schedule
15. Allow Yourself to Take Breaks from Writing
There are times we all get tired from time to time. It is a human need to seek some time off. Taking breaks can be beneficial since you can rest your mind or it could help you think of new ideas for what to write next. Taking breaks from writing itself could help you explore new alternatives.
16. Writing is Fun But is Also Work.
Writing can be really fun and you can enjoy yourself while doing so. However, writing is also a lot of work. Breaks are needed when we feel stuck or when we complete the first draft. We must return to what we have written to review it with a fresh eye,edit it and fix whatever is not working as it should.
Final Thoughts on How to Stick With Writing When You Don’t Feel Like it
To convince yourself to stick with writing when you don’t feel like it, you must remember why you started writing initially. Was it because you enjoyed the process? Because you have a story inside you, you want to share? Because you want to communicate your thoughts and ideas with the rest of the world?
Whatever the reason was, at some time of your journey, you will probably start feeling discouraged. Other things might happen which will make you procrastinate your writing. You will most probably start having self-doubts. Truth is, all writers go through the same things, so you are not alone.
Believe in yourself and your abilities and enjoy writing because, most of all, it is a fun process. Sticking with it will definitely bring results that will make you proud of yourself, and these results could just be the beginning of a bigger journey.
What do you think? What else can you think that can help you stick with writing?
I would love to read your thoughts in the comments below.
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Great post and fabulous advice, especially thinking about will happen if don’t/do finish it
Glad you liked it Sarah! Thank you for commenting 🙂
Love this post – and really needed this today. Took a break from blogging 2 years ago… in truth only a couple of months after I started. Looking forward to getting back on the horse in early May. Thanks Eri!
Glad you liked it and found it helpful. Thank tou for commenting!
Great advice! When I’m stuck I set a timer for ten minutes and just write, usually I have the motivation to go on after the timer has gone off.
I do so too. It is a great trick to out you in the mood of writing. Thank you for commenting!
Great post & I needed to hear it right now.
I have an ebook I keep planning but now actually writing. It’s time to get on with it!
Glad you found it helpful. Thank you for commenting!
Brilliant post. Thank you for this.
Thank you!
Good tips! I agree with all. And one thing, make your dreams a responsibility. It will motivate you to work hard for it.
I love your suggestion Fadima. It is a big truth. We are the only person responsible to make our dreams come true. Thank you for commenting!
This was exactly the blogpost that I needed, since I have been struggling with my writing. Just after I decided to focus my ambitions more on writing. The blog and some WIPs that I have on the shelf.
Thank you, I’ll revisit this one in the future for sure.
Glad I was helpful. Thank you so much for your nice words. I wish you all the best on your writing goals!
Good advice, I think the main thing is to enjoy it and not put too much pressure on.
If you don’t enjoy it, it will be too hard to stick with it. Thank you Emma for commenting 🙂
I like the idea of writing 10 minutes. Once I started writing, it become easy for me. So, I take the 10 minutes as warm up.
This is the tip I also use more often. Thank you for commenting ❤️
These are great tips! Consistency is so important. I like what you said about not being a perfectionist. That can be so hard sometimes!
Nothing can ever be perfect from the beginning Heidi. Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
Points seven and eight keep me going.
Thank you for commenting 🙂
Great ideas to help people to continue moving forward. When I started writing, I had to let go of aiming for perfection. It was hard to reconcile that something could be written well without being perfect. If I couldn’t get it right, I just didn’t ‘write.’ I’m happy to be over that now. I still strive for quality, but not perfection. Getting your ideas out is also so helpful. It’s a way to get the mind going and then you just have to string it all together.
You must feel the freedom to produce writing without looking for perfection. I think it is the only way to move forward. Glad you liked it Cassie. Thank you for commenting 🙂
Glad you found it helpful. Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
Even if you just do ten minutes a day you will make progress.
Exactly Jamie, and a small progress is better than no progress.
Oh yeah. Not forgoing writing for too long is an important and underrated thing to do, as we could end up taking a day off, then a week, then soon it’s been months and we still haven’t written. Thanks for this post!
Exactly Stuart. Once I made writing a habit I find it hard to stay without it for a day. Thank you for reading and commenting!
These are some really helpful tips to help you when you feel like giving up on writing. Remembering why you started is important but it is helpful to see you have already started, so that initial part is already been completed. Thank you for sharing.
Lauren
Glad you found it helpful Lauren. Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
You’ve shared some great tips here which I’ll defiantly be keeping in mind when I’m having a off day! These are really helpful, thank you so much for sharing Xo
Elle – ellegracedeveson.com
Glad you liked it Elle. Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
Glad you found it helpful David. Thank you for commenting!
I love writing, so I don’t typically have a problem with getting it finished! Although I have tried to write fiction books before – I actually started one and scrapped it at 80,000 words – and I always struggled with that, so I don’t think fiction is for me haha!
Haha, at least you gave it a shot and found out it does not fit you. As a blogger you definitely know how to stick with writing 🙂
I really needed to hear this. Thank you for sharing! I saved it for later on Pinterest for those moments when I am stuck once again 🙂
Glad I could help Jenni!
Your sit and write for 10 minutes suggestion is a good one because once we start doing something, our motivation can kick allowing us to complete the task. So if you just tell yourself you’ll write for 10 minutes to get yourself started, you could end up writing for hours
This tip is my favourite one also!
These are some great tips. Distractions and demotivations are really bad hindrances. Need to overcome those.
Thank you for commenting Nils!
This was great to read right now as I’ve just come back from a big chunk of time off from my blog this month (moved house). I found it really hard to get back into wanting to write again so this was perfect timing!
I am glad to read you found it helpful Molly. Hope you are all set up in the new home now. Thank you for commenting 🙂
I’m lucky enough to write for a living but sometimes it’s hard to get motivated. Inspiration doesn’t always strike at the right time so your point about writing being fun but also work is very apt! Taking a break and getting outside for a while helps me 🙂
Writing is definitely work. Glad to read you have found your ways to help you when you lack motivation 🙂
Great post! Writing is not always perfect and you really have to love doing it to be good at it!
This is an incredibly insightful and valuable post. We have learned that reminding ourselves of our “why” matters tremendously. James Clear’s Atomic Habits and Charless Duhigg’s The Power of Habit touch on the importance of developing great habits, which bears directly on this topic. Thank you for sharing!
I am glad you liked it. Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
I often feel like I don’t finish anything. Thanks for the tips
Thank you!
This is a really great ad useful list! I find writing in small chunks often helps. Envisaging how I will feel once the writing is finished is a great way to remain focused on the task. xxx
I do understand. I used to feel overwhelmed when thinking of writing a novel. But realized that writing in small chunks is super useful and you can make miracles. Thank you for commenting 🙂
Great advice! I always find setting myself a timer for ten minutes when I’m unmotivated is perfect for getting those ideas flowing – and you’re right, I often do end up going over the time! I think remembering that the person who you’re affecting the most is you is really wise as well. Thank you so much for sharing!
I am really glad you found it helpful. Thank you so much for reading and commenting 🙂
These are great tips, I like to make sure that there aren’t any distractions around me when I’m writing x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Thank you Lucy! Distractions can be really damaging for your writing.
It can be very discouraging when life must come first or personal matters and problems are taking away from our writing time, so I love this wonderful piece on how we can stick to writing by way of free-writing, schedules, and a simple return to our writing roots!
Simple return to our writing roots! I love this 💖
This is amazing advice and I totally resonate with all you’ve said. Keep writing posts like these, it’s appreciated
I am glad you liked it Keeona. Thank you for commenting!
Great bost and just the boost writers need. Love your work.
I an glad you liked it. Thank you for commenting 🙂
Thank you for sharing this post. I loved every point and learned so much from it. I’ve had a thing of staying away from writing for too long and also, I’ve always wanted everything to be perfect until I realised that it doesn’t have to be. Now I do what I can and leave it on the blog.
I am really glad you found it helpful and you kiked it. Thank you for commenting 🙂
This is such a great post and I really needed to see some of these tips today. I’m planning a week long break for my birthday week in May as I’m feeling stuck and need a refresh and hoping to get back on it after that. I’m starting to realise I have more passions than just educating about mental health and I would be doing a disservice to myself if I didn’t explore this at least. Thank you for the lovely post! x
That is great! I also took a break and I feel I should continue but differently. Somehow during the break your way of thinking is changing in a positive way.
A break when you feel tired is necessary to help you think clearer. Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
I think you must follow your gut and explore everything you feel like writing.Thank you for commenting!
Great suggestions, from not taking criticism personally to taking time off from writing. Reading helps to write better.
Always practice makes it better. Thank you for reading and commenting Sara!
As always, you have inspirational posts. It’s helpful in a way that makes me keep going. Thank you for that!
I am glad you liked it. Thank you for commenting!