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10 Ways To Get Motivated

By on May 16, 2018
10 Ways To Get Motivated -WritersLife.org

We all have times where we just can’t seem to get motivated. Feeling demotivated can have a devastating impact on your work, and can leave you in a slump where you feel uninspired, stressed out and down on yourself. This can end up in a vicious cycle where the more you beat yourself up, and the less time you spend writing, and the less motivated you feel!

Here are ten ways to break that cycle and get back on track:

Join a writing group

There is nothing like bouncing your ideas around and getting feedback from others to kickstart your writing, and a writing group is a perfect place to do so! Joining a writing group can provide you with invaluable support from like-minded people who will help you reach your writing goals.

Do some exercise

Exercise can work wonders when it comes to clearing your head, giving you energy and relieving stress. So if you are struggling to write why not close that laptop and get out there into the great outdoors, get that heart pumping, breathe some fresh air and return feeling energized and inspired?

Read a book

Sometimes the best way to find motivation is to seek it from others. Reading brilliant books can help writers remember how glorious a craft it is, and find new ideas for their own stories to get them back in the writing game pronto!

Go to the cinema

It is many a writer’s dream to write a book that gets turned into a major blockbuster, so why not take a trip to the movies to see how it’s done? Watching how the story plays out on film can help inspire you to write a story that you know would translate well this way too.

Write a short story

Sometimes writing a novel can feel too overwhelming and that’s what gets us into a writing slump in the first place. So why not give yourself a break and start small instead? Write a short story and get the satisfaction of completing something from start to finish. This then might make you feel more ready to take on the next, more significant piece of work.

Have a brainstorming session

Instead of staring at a blank page desperately trying to get the words to come out, try some writing exercises to loosen you up instead. A brainstorming session where you just relax your mind and let all your ideas come out can be a great way to find some little gems that will motivate you to get writing once more.

Create a character questionnaire

Getting to know your characters better can be a great motivator so why not create a character questionnaire and interview them one by one to find those hidden depths and layers you need to make your characters stand out?

Get organized

Feeling cluttered and disorganized can be a massive blocker when it comes to creativity flowing. So organize your research, write some chapter outlines, pull your ideas together and make a plan with a timeframe in mind too. Doing this will make you feel so much more on top of things and ready to get started with a clear head.

Tidy up

The same goes for organizing your physical space. Wherever you write should be clear and clutter free, so before you try and write make sure you do a tidy up and a clear out, so you feel calm and ready to get those words on paper.

Have a writing ‘day’

Sometimes it can be challenging to find the time to write; a writing day could help you get motivated once more. So why not set aside some time where you can clear your schedule, and all you have to do is write? Then you can make some serious headway and will feel motivated and inspired once more.

These ten ways to get motivated will help you to keep the writing process fresh and exciting, maintain focus and reduce procrastination. So next time you feel as though you need a bit of a motivational boost, why not give these methods a try?

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

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