What to do when you don’t feel like writing

This post is for anyone struggling to write. I’ve felt that a little this week after very successful weeks previously. Therefore, I feel called to make some adjustments.

Firstly, here are some reasons why you may not want to write right now:

You’re burnt out You don’t know the plot of your story or the characters well enoughYou don’t have a routine or habit builtYou are getting distracted You’re being too hard on yourself You don’t actually want to be a writer, you just thought you didYou give up when things get hardYou don’t read enough so struggle to craft a storyYou’re disconnected from yourself right now

Here are the ways to combat these issues and get back to your writing…

Take a break

The first thing I am doing to get back into writing is take a break from it. Some may feel this is counterproductive, but sometimes a break is the most productive thing you can do. A break allows your brain to recover, it allows you time to think, and it’s just a breath of fresh air that can sometimes be the reset you desperately needed.

However, the key here is to be intentional about your break. Don’t allow it to become an excuse or accidentally last forever and you never get back into things! I have one full week left at work before the 6 week summer holidays (thank God!) and so I’m taking this last full week off as a break. If I want to write a bit, sure, I’m going to, but I’m not forcing it. So my set break from my writing is one week and the conditions are that I can work on the characters, story, and world but I’m not going to force myself to add to my manuscript. It’s clear and has a deadline.

You can also do mini breaks. Like instead of writing for hours, do writing sprints (15-25 mins) and take breaks in between where you do something completely different.

You can’t think yourself into fixing it. You can’t keep pushing forever. Sometimes, a break is what you need so give it to yourself.

Health first

I always put my health first. How can we expect to show up as writers or even functioning human beings if we aren’t looking after ourselves? Just like taking a break, sometimes the most productive thing you can do for your writing is to look after yourself. Because your writing is a part of you.

Take note of your eating habits and adjust accordingly (I am trialing a part-time vegetarian diet for a few months)Are you exercising enough? – 20 mins a day in whatever way you find enjoyable can be enoughIs your home clean and tidy? Do you feel good in your space?Are you drinking enough water?Do you get enough sleep? – start a routine of going to bed at the same time every night and read, journal or meditate to declutter the mind and do something relaxingHow are your relationships? Do you feel joy in the presence of the people you send the most time with?

Routine and habits

This may mean you change up a routine you already have or work hard to create a new one. I need to change mine. At the moment, I wake up at 6am so I have extra time to be able to do one writing sprint (25 mins) before walking to work. I do my workout or yoga after work and then fit in another writing sprint or two. This allows me to ensure I write every day. Even if I’m tired after work, I know my writing is done for the day in the morning.

However, this may have caused my burnout. Okay, that’s fine. As I said above, health comes first. So I am adjusting. I’m not forcing myself to get up at 6am or if I do, I am asking myself “what would I like to do before work?” I have other habits that are important to me and set me up for a healthy, happy day. So I can do yoga in the morning or read or meditate. This sets me up for a positive day, and will hopefully have me feeling good. Never wasted time.

If you don’t yet have a routine, that’s a little harder but not impossible to build. It’s about knowing yourself, making time, and being disciplined. Showing up for yourself again and again until it becomes second nature.

All you need to set up a new routine is:

Brain dump your time and commitments at the moment: work, kids, dinner, work outs, studies, content creation etc.Prioritise your to-do listSlot in a time for writing (how long do you want to write for and when)Tell others so they don’t disturb or commit to this time: put it in your calendar, set a timer, have remindersKeep showing upAdjust if necessary after feedback but don’t stop

Remove distractions

Expanding on a brief point above, in order to get back into your writing, you may need to remove distactions. I know that this past week I was distracted by Pinterest and second hand clothes shopping on Vinted! Hey, I’m human. When you are faced with doing something hard, your mind is great at looking for ways out. This could be a tempting TV show, an app on your phone, friends or family, cleaning or tidying when you don’t need to right now, or doing another round of notes when you know you’re good to go but you’re just avoiding it. It’s natural to do this. However, it’s about having the awareness to recognise what you’re doing and stop it.

I’ve deleted Pinterest from my phone. I already have Instagram deleted and never had Twitter or Facebook anyway. I’m reducing my TV time (more so I can connect with my partner, but it also helps me focus on my writing). What is stealing your attention right now? How can you steal it back?

Be ruthless with yourself and choose your writing, not the distactions that get you nowhere.

Set smaller goals

Another big one for me is to minimise my goals. I started writing my current novel on the 17th June. I have written just over 35,000 words in that time. I’m very pleased with that as I’ve also kept my other habits, had fun, had days off, worked full time, written other things, and maintained relationships. I set three goals going into this: to reach 25,000 before the summer break (my realistic and kind goal); reach 40,000 before the summer break (mid-level but challenging goal); 50,000 before summer (dream goal). The way I was going, I was set to reach my dream goal and how amazing is that?! However, I am embracing the 40,000 now instead.

It’s okay to adjust and reset your goals. It doesn’t mean you’re giving up or being weak. It means you’re adjusting and adapting to your life. I’m tired. I’ve clearly burnt out. So to push towards the 50k would be illogical. It taking the fun out of it, too. Instead, 40k is a very respectable goal and achievement that I will most certainly reach. I’ll be going into the summer beak with a signifcant amount done either way.

What matters is that you’re writing, not how much or how quickly.

If you have a goal to write 2k a day, make it 1k instead. If it’s 1k, make it 500. If you want your book written in 3 months, make it 5 months. You are in control of your goals, adjust as needed.

And a nice little aside: you often write more than you intended, anyway, so the smaller goal just makes it easier to show up and trick your brain!

Make it fun

Writing can become tedious. It can be a chore. Even if you love it, it can feel like something you have to do rather than something you want to do once you “take it seriously” or set goals and dedlines. I already have a full time job that I have to do, I don’t want my writing to feel that way. The only way to avoid this is to make it fun.

Listen to fun music while your writeWrite from diffrent locations at times (around the house, the library, coffee shops, gardens, friends’ houses)Go on a writing retreat (ours is booked for August!)Talk about your story with people around youDraw your characters or find images of them and the world on Pintrest (don’t slip into the trap of procrastination though)Set yourself fun challenges “how much can I write in 10 mins?!”Dress up in an outfit that aligns with your storyUse immersive writing sessions on YouTube that inspire you (Abbie Emmons has lots)

Sit in the world with the characters

When you really can’t write, make time to at least sit with the world and the characters. This means sitting with your notebook and diving deeper. The way to go deeper is to ask yourself and your characters questions:

What does your villain really want and why?Why this hero/protagonist and not someone else?Why does your protagonise believe what they believe about the world and their life?What was their upbringing like?Was the magic always used in this way?How would people live if magic didn’t exist?Why does your protagonist fall for their romantic interest? Why do they make sense?How has your world changed over time?

Reconnect with your why

Lastly, remind yourself why you want to be a writer anyway. Why you want to write this particular story. What it all means to you. This is the most powerful motivator if you have a real, authentic reason for what you are trying to do. A weak why makes for a weak resolve and allows room for more excuses and not showing up for your work. And be honest. Do you, like me, want the freedom of a life as an author? Or do you just want a way out from your current life but being an author isn’t actually an authentic dream for you? It’s hard but the more honest you are with yourself, the better.

Honesty leads to clarity and focus.

Good luck, I hope you can get back into the swing of things soon! Be kind to yourself.

Sincerely,

S. xx