#tuesdaytips – sit yo’ tail down somewhere and write
In my Tuesday Tip where I discussed How
to Start Writing, the surprising answer to the question was…
WRITE!
So, the next question that new writers ask is… How do
I write when I do not feel like writing?
Again, the answer to the question is the simplest thing…
WRITE!
I will say, first, assess yourself to see why you do not feel like
writing.
- Perhaps you may be tired and your brain needs a break.
- Maybe you are experiencing writer’s block. (Combating Writer’s Block)
- Perhaps you may be feeling ill and your body needs to rest.
- Or even, it may not be the time for you to write.
If it is one of these, then take a break and do not beat yourself
up because you cannot write. Take a break
for 2-3 days, then come back and try writing again.
If you do not feel like writing because you just want to be lazy
or you are scared to write, then you need to write. You can use a writing period schedule to help
you write.
- Pick three times during the day (write them on your calendar, either physical or digital) to spend 5 minutes writing for each day.
- Every 5* days, increase the number of minutes by 5 minutes. Again, write your scheduled writing times on your calendar, whether physical or digital.
- Give yourself a reward for each day that your write for that set time. (I use stickers on a calendar and a habit tracker for each day.)
- By the end of a month (four weeks), you should be writing for 20 minutes a day, three times a day. (20-minute writing periods is average for most writers. I do not recommend going any higher than 30-minutes writing periods.)
Please note, you may need to adjust
the minutes and times per day to match your schedule. Also, it can be different at different times
during the year.
You can also use a word count goal to help you write.
- For each day, write 250 words for the day. Put Write 250 words on your to do list. (Write it on your calendar, either physical or digital).
- Every 5 days, increase your word count number by doubling the previous week’s word count. Again, write the new word count goal on your calendar, whether physical or digital.
- As with the daily writing goal method, give yourself a reward for each day the goal is met. (I use a habit tracker for each day.)
- By the end of a month (four weeks), you should be writing 2,000 words per day. (Most writers can average between 1,600 and 2,000 words a day. I do not recommend going any higher than 3,000 words per day.)
As with the minutes per day method, you
may need to adjust the number of words per day to match your schedule. Also, it can be different at different times
during the year.
With either of these methods, be flexible. If you know Wednesdays may be hard for you to
write because of particular events that occur, plan to split the writing
between Tuesday and Thursday. Also, you
can still write on Wednesday, but for a reduced amount of time or words. You can reflect this in your scheduling.
It is imperative that you give yourself grace. Do not be a hard task mater when
writing. While being on task and keeping
to a schedule is good for writers, going with the flow is also good for
writers.
Find what works best for you as a writer and make it a routine. That is the best way to JUST WRITE!
