I don’t feel like writing. And yet here I am, typing away at an advice article on how to push through those days where literally anything sounds better than staring at a screen with vacant eyes and an empty brain. So how can you crank through that word count when your brain doesn’t want to?
First of all, let’s think about other professions for a moment (yes, I understand this is a hobby for most of us, but bear with me). People push through grueling tasks every day. Mechanics don’t just toss their tools in a bin and call it a day because they’re “not feeling it”. Doctors perform surgery even when they’re not “inspired”. Hardworking custodians show up every night, despite not feeling “passionate” about toilets. But we writers seem to think there’s a special rule about writers that says, “Oh yeah, they only do stuff when they’ve been blessed by the Holy Muses.”
I can already hear you saying, “But I only write as a hobby. Why would I write if it’s not enjoyable?”
That’s a fair question. As with most things in writing, the answer is subjective. But I’m going to do that annoying thing where I answer your question with a question of my own: “Don’t you want to want to write?”
I think the answer for most of us is a clear “yes”. As writers, we desire the desire to write, but we don’t always know how to get there. I have a few tips and thoughts that might help get you rolling.
As writers, we desire the desire to write, but we don’t always know how to get there.
1. Set an easy goal
When I say to set an “easy” goal, I mean easy easy. Easy as in, “I’m going to write three sentences and call it a day.” Easy as in, “I’ll find a source for this research project then do something else.”
The biggest problem for many of us is simply beginning. Setting a simple goal allows us to do so without pressure and often continue the flow without effort. If I sit down to write one paragraph, I’ll more than likely think of what happens in the one after that, then the following paragraph. Before I know it, I’ve written a few pages all because I sat down to write 1/4 of one!
Setting a simple goal allows us to begin without pressure
In the cases where you sit down, grind out a paragraph, and still feel like you’ve got nothing to give, that’s okay. You’ve made some progress. And that’s infinitely better than none. Not only that, but you’ve kept up your habit of writing daily, which many consider to be the most important thing in a productive writing career.
2. Reconsider the content you’re writing
I would say at least 50% of the time I don’t want to write, it’s because I know I’m not going to enjoy the scene/article I have next on my list. Here are some questions to ask yourself to get to the root of the problem
- Why do I feel obligated to write this? This is often the start of your lack of enthusiasm. If you feel tied to the scene because it’s vital to the plot, consider a more appealing alternative that allows the story to progress but in more fun or interesting way. If it’s a topic you promised to cover in an article, try to approach it from a different perspective (e.g. change the tone from purely informative to partially satirical).
- Would this interest me as a reader? If it wouldn’t, think about what you’d want to see instead. This question is what made me rewrite nearly half the scenes in my current novel. As I edited, I thought, “Geez, when is this going to get interesting?” Had stopped to evaluate my own interest during the first draft, I would have enjoyed writing it a lot more, and it would have been a better project in general.
- How can I change this piece and still meet my goals? Sometimes, the problem is hard to pinpoint. Adding simple changes might fix the problem by chance (it works more than you’d think). Some quick examples of this: writing a scene from a different perspective, adding a storm in the background of a more dialogue-intense chapter, tweaking the problem you’re addressing in an article, or anything else that might reinvigorate you!
3. Rewards
I went hiking recently and saw a mother and her child trudging along the spiraling road at a surprisingly quick pace. The secret: every few steps, the mother would give her kid an M&M as a reward for not complaining. Sometimes, writers are like toddlers — we need some M&Ms to keep us going. This can be as literal as you want. If M&Ms work for you, go for it. For me, the reward is usually engaging in a different hobby, sleeping, or anything food related.
Sometimes, writers are like toddlers — we need some M&Ms [rewards] to keep us going
The difficulty with this trick is self-control. It requires you to be honest with yourself and not skip the grind of writing by going straight to the reward. Sometimes, it’s tempting to say “screw it” and just pull up Netflix. Don’t. Every time you cheat, it diminishes the effectiveness of the reward process.
4. Just do it (Please don’t sue me, Nike)
Sometimes, no amount of tricks will motivate you. It’s these times that you have to remember why you started this in the first place. I’m a big believer in finding the source of your efforts and continually coming back to it for motivation. But sometimes even that won’t work. That’s when I have to change my mindset by reminding myself of one thing:
“If I fail as a writer, I have no one to blame but me.”
Woah. That should hit hard. It does for me. Yes, getting published requires a good portion of luck. But the truth is, all the luck in the world won’t matter if you don’t have a manuscript or the skills needed to write a good one, skills gained from practice. And I understand that many people only write stories for themselves. It’s an amazing form of therapy, relaxation, and joy. But you can’t get the intangible benefits of writing if you don’t ever write.
This is a continual battle of self-motivation. Whether you dream of a publishing deal, better mental health, or a simple story to show your friends, remember this:
No one can write for you. No one can make you stop. This is a competition between the diligent you and the unproductive you.
