how to get in the creative writing mood

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How to Set the Mood to Write

Last Updated: October 11, 2022 References

This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD . Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. This article has been viewed 17,201 times.

If you're a writer, you know how it feels to sit down to write and be completely unable to get in the mood! Every writer has different needs, but there are some basic guidelines that can help you set the mood for writing. Setting up a comfortable writing environment, getting into a routine, and planning out your writing will help you be the best writer you can be!

Setting Up Your Writing Area

• If you don't have a space in your home where you feel comfortable writing, try a cozy shared space like a coffee shop or a by-the-hour co-work space.

Setting a Routine

• If you're struggling to develop a routine of your own, look at some of the established workflows for writers. The Pomodoro technique, for example, advocates 25-minute blocks of uninterrupted writing, followed by a short 2-3 minute break. After 4 Pomodoros, take a longer 10-20 minute break. [7] X Research source

Preparing to Write

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• ↑ http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/10-tips-for-writing
• ↑ https://sites.psu.edu/siowfa15/2015/12/04/listening-to-classical-music-vs-music-with-lyrics-vs-complete-silence-while-studying/
• ↑ http://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/preparingtowrite
• ↑ https://becomeawritertoday.com/pomodoro/
• ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2017/03/20/how-to-increase-your-productivity-with-anchor-habits/#180638924b14

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How To Get In The Writing Zone: 5 Tips To Get Your Creativity Flowing

You’ve made the time to write and you may even know what it is you’re planning to write. 

But there’s one problem: you’re having a hard time getting “in the writing zone.” 

You’re having trouble feeling like you’re actually “in” your story and you can’t seem to hear your characters’ voices as clearly as you want to.

Thankfully, there are some practical ways to help fix that problem, and it all stems from what is called the flow state.

When you’re in “the zone,” or in a flow state, that means you’re writing at your best. The words are just flowing from your pen (or keyboard) and you rarely have to stop and think about what you’re writing about.

What exactly is the flow state, and how can you get there—and quickly—so you can be at your best during your writing times? Read on to find out.

What Is Flow State?

According to Psychology Today , “Flow is a cognitive state where one is completely immersed in an activity—from painting and writing to prayer and surfboarding. It involves intense focus, creative engagement, and the loss of awareness of time and self.”

Essentially, a flow state is when you are working on a project (such as writing), and you are only focused on the project you’re working on. When people say that they’re “in the zone,” what they’re really saying is that they’ve reached a flow state.

For writers, a flow state can often look like that feeling when it seems that you’re inside your story and inside your characters’ heads. You can clearly see everything that happens in the story and pay no mind to the surroundings around you.

The flow state doesn’t only happen when you’re writing fiction—you can be fully immersed in writing an English paper, an article, even a blog post. It isn’t limited to “creative” activities.

There are a lot of benefits to the flow state, as well. When you’re in the writing zone, you will often enjoy the process much better, and the words you are writing are usually higher quality than if you were out of a flow state. 

Being in the writing zone also helps you to be more engaged within your writing project, which means that you are likely to be more focused and faster while you’re writing.

How Can I Enter Into A Flow State?

Now you know what flow state is, and why it helps you when you’re writing. 

But there’s one problem: how can you get into this elusive writing zone? 

Aren’t writers always talking about how easy it is to write an epic battle scene—but can’t form a full sentence when the characters are walking into the next room together?

Thankfully, there are several practical ways you can get into your writing zone. 

The flow state isn’t just for writers who spend hours writing at a time—in fact, there are some tricks you can use to slip into a flow state whenever you need to get a little writing done without spending a lot of money or time on it.

Tip #1: Create A Daily Routine

A great way to easily fall into a flow state during your writing time is to have a set schedule so that you write at the same time each day. This can help you both make time for your writing and help you get in the writing zone faster.

There are a lot of ways to create daily routines. You can use a calendar, a numbered bullet-point list, or a schedule. However you create your daily routine, make sure that it is a routine that works for you—and is easy for you to follow and implement.

Another important thing to think about when creating your daily routine is to think about what time(s) of day you feel you are most creative and excited to write. 

For some writers, that’s first thing in the morning. For others, it may be in the middle of the day, or the afternoon, or late in the evening. Once you know what time of day you write best, take a look at your current schedule.

When you sit down to write at a specific time each day, you’re creating the habit of writing during that time every day. By forming this habit, it will become easier to get in the writing zone when you write.

If you have appointments or scheduled responsibilities (such as a job or school) that occur during your optimal writing time, then see if you can find a way to either move these appointments or find another time of day when you can write. Even thirty minutes can make a difference as long as you can have at least some time each day to write at around the same time.

If the only time you can write is after a mentally-exhausting task, try to block out some time to refresh your mind before writing. You may want to take a shower, do some stretches, take a walk, or whatever refreshes your mind the most. 

Once you’ve figured out what time of day you’re going to write, the next step is to take breaks. Taking mental breaks from your writing helps you stay fresh while you’re writing and keeps you from burning out.

One way that can help you get into a flow state quickly and implement breaks after writing is by doing writing sprints. An easy way to do a writing sprint is by setting a timer for a certain amount of time, then sitting down and writing as much as you can for that certain amount of time. 

When that timer is up, you then set your timer again for how long you’re going to take a break. After that time is up, you can write again until you’ve completed your writing for the day. 

It’s often recommended to spend about twenty to twenty-five minutes working when doing these types of sprints, then spending about five to ten minutes on the breaks. This is called the Pomodoro Technique .

Tip #2: Create A Writing Ritual

I promise this isn’t nearly as creepy as it sounds. 😉 Basically, when you create a writing ritual, you’re implementing certain steps to teach your brain how to slip into that writing zone faster. It’s like creating another, separate routine that’s for your writing.

You often see athletes do this when they listen to music, do certain stretches, or other exercises to get in the right headspace for their performance. Creating a writing ritual that’s right for you is a way to do something similar.

So what does a writing ritual look like?

A writing ritual can be pretty much anything that gets you in the mood to write your story. Similar to a daily routine, you want to make sure you’re doing something before and/or while you write for you to get in the writing zone.

For example, let’s say that you’re writing a fantasy novel that takes place in a magical forest. So before you sit down to write, you take a short walk around in a local park to get you in the mood for writing about that magical forest. Then, while you’re writing, you listen to forest sounds on an ambiance app or website.

Or maybe you’re writing an intense thriller. One of the things you could do before you write is find a secluded, quiet place to write. Then, you could listen to a soundtrack from your favorite action movie while you’re writing.

Or perhaps you’re writing a cozy romance, and your writing ritual is wearing your favorite sweater while writing and sitting by a cozy fire. 

There are many ways you can go about creating a writing ritual that suits both you and your writing project. That’s part of the fun of writing—it can be completely personalized! 

Have fun experimenting with writing rituals to find one that suits you the best. It could be any of the ideas I listed above or completely different ones. It doesn’t have to be long, either. It depends on what gets you the most excited to write and puts you in the right mood for your story.

Tip #3: Eliminate All Distractions

Eliminating distractions is not only an important part of getting in the writing zone but also of staying in the writing zone.

For a lot of writers—myself included—it’s easy to get distracted by a variety of things. Like writing rituals, distractions are different from writer to writer. Maybe you get distracted by the Internet, noises around the house, new emails arriving in your Inbox, or something else entirely.

The best way to make it easy to ignore the distractions is by removing them. Turning off the Internet, going to a quiet place to write, turning off notifications on your computer, or whatever else you need to do to stay away from distractions while you’re writing will help you get into and stay in the writing zone.

Tip #4: Take Care Of Yourself

As writers, it’s easy to want to ignore our physical needs when all we want to do is write. But taking care of yourself by exercising, getting enough sleep, and eating all three meals are another important part of the flow state.

When you take care of your physical needs, it’s easier for you to get into the writing zone during your writing time. 

If you don’t exercise, eat, or sleep, it’s harder to focus, and your mental energy wanes. It may seem counterintuitive, but sometimes it’s important to take a step away from writing in order to refresh your body and give your mind a break. 

Not only will taking care of yourself help you get in the writing zone, but it will also help you in the long term. You only get one body in your entire life, and taking care of it makes sure that it will be functional throughout your whole life.

As Christians, we know that the Bible tells us that our bodies are temples and that caring for them is important for glorifying God in our bodies. By keeping our bodies healthy, we’re making ourselves available for God to lead us in the directions he wants us to go in our lives.

Tip #5: Have Fun

Sometimes, one of the biggest problems with getting into the writing zone is that we get in our own heads so much. 

It’s so easy to worry about whether your writing is good enough and put pressure on ourselves to be better. And while growth is definitely an important part of being a writer, another important part is having fun.

Think about writing as playing and try having fun during your writing sessions. If we can’t enjoy writing, then we might as well be sitting behind a desk typing out nonsense.

Having fun while you’re writing can help you get into the writing zone faster because it helps to break down those barriers that we put up for ourselves and makes it easier to sit down and just write.

How can we have fun while writing?

Like many of the categories above, it will look a little different for everyone. Maybe it means setting aside your current project to write one that you’ve been saving for another time. Maybe it means turning your font to write when you write so you don’t edit while you write.

Whether you want to be a published author one day, or writing is just a hobby, make sure to have fun while you write!

What If I Can’t Get In The Writing Zone?

There may be a lot of reasons why you can’t get in the writing zone, so unfortunately there’s no “one size fits all” cure. Maybe it’s the writing project you’re working on, and you need to switch to a story that is in a different genre. 

Maybe it’s the time of day that you’re writing. Maybe you’re having a hard time getting in the writing zone because you can’t fit writing into your schedule on a regular basis.

The best way to figure out how to get in the writing zone when you’re struggling to do so is to think like a detective. Try to find out why you can’t seem to get in the writing zone and try some things out! 

Do you need to make your writing sessions longer? Do you need to make them longer? Do you need to try some writing sprints? 

There are a lot of ways you can experiment with your writing process in order to find one that works best for you and your writing project.

And don’t forget to have fun while you’re experimenting with your writing process. Writing is a journey of exploration—both of ourselves and of our stories.

Getting Into The Writing Zone Can Be Easy And Fun!

Getting into the writing zone—or a flow state—doesn’t have to be hard or frustrating. It may simply be a tweak in your daily schedule, or maybe adding a short writing ritual to make you feel immersed in your story. 

Make sure to take care of yourself and eliminate all those pesky distractions. Getting in the writing zone is a rewarding and enjoyable experience—so don’t forget to have fun while you’re writing.

To make creating a writing ritual even easier, I’ve made a worksheet questionnaire that will walk you through how to make a writing ritual that is right for you.

Click the image to get your questionnaire and start the process of finding your writing ritual.

Article by Allie Jo Andersen

Allie Jo Andersen is a follower of Christ who loves weaving tales of adventure that entertain while instilling truth in her readers’ minds. If she’s not coming up with new worlds to explore, she’s probably cuddling one of her bunnies, exploring someone else’s fictional world, or planning victory in the latest family game. You can find a handful of her latest writing projects as well as her podcast and blog at her website allieandersen.com.

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6 replies added

Allie! I love this post! <3333

Yay, I’m so glad to hear!! Thank you for reading, Lorelei!! <3

Pingback: How To Get In The Writing Zone: A New Publication! - Allie Jo Andersen

[…] I’ve had personal experience with this problem, which is why I chose this topic in my newest (and first!) article published in The Young Writer Blog, How To Get In The Writing Zone: 5 Tips To Get Your Creativity Flowing. […]

Awesome tips!!! I’ve got to work more on creating a daily routine because I’ve done it before (but haven’t kept it up) and it REALLY helped to drill the “it’s time for writing now” into my brain.

Great tips! I find listening to music can help me get in the mood, and/or making a mix for my scene on http://www.ambient-mixer.com

Thanks, Abby! That’s so cool, love it! 🙂

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How to get in the mood to write daily: 9 tips

Writing a novel from start to finish requires writing consistently. Learning how to get in the mood to write even when motivation is low will ensure you finish. Try these 9 tips:

• Post author By Bridget McNulty
• 8 Comments on How to get in the mood to write daily: 9 tips

Writing a novel from start to finish requires writing consistently. Learning how to get in the mood to write even when motivation is low will ensure you finish. Try these 9 tips:

1: Spend ten minutes freewriting daily

Freewriting is a powerful tool for getting yourself into a productive frame of mind. It also helps you develop an essential skill for drafting – switching off your internal editor .

Sit for ten minutes at the start of every writing session and write anything that comes into your head. Write it down, no matter how trivial or ridiculous it seems. Give yourself this freedom to just write because it will help you avoid being so concerned over the quality of your draft that you get stuck.

It’s helpful to start with a specific topic when you freewrite. If the story you’re working on currently focuses on a theme (such as ‘family’, for example), decide that this will be the subject for your freewriting session. In the process, you might find sentences or even paragraphs you can use verbatim.

2: Create an inspiring writing space

Ideally, as committed writers, we can write anywhere. If you can, though, create a dedicated writing space too. A nook that is reserved for your creative play, one that is inviting and contains inspiring quotes and objects (or one that gives you a minimalist, distraction-free environment) will help you get into the writing mood when you feel unmotivated or stuck.

3: Dip into a journal of favourite writing quotes

If you don’t do this already, start now. Every time you read a book, if you read a sentence that makes you say to yourself ‘this is so true’ or ‘that’s beautiful’, write it down.

Finding pearls in your reading as you go helps you become a more active reader. You will notice more and more the craft of other writers. Copying out their most brilliant sentences helps you learn how to create similar effects in your own work.

Keep your quotes journal in your writing space. Page through for inspiration whenever you feel as though you aren’t in the mood to write.

4: Block your writing time for the week

Learning how to get into the mood to write daily is almost impossible if you never make time to write .

Each week, block your writing time on a blank calendar. On Harlequin romance publishers’ blog , they recommend using different colours for scheduling different aspects of writing – drafting, revising or self-promotion.

Dividing up your available time to write this way is making a conscious commitment to your craft. If you consistently set aside time you’ll have fewer days where writing feels like an option you can leave for next week.

5: Get in the mood to write by setting yourself playful exercises or constraints

Bringing an element of play into your writing practice is a great way to get into the writing mood. Try making fun exercises out of writing scenes. One way to do this is by creating constraints. For example, you could write a scene and set yourself the requirement that it takes place entirely in an elevator.

Creating rules for a scene can be paradoxically liberating. You’re forced to find creative alternatives to any disallowed crutches, for one. This was the principle behind the experimental French writing collective OuLiPo. The group devised constraints as a way to unlock creativity. Placing constraints on setting, word use and other elements forces the writer to find interesting alternatives.

In Italo Calvino’s The Baron in the Trees ( 1957), for example, the author decided as a starting rule for setting the story would explore the life of a boy who climbs into treetops and never comes down for the remainder of the story.

6: Get constructive writing feedback

When you have constructive feedback to anticipate, it’s easier to get into a writing frame of mind. Even on days where you don’t feel like writing, its easier to sit down and produce when you are accountable to others who are rooting for you to continue your story.

On Now Novel, you can get helpful feedback as you go that will help you to stay in the mood to write. Inbetween writing sessions, critiquing others’ work also helps you understand more what you like and dislike and why some pieces of writing just work while others are gruelling.

7: Leave and resume mid-sentence

Another strategy to ensure that you are always in the mood to write is to leave off and resume your draft mid-sentence. Resist the urge to complete a section and leave off at a point of intrigue or suspense. It will make you eager to return and continue forging onwards.

Ernest Hemingway offered similar writing advice when he said that you should always leave off and return while you still know where the story is heading.

8: Set small, attainable writing goals

Aspiring authors sometimes email us, saying they haven’t been in the mood to write. Unrealistic expectations of the writing process can play a part in this. If you find that you’re putting off writing a lot, it could be that you’ve set yourself goals that feel impossible.

It’s easier to get into the mood to write, even on uninspired days, when you have a smaller immediate goal that is almost tangible. Writing one scene (as opposed to an entire chapter) is something you can achieve in a single sitting.

Break up your novel into manageable tasks and you’ll find the writing mood will stay more constant.

9: Reward yourself for reaching milestones

It’s easier to stay in the mood to write and make progress when you’re acknowledging the actual progress you make on a regular basis. Reward yourself for reaching important milestones, such as finishing a chapter. Your reward doesn’t need to be lavish or involve money. It could be half an hour’s walk somewhere serene or a catchup with friends.

Jennifer Blanchard (founder of the Procrastinating Writers blog) puts it thus :

‘If you know writing 500 words comes with a reward, but watching TV for an hour doesn’t, which activity are you more likely to choose?’

Commit now to write 500 words per day and reward yourself when you meet your target. After, you can submit your extract for helpful critique from Now Novel’s writing commmunity.

Do you have tips or tricks to share on how to get into the mood to write when feeling uninspired? Share them in the comments.

Related Posts:

• Creating the mood of a story: 6 tips for strong atmosphere
• Boost motivation to write daily: 10 practices
• Creating mood like Haruki Murakami
• Tags motivation , writing inspiration , writing process

By Bridget McNulty

Bridget McNulty is a published author, content strategist, writer, editor and speaker. She is the co-founder of two non-profits: Sweet Life Diabetes Community, South Africa's largest online diabetes community, and the Diabetes Alliance, a coalition of all the organisations working in diabetes in South Africa. She is also the co-founder of Now Novel: an online novel-writing course where she coaches aspiring writers to start - and finish! - their novels. Bridget believes in the power of storytelling to create meaningful change.

8 replies on “How to get in the mood to write daily: 9 tips”

Wow! Now I feel ok! I write short business articles – purely because it’s part of my vocation. My desire is to write a series of novels…but…I always thought that because I felt so flat when trying to put the story together that I am not cut out for this. I honestly didn’t realise that writers have the need to ‘get into the mood’

This article has given me hope that I am not trying to do something that I’m not cut out for but rather that it is something I have reprograme mybody and mind to do.

Great stuff, Vicky! That’s what Now Novel is here for 🙂

Odd that this should turn up in my inbox when I have found myself lagging behind on a novel writing course, some great tips here

Thanks Sue, glad it was timely! All the best for your course.

Personally, I reward myself with chocolate chips. When I finish a paragraph, I get one. And stopping mid-sentence? Genius! I need to try that.

Thanks, J. That sounds like a fun way to develop a disciplined routine.

I listen to music of films in a similar genre. Eg I’m writing a fantasy novel so I listen to the Soundtracks of Lord of the Rings, Hunger Games, Skyrim, Beyond, etc. Listen to this while you get any admin tasks out the way that might distract you (facebook, emails etc), then write a to do list of the things you need to do that day to get them out of your head. You could also read back on your last chapter/your favourite chapter with music playing.

Pick any scene you’ve previously planned that sounds fun/interesting to write and have a go. You can delete it if its rubbish…but it may get you going. Another thing: you don’t have to write your novel in chapter order. Don’t always pick the funnest chapters…otherwise you’ll be left with a whole chunk of difficult ones to write and you’ll never finish it.

My trouble is tapping into the character when I’m not in the writing mood. I end up creating an entirely new character or writing a character that is really bland. I have character block. So reading back on my previous work really helps me.

Great advice, Maddy. Thanks for sharing your process. ‘Character block’ is an interesting way of putting it.

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How to Get Into the Mood to Write: 7 Easy Tips

November 17, 2022 Rent My Words Tips , Writing

As if thinking about things worthy enough to “put down on paper” wasn’t hard enough, simply getting into the mood to conjure up and write those things is a difficult task.

Like all things, the mood to write comes and goes, and can be strong at times and a non-existent struggle at others.

How to Get Into the Writing Mood

All of that said, there are a few tips and tricks that are helpful in setting a writing mindset. I’ve provided a condensed list, an image, and a detailed list with additional explanation.

• Just start writing/perform a brain dump
• Review your previous wins
• Review your previous losses
• Don’t overanalyze
• Don’t write to exhaustion
• Schedule a designated writing time
• Work on multiple projects at once

1. Just start writing

One of the best writing mood boosters is to just start doing it.

Writing is like exercising in that regard—many people aren’t ever really in the mood to exercise, but they push themselves to do it every day because they know they have to, or because it’s a goal they’ve set for themselves.

Then, once those first few steps on the treadmill are taken, or the first few reps with that weight are curled, mood changes, you settle in, and the rest is history.

With writing, it’s much of the same. Especially for those of us who write in “off hours” – whether it’s on a lunch break, or late at night or early in the morning – you’re rarely going to be in the mood to write because you’d rather be doing other things like eating or sleeping. But, once you get going, the sense of accomplishment takes over.

2. Review your wins

If you aren’t in the mood to write, take a minute to look at and review your wins. If you’re a blogger, perhaps that’s your site’s analytics and seeing how much traffic your last few blogs produced, and if you’re an author, it could be a positive review you received on your last title.

It really depends on your motivations. If you’re financially motivated, perhaps it’s seeing how much money your last piece of writing generated, or the thinking that, if you can just get this done, you’ll have x amount of dollars waiting for you at the end or soon.

Either way, the trick is to exchange the thought of “Ugh, I really don’t want to write right now” with if I can do this, I’ll be rewarded.

3. Review your losses

Again, each of these tips will speak louder to some than others, and not all are meant to be consumed and acted on at the same time. One day you might be motivated by one type of mood booster, and the next day that same motivator falls flat.

So, to go with the above, perhaps today it’s reviewing your losses or failures, and sparking the competitive nature that “hey, I can do better than this” is what you need to get back into writing .

4. Don’t over plan/think

If you’re not in the mood to write, then you’re probably not going to be in much of a mood to plan to write either.

Meaning, if you need to write a blog post and you aren’t in the mood to do so, researching a topic is the worst. Or maybe it’s the thought that it’s not only the writing that needs to be done but the formatting, finding the images, linking, etc. that is getting you down.

So again, just start a brain dump, and let your words and thoughts about those words guide the exercise, and try to not be steered in the wrong direction by the many other thoughts that can get in the way.

5. Don’t exhaust your ideas and words

You’ve probably heard a version of this elsewhere and in other scenarios, but one good way to get in the mood to write is to be able to seamlessly pick up where you left off versus having to start from scratch every session.

So, that could mean writing half of a blog post, and even though you could push yourself to finish it in that sitting, stopping and then letting yourself pick it up the next time around.

It really comes down to personal workflow and circumstance. If you need to finish a project because of a deadline, then obviously this tip won’t do much for you. But, if you can take a break from the actual writing and then shift your time and focus to another aspect, like research or illustrations, or finding imagery instead, then give it a shot.

6. Schedule a designated writing time

Many writers are “on the side” writers, meaning they write then they have time, which leads to sporadic sessions here and there.

Speaking from experience, this is tough because after a long day of work or school, free time comes at a premium, and sometimes you want to do nothing more than just relax and turn your brain off.

What helps, though, is scheduling a designated writing time. It could be when you first wake up or last thing you do before you go to bed; or on a lunch break, etc.

Scheduling a time ensures you find the time to write, and forces you to get in the mood of doing so, but just as important, it allows you to not feel like you have to use every minute of free time to write. It’s a feeling you can easily fall victim to if you’re wedging in writing time and spinning your wheels, and then feeling like you need to wedge in more time later because you weren’t productive the first time around.

7. Work on multiple projects at once

This goes a bit with the above regarding not exhausting yourself in one sitting, but one thing that might work for you is working on multiple writing projects at once.

Meaning, it can be a challenge to get into the mood to write when you know you have to pump out 1,000 words on a particular topic. But what if you were faced with 500 words on one topic and 500 words on another, or even more spread out than that and say 250 words on four different pieces?

250 words is doable, right? And even though you have to do it four times, there is something about allowing your brain to switch topics that helps get you in the flow.

Hopefully these writing mood boosters help you get going! As a victim of some of the same hurdles, I personally subscribe to scheduling a morning writing time, and allowing myself to jump around to different projects. Would love to hear about your challenges and tips.

© 2021 Last Time Ago LLC

• Mar 31, 2023

How to Get in the Writing Mood FAST (5 Simple Ways to Ignite Creativity)

Updated: Apr 8, 2023

Have you ever been so inspired to write and immersed in your fictional world that the real world just faded away? On the other hand, have you ever been so unmotivated and discouraged with writing that all you wanted to do was shut your laptop and run away? Yeah, I've been there. Both of those places. That's why in today's post, I'm going to be sharing FIVE METHODS that I use daily to get myself excited about my writing projects and enter into a creative headspace.

JUMP TO ANY SECTION:

ROMANTICIZE YOUR STORY

BUILD HABITS

PRACTICE MEDITATI ON

ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS

CREATE A PRODUCTIVE WRITING SPACE

1 | ROMANTICIZE YOUR STORY

Now, I don't mean add romance to your story (while that's certainly an option). What I mean is to immerse yourself in your writing project and get excited about it again. The goal is to make your book feel as real, vivid, and movie-like as possible. Here are a few ways I like to romanticize my story:

VISUAL AESTHETICS

1) Compile images and quotes to make aesthetic boards on Pinterest or MilaNote .

2) Make graphics and collages on Canva or another graphic design site.

3) Do character art or sketch specific scenes in your story.

4) Use Inkarnate or another map-making software to create maps and world-building visuals.

5) Organize your writing software and add aesthetic visuals to it if possible.

1) Playlists. Seriously, make a playlist for your story, or listen to one that matches the mood. You can access all my pre-made writing playlists here .

2) Look up ambience sounds that match the mood of the scene you're writing. You can find them on YouTube, Spotify, or make them yourself on AmbientMixer . 😉

ACTING OUT SCENES

1) Try rehearsing dialogue by yourself in front of the mirror.

2) Act out fight scenes (or really any scene) to get in the mindset of the characters.

SIDE NOTE that it is really easy to get carried away with these resources (*cough cough* definitely something I haven't done), so make sure you're using these tools to help you focus, not get distracted. 😉

2 | BUILD HABITS

This is one of my favorite secret weapons for getting in the writing mood. Habits are powerful; and I've found that building consistent, healthy routines before I sit down to write greatly increases my motivation as well as my focus.

My pre-writing routine usually looks something like this:

1) Stretch or take a walk outside.

2) Make a cup of tea.

3) Pray and meditate.

4) Find writing music and block out distractions.

Doing the same things before we write builds consistency and will eventually create "triggers" in our brains.

For example, during NaNoWriMo, I mainly drank a specific flavor of tea (pumpkin, in case you were wondering). I didn't drink that tea for a while (because I ran out), and it was months before I bought that specific kind again. The next time I made it, my brain immediately went, "Oh! Let's go write!", and I felt so excited and inspired to write my book.

What are some regular habits that you can incorporate into your writing process? Do you write in the same place every time? Or do you always exercise first? Figure out what works best for you, and start making it a consistent routine!

3 | PRACTICE MEDITATION

This doesn't have to be a weird, religious thing. Meditation is simply a way to clear the mind of unnecessary mental clutter and discover focus and creativity.

I usually write in the afternoon, and by then, I'm exhausted from all that I did during the day. Meditation has allowed me to restore my mind to a calm, relaxed, and renewed state. Nothing is more difficult than trying to write when my brain is in a million other places. I lose motivation, and I'm more prone to writer's block and distractions. Not fun, right?

Meditation can come in a lot of different forms. For me, it usually looks something like taking a few minutes to take deep breaths while I pray, repeat a quote or a Bible verse, listen to positive affirmations, or soak in the silence.

4 | ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS

This step is vital because distractions are the enemy of focus, and we need focus to stay in the writing zone. By eliminating the things that divide our attention, we are being intentional and showing respect for our craft.

There are definitely distractions that we can't always control (such as relational or life situations), but there are still many things we can do to prioritize our writing time and creative health. Eliminate what you can, while showing kindness and consideration for those around you.

Take some time to think about the things that are most distracting for you. Is it your writing space? Is it continuous interruptions from family members? Is it the internet? (It's the latter for me. 🤪 )

Once you've identified the distractions you have control over, start searching for ways to combat them. Turn off your internet or install an app blocker. Upgrade your writing space or write in a different place, if possible. Have an honest (and respectful) conversation with your family members about how distracting interruptions are.

Take the time and intention to clear away distractions BEFORE you write. You will be so glad you did, trust me.

5 | CREATE A PRODUCTIVE WRITING SPACE

Not every writing space is going to be ideal, and that's okay. But just because your writing space may not be the best, doesn't mean you can't make it an enjoyable place to be in. Even if you can't keep your decor there permanently (I write at the desk in my family's living room, so this is the reality for me), bring in elements that can be easily moved around.

Get creative with your space, and surround yourself with things that inspire you! Keep your desk area clean. Light some candles and have them around. Consider bringing in an oil diffuser, plants, or little aesthetics that remind you of your story. The possibilities are endless!

LET'S TALK

What gets you in the writing mood? Have you ever tried meditating before working on your story? What are some of your regular writing habits? What's your BIGGEST distraction when you write? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!

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11 Comments

Ooo this was an EPIC post, Ava!!! I 100% second all of these tips! Many of them have helped me SO much to wrap my head around my story or get excited to write. I love "romanticizing" my story, but yeah, like you said... I may or may not tend to spend more time "romanticizing" than "writing"... *awkward cough* XD And the finding something to "trigger" your mind into writing tip has been so helpful for me!! I love your pumpkin tea story, too. <33 I had accidentally trained my brain to get "triggered" into writing whenever Skillet music is playing because when I first got into the band, I was listening to it all the time, even when I…

Aww, Is, you are so sweet!!! Thank you so much!! Oh, I love that!! XD That is so cool! Skillet is awesome. I always get so excited to write epic scenes in my book whenever I listen to them. 😂Although, I can never listen to lyrics while I'm actually writing because it distracts me, haha. Thank you so much for reading, girl! <333

As always, this is an amazing post with great tips! ❤️ My biggest distraction is probably text messages.

Thank you so much, Autumn! I'm glad it could help you.😊 Ah, yes, that's definitely been a distraction for me as well. <3

Thanks for the tips, Ava! Lol, you're not alone in getting distracted by the internet/story resources XD. I've heard a bit about Incarnate! How does it work?

Okay, thanks for letting me know! I can't wait to check it out *pulls out new browser tab from under twenty writing tip sites* Yeah...there's a lot going on with my browser XD.

I love this post! So helpful! The tea thing for you during NaNo is the same for me, except I constantly drank homemade raspberry lemonade and pretzels while I wrote my first novel last year. So whenever I have it, I'm like 'I NEED TO GO WRITE RIGHT NOW.' XDXD I love all your tips for romanticizing your story - I hadn't thought of doing that before. I start drafting on Monday so this came at the perfect time. Awesome post, Ava! <33

~ Pearl @ pearlchristine.com

Thank you so much, Pearl!! 🥰 Ah, yes, so it's the same for you! It's amazing how that works! Aww, I'm so glad this was helpful for you. Best of luck with the drafting process - that's so exciting! <333

How to Get Into Writing Mode With 16 Creative Strategies

Not sure how to get into writing mode? It's time to refocus and get unstuck. Sometimes, getting into the zone to write can be a challenge. You could be feeling drowsy and without any motivation, wish you could just drink some coffee and get going again, or maybe you're feeling overwhelmed by everything that is…

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Not sure how to get into writing mode? It's time to refocus and get unstuck.

Sometimes, getting into the zone to write can be a challenge. You could be feeling drowsy and without any motivation, wish you could just drink some coffee and get going again, or maybe you're overwhelmed by everything that is happening around you.

Blogging becomes all the more difficult when facing these types of challenges. We all know that one of the hardest things about being a blogger is having the motivation to write , which means that it's important to use any tactics we have to get into the zone.

In this article, I will share with you writing advice to switch that brain into writing mode so that you can crank out those articles faster than ever! You never know what will help you overcome these hurdles – see if these sixteen writing tips are as helpful for you as for this blogger.

How to Get Into Writing Mode

The reality is that many of us have trouble starting the task at hand. You may be in a situation where it takes hours to find the time and motivation to focus on your writing. Maybe you're struggling with writer's block, or maybe life just gets in the way.

Luckily, I have 16 writing tips that can help you to get into writing mode and overcome writer's block so you can finally start focusing on what really matters — your content .

1. Location is Key

A change of scenery can be just the thing you need to jump-start your creativity and get into writing mode. Pick a spot that you love and make it your go-to place when you need to overcome writer's block.

It could be a cozy coffee shop, your backyard, or even the local library. Once you have a spot that feels inspiring to you, make sure you have everything you need so you can focus on writing.

This might include a notebook, your laptop, or a stack of post-it notes. Then, when you're feeling stuck, head to your spot and let the words flow.

2. Get Comfortable

One of the best ways to get into writing mode is to make sure that you are comfortable. This means finding a comfortable place to sit or stand and making sure that you have all of the supplies that you need within reach.

If you are going to be writing for a long period of time, you may want to invest in a comfortable chair or desk. You will also want to make sure that you have a good light source so that you can see your computer screen clearly.

It is also important to have all of the tools that you need close at hand . This includes things like a thesaurus, a dictionary, and any other reference materials that you think you may need. Having these things within reach will help you to write more quickly and efficiently.

Once you have everything set up, take a few deep breaths and allow yourself to relax. WordPress writing mode should be a stress-free experience!

3. Eat Brain Food

If you want to write great WordPress blogs , you need to eat the right foods to fuel your brain. There are certain foods that can help to improve your cognitive function and memory.

Some of the best brain-boosting foods include salmon , blueberries, avocados, nuts, and dark chocolate. These foods are all rich in nutrients that can help to keep your brain healthy and functioning at its best.

In addition to eating brain-boosting foods, you should also try to limit your intake of processed foods and sugary drinks. These types of foods can actually harm your brain cells and lead to problems with memory and focus.

Instead of eating unhealthy junk food, make sure to fill up on healthy snacks that will give you the energy you need to write great articles.

4. Ditch The Plug

There are a few different strategies you can try to get into writing mode and overcome writer's block. One interesting strategy is to leave the laptop adapter at home, so you have to race the clock. Creating artificial limitations and constraints can boost productivity.

If you don't plan on leaving the house, you can always set a timer for yourself and see how many words you can write in that period. This will help you to push yourself to see how much you can accomplish in a short amount of time. 

Of course, however, if you don't do well under pressure, this might not be very helpful, but I recommend giving it a try. You never know what you're capable of until the pressure is on.

5. Find Your Ritual

Many professional writers have a specific set of rituals that they perform before they start writing. This could be something as simple as making a cup of tea or coffee, or it could be something more elaborate like taking a walk or doing some stretches.

Find what works for you and make it into a ritual that you perform every time before you start writing. This will help to get your mind into the right frame for writing and it will also help to improve your focus.

6. Look for Inspiration

If you're struggling to develop ideas for your WordPress blog, one of the best things you can do is look for inspiration from other bloggers.

There are a few ways you can do this. One is to read other blogs in your niche and see what topics they're writing about. Another is to use Google search to find blog posts that are similar to what you'd like to write about .

Once you've found some inspiration, it's time to start brainstorming ideas for your own blog post . Jot down a few potential topics, then narrow it down to the one you think will be the most interesting to write about .

Once you have your topic, it's time to start writing! WordPress makes it easy to start blogging, so there's no excuse not to try it.

7. Clear Your Mind

Another great strategy to get in the writing zone is to clear your mind of all distractions. This means turning off your phone, closing all tabs on your computer except for your WordPress editor, and putting away any other potential distractions.

You should also take a few deep breaths and maybe even meditate for a few minutes before you start writing. This will help you to focus and be in the moment.

Now that you are in the right mindset, it is time to start writing! Write about whatever comes to mind, and don't worry about editing or perfectionism at this stage. Just let the words flow and see where they take you. Doing this can make for a nice draft.

Once you have written something or anything, take a break and return to it later with fresh eyes. This will help you edit and improve your work before you publish.

8. Eliminate Distractions

Sitting down and writing a blog post can be difficult when there are so many distractions around. To overcome this, it is important to eliminate external distractions. This means turning off your phone, putting away any other electronics, and closing the door to your room.

If you have children, you may need to find a babysitter or ask someone else to take care of them for a few hours. Once you have eliminated all external distractions, you can focus on writing your blog post.

9. Listen to Music

Recent studies actually suggest that listening to music might actually hinder your writing, however, I wouldn't take completely write music off just yet.

If you're having trouble getting into writing mode, try listening to music. It can help to set the mood and get you into the right frame of mind. Choose music that is calm and relaxing, without lyrics that will distract you.

Classical music or instrumental pieces are often good choices. If you have trouble focusing with music on, try wearing headphones to block out other noise.

10. Sketch an Outline

One way to get into blog writing mode is to sketch an outline of what you want to write about. This can help you overcome writer's block by giving you a starting point and a structure to follow.

Once you have your outline, you can start filling in the details and flesh out your ideas. If you get stuck, go back to your outline and see if there are any other points you can expand on.

11. Create a Goal

When you want to start writing for your WordPress blog, it can be helpful to set a goal for yourself. This will give you something to focus on and strive for as you begin writing.

One way to set a goal is to choose a specific topic that you want to write about. This could be a passion of yours or just a topic of curiosity.

Once you have chosen a topic, try to come up with a list of ideas that you could write about. From there, you can narrow down your list and choose one idea that you would like to focus on.

Another way to set a goal is to choose a certain number of posts that you want to write in a week or in a month. This will help to keep you on track and ensure that you are writing regularly . 

You can also set a number of words you want to get out before retiring for the evening. No matter what goal you set for yourself, make sure that it is realistic and achievable. 

12. Get The Hard Part Done

If you're having trouble getting in writing mode, it could be a sign that you're not challenging yourself enough . Starting with the hard part forces you to buckle down and focus.

Plus, once you get the more difficult parts out of the way, the rest of the writing process will be that much easier. Once you've tackled the hard part, you'll be able to write more freely and easily.

13. Check Your Notes

If you're having trouble getting started with your writing, one of the best things you can do is check your notes for ideas. You may have jotted down some ideas for blog posts or articles that you want to write but haven't had the chance to get to them yet.

Reviewing your notes can help jump-start your writing process and give you something to focus on. Once you have an idea in mind, it will be much easier to start writing and overcome any writer's block that you may be experiencing.

14. Go For a Walk

Sometimes the quickest way to get into writing mode and overcome writer's block is to simply take a walk around the block. If you can't seem to find the motivation to sit down and write, getting some fresh air and moving your body may be just what you need.

Walking clears your mind and gives you time to think about what you want to write about. Once you're feeling refreshed, sit down at your desk and start writing!

15. Try Exercising

One way to try and get into writing mode is by doing some light exercise. This can help to get the blood flowing and also wake up the brain. Exercise releases endorphins , which have mood-boosting effects. So even if you don't feel like writing, a quick workout could help get you into the right mindset.

Once you're feeling more awake and alert, it should be easier to start writing. So if you're feeling stuck, don't hesitate to give exercise a try. It just might be the boost you need to get your WordPress blog writing groove on.

16. Get Hydrated

When you're dehydrated, your brain doesn't function at its best. If you're having trouble getting in the writing zone, make sure you're properly hydrated. Drink plenty of water throughout the day and try to avoid sugary drinks.

It can also help to eat foods that are high in water content, such as fruits and vegetables. Cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelons, and strawberries are all great choices.

In addition to drinking plenty of water, you should also ensure you're getting enough electrolytes. You can find electrolytes in sports drinks or coconut water. You can also take supplements if needed.

If you're still having trouble getting into writing mode after trying these tips, there could be other factors at play. Make sure you're getting enough sleep and eating a healthy diet. These things can affect your mood and energy levels.

There you have it! 16 different ways that you can use to help get yourself into writing mode. By following these tips, you'll be well on your way to cranking out high-quality blog posts on a regular basis. And who knows, maybe you'll even find that you enjoy the process.

What works for you? Is there something else you do to get the words flowing? I'd love to hear it!

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6 Tips on How to Get Into the Writing Mood

Sometimes we don’t feel like sitting in front of the screen, pouring our heart and thoughts into our writing. And when we force ourselves to write anyways, we just stare at a blank page while the clock ticks away relentlessly. Welcome to the world of writer’s block!

I suffer from writer’s block regularly—I don’t seem to be made to write with the same productivity and motivation every day. And that’s often quite okay.

But when the deadline is breathing down your neck, you don’t have the luxury to cut yourself some slack—so what to do? I’ve compiled a list of the top six things that can help you get into the writing mood—or flow, zone, matrix, or whatever you like calling it.

I last updated this article on April 6, 2023.

1. Start off easy

The thing is, once you are writing, things will often happen on their own accord: Sentences emerge, paragraphs form and witty puns weave themselves into context. But it isn’t always easy to shift into this trance-like state.

Yet, when you begin your writing session with the most challenging part, you probably won’t get much done. So instead, try to find something simple or something you could write about quickly.

For example, the hardest part for some to come up with is the beginning of a text, the introduction. You could start somewhere in the middle, where you feel confident enough to develop some decent paragraphs and start typing. Then, at the very end, you write your introduction part, which will then be much easier! It doesn’t matter how you do it—the reader won’t know how you wrote, and I’m sure nobody even cares if you write your articles from bottom to top or in mirror writing.

Be kind to yourself and let it flow

Another possibility is to jot down your ideas in keywords and sentence fragments. Type what comes to your mind, try to let it flow, and don’t set yourself any boundaries; in this early stage of writing, everything is allowed! Be bold, exaggerate, make a few jokes, and add lots of grammar mistakes. Bye-bye, bad writing mood!

Once you’ve poured everything you want to say out of your brain and onto your screen, you can start getting everything into reasonable shape: Create sentences, correct your mistakes, make your jokes smoother, etc.

2. Create your ideal writing space

Surround yourself with things that inspire you or let you feel calm. You may even change your environment: Maybe you need absolute silence, or maybe you concentrate best while sitting in a cafe, sipping a cappuccino, and hearing peoples’ chatter.

If you’re the type of person who can’t concentrate while the waste bin next to them is starting to resemble the Leaning Tower of Pisa, take the time to clean up! Remove all unnecessary clutter from your workspace; while you’re cleaning up, you may get into a calmer state of mind.

3. Listen to music or embrace the silence

While it is said that we can concentrate best while listening to music without singing, this can be entirely different for you. Here, you have to experiment to know what works for you.

I like listening to game soundtracks—they’re usually very symphonic and make me relax. While writing, I generally try to avoid listening to music I listen to in my free time for two reasons:

• Sooner or later, my head would start bobbing, and I’d sing along. Bye-bye concentration!
• You can imagine how hard it would be to concentrate while some metal dude screams into your ears that he wants to drag some virgins into purgatory.

It could also be worth trying to work without music. Maybe you’ll discover that this is the best solution for you. Like I said: experiment!

4. Set yourself writing goals and reward yourself for accomplishing them

When your writing project is big enough, try to split the process into manageable steps . These could be finding ideas, researching , creating a draft version, finding good headlines, editing your text , etc. Every time you accomplish an objective, you may reward yourself with chocolate or an episode of your favorite TV series.

Additionally, plan when you want to finish each task. Doing this is extremely helpful in understanding how to spend your time wisely. Write your to-dos into your calendar or to-do list to keep track of your progress and appreciate your journey!

5. Recall your mission

Many of us can’t do things when we don’t know why we’re doing them.

Why are you writing ? For whom are you writing? Was it your idea to write, or did somebody set you up? Do you want to help people understand your favorite topics?

Sometimes we forget our mission and must remember it to get motivated again. You could write your ‘Why’ on a Post-it and stick it on your monitor or any other place where you’ll see it regularly.

If you can’t find motivation from within you, you have to get it from the outside: Are there readers waiting for your articles? Have you promised your team to write the documentation?

Knowing what motivates you is vital in many aspects of your life. If you can’t commit to doing stuff for yourself, you need to find external motivators to push you ahead and lead you back into a good writing mood.

6. Supply yourself with inspiration

Go ahead, open a new browser window, and visit your favorite blogs, newspapers, magazines, or documentation. Read stuff written by others; if you want to write a tutorial , look up tutorials from people you like and see what they’re doing and how they’re doing it. Are you writing documentation for your API? Look up documentation from companies you think did a good job. Then, again, see how they explain things and why it’s so helpful.

At some point, those writers had to sit at their desks and start typing just like you do now. They’re also suffering from writer’s block from time to time. Plus, it doesn’t matter if you think you’re not as good at writing as them. Just do it; you’ll get better over time.

By doing this, you’ll hopefully remember why you want to write (see Tip number 5). Seeing other people’s work may inspire you and bring you back into a productive writing mood.

Not in the writing mood or just making excuses?

Sometimes we just feel like not doing something. And sometimes, this is a feeling we can’t get rid of. I think we don’t have to force ourselves every time to do stuff nevertheless and instead invest this time to explore our sub-conscience to answer the question: What is holding me back right now? I believe you’re well aware when you’re not able to hustle and when it’s just some excuse. And when it’s just an excuse not to write today because you’d rather spend time with your PS5, I hope those six tips on how to get into the writing mood help you bring your butt back on track.

What are your tips on getting into the writing mood? Got any secrets you may want to share? wink

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6 responses.

Hello! I just wanted to say that I really appreciate this. I’ve been having so many issues with motivation and writer’s block when it comes to my stories and this really helped me get into the right mindset!

Hi May, thanks for your lovely comment. I’m glad my article could help you – I wish you all the best in writing your stories!

thank you so much I’m not really a writer but more of a student and this was helpful because i had to finish some essays – but I’ll be sure to apply these tips!

Thanks, Miriam! I hope you were able to finish your essays quickly 🙂

Hello Sarah,

I hope you and your family are well.

My name is Frederico Ferreira. I’m from Portugal. I’ve 35, I work as a cabin crew at Ryanair and I live in Maia, Oporto district.

I just wanted to say that I loved your article. I want to leave a comment because I know how frustrating it is to write an article such as this. That you’ve put all your love and care and then no-one comments. I also had blogs that I ended up eliminating because I had no followers or comments.

For a long time, I want to become a writer. I love to read so I figure I wanted to become a writer as well. I started to write at a young aged. But I never had any support so I never actually finished a story. My first obstacle was to choose a genre. I remember one of my first stories that I’ve written was like a horror story, then I thought I wanted to write science-fiction. Then, by the time of the success of GOT, I decided that I wanted to write fantasy. But what I ended up realizing was that what I really love is a good story of crime and whodunnit. Last year I gather like 170 A4 pages, about 50 000 words, far from the 90 000 words that the publishers like. These 170 pages are like a big collage of the stories I’ve written over the years. So I had to link them in some way. Then to have more words I had to create more characters, so I started to base my story on the tv show Desperate Housewives and in Duncan Whitehead’s The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club. Now I’m trying to write a mix between “cozy” crime whodunnit and police procedurals. I have already had the victim, the murderer, the possible suspects, the red hearing in my head, but now every time I try to write on the computer I freeze. It’s like I don’t any motivation in me. Anyway, I liked your article and maybe your tips will help me. Well, at least you’ve put me in the writing mode. After this, you’ve got me thinking. Should I write my story in English. It should be more challenging and therefore more motivating.

Thank you very much.

Kind regards,

Hi Frederico, Thank you for your comment and for sharing your writing story with me! Unfortunately, I don’t know much about creative writing and the processes involved, but I wish you all the best with your project and hope you achieve your goal. In any case, it sounds exciting! Whether you should write in English or your native language – if you think the added challenge is motivating, why not? It’s not something to commit to either, is it?

Thank you again and take care!

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How To Get Into a Writing Mood – 9 Tips To Get Going

If you’re not feeling the writing bug at the moment, that’s okay. It’s normal for writers to go days or even weeks with little to no output. Getting in the right writing mood can sometimes be tough. When writer’s block does hit, it can be really hard to motivate yourself back into action — especially if you’re without a deadline.

Luckily, there are plenty of ways that’ll help you get back into writing mode without having to work through your issue entirely. Here are 9 tips that’ll help you get writing again, even if you’re not sure where to start.

1. Make a list of ideas to get started

If you suddenly have no idea what to write, your first instinct may be to try and force yourself into the writing headspace. But before you do that, make a list of ideas that can be the starting points for your book or story. This can help give you a little shove in the right direction without having to worry about actually writing anything yet.

2. Even if you don’t feel like writing, open your text editor and type for a few minutes

If you can’t bring yourself to start writing, open up your text editor and type out a few words anyway. It may not seem like it’s getting you anywhere, but it’ll help get the words flowing again. And at least if you’re typing away, you’re already way ahead of where you could have been: sitting there wondering where to start.

3. Don’t worry about editing yourself

If you’ve already got the words down, don’t stop to edit yourself right away. The best way to break back into writing is to type and type until you can’t take it anymore. Give yourself permission to suck — and just keep going from there. Your edits can come later; let the initial burst of creative energy flow for now.

4. Find a writing prompt or start a freewrite

If you’re not sure how to get going on your story, try heading to a site like 750words.com for a writing prompt or just pick some words out of the dictionary at wordnik.com. Then, just let those words inspire you and write down whatever comes next! Alternatively, you could start typing without any prompt at all and see where it takes you. This process is called “free writing” and it’s a great way to help jump-start creativity.

5. Hit the road and go on a walk or drive

Writing outdoors has several benefits, from getting you working in a productive place to clearing your head or adding some extra scenery to your story. If the weather’s not cooperating, you can also try getting out by driving around — see what interesting sights you spot while writing!

6. Take notes and collect ideas

Whether you use a notebook or not, take some notes as soon as you can. Collecting ideas is key to becoming a better writer, whether it’s by typing them down in a notebook or just jotting them down on your phone while on the go. For inspiration, look over your quick notes when you’re offline and see what topics stand out for you: maybe there are some characters who need more love, or perhaps the character’s motivations are all over the place. These are good starting points for your own story.

7. Go back and read what you wrote earlier that day

Unless you completed the first draft of a piece of writing, it’s probably helpful to go back and read what you’ve already written. This gives you an opportunity to see if your current ideas are still relevant or if they’ve shifted in some way. This is a great way to get back in the habit of writing, as we tend to forget the earlier drafts of our own stories.

8. Consider posting a piece on a forum or social media site

It’s said that you should write what you know, so if you don’t know much about your idea — or anybody else’s — consider sharing it with others! Posting a link to your piece on an online forum can give it some extra exposure and feedback that may trigger new ideas. Or, even better, responding to others’ comments to that same piece can spark some new inspiration.

9. Do something else for a little while

If you’ve tried all of the suggestions above and you’re still not feeling motivated, take a break from writing for a while. Read something else for a little while; see how that makes you feel. Try some different methods of relaxation or just listen to music. Then, come back to the task of writing and try again.

It’s important to remember that you are not alone as a writer. Even famous and popular writers experience times when they just can’t seem to get going with their books or stories. Every author has their ups and downs, but just keep going!

Other writers may have some helpful suggestions for you, too: if it seems like you’re struggling more than normal, ask your writer friends for some help. You can also check out some resources on our blog which will get you goin.

Whatever you do, remember that it’s not all on you to keep going; the process can be full of trial and error, but there is always a solution, even if you’re not quite sure what it is just yet!

Get your hands on our Content Writing Guide for beginners .

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Six Ways To Get In The Mood To Write

Share, Pin or Retweet If You Love Writing!

More specifically, I don’t believe in that mythical, wraithlike ogre that sucks the life and soul from a writer, rendering him impotent, unable to put words down on paper or screen. Yes, I still have challenges; I just don’t believe that true writer’s block exists.

The reason is simple: I can talk.

After all, writing is nothing more — and nothing less — than the written record of a conversation, whether it’s a speech or a dialog, spoken or unspoken. If you can talk, you can write.

I believe that what some folks call writer’s block is simply the result of a lack of confidence or a lack of motivation. Here are six proven tips I use to get into the “write” mood.

1. If You’re a Writer, Call Yourself a Writer Go back right now and reread the first paragraph of this post. Go ahead, I’ll wait for you.

Ah, you’re back. Did you see the answer to the confidence problem? It’s in the first five words of the very first sentence: I am a freelance writer. A ton of material has been written about speaking things into existence. It’s powerful. The concept of visualization is often used in sports to improve athletic skills.

Writers are no different. If you’re going to be a writer, then call yourself a writer. Go ahead, say it out loud: I am a freelance writer!

New writers start out excited about making a living with their words. However, doubt sets in and confidence wanes, smashing their dreams to pieces.

I know. This is one hurdle I had to clear myself.

Start calling yourself a writer at every opportunity. Get some business cards that say so. When people ask you what you do, tell them you’re a writer. Hey, they won’t laugh; they—ll believe you. In fact, they—ll probably ask what you write. If you still have job, mention it last, if at all. The more you call yourself a writer, the easier it gets.

And you’ll begin believing it as well!

Having trouble staying disciplined and on track with your writing endeavours? Check into the  Get It Done Writer's Toolkit (click here!)   that helps you make sure you get your project done on schedule and in an inspired, lucrative way!  

2. Start by Writing Something Fun

Sometimes you’ll get up and tell yourself that you don’t feel like writing. What you probably mean is that you aren’t ready to get started on your paid writing gigs. No problem; start by writing something fun!

I’d recommend that every new writer start a blog on something they enjoy. I have blogs on gardening and computers, two of my passions. I get up every Monday morning, go out to the garden, take some veggie photos and then usually write a blog post. This gets my creative juices flowing, and viola:

I’m in the mood for words, simply because they’re near me! Funny, but when they’re near me, I’m in the mood for words.

(Sorry about that; I’m an old song buff too.)

Sometimes, I’ll get really sneaky. I pull up several documents that need written, and then I’ll open up my browser in front of them. I write the blog post and when I close the browser the articles are there, waiting for me.

For new writers, there’s an added benefit in having a blog. I post on one or the other of my blogs once a week. That comes out to 52 articles a year. If you don’t have clips yet, use these posts. In fact, the back of my business card says this:

Take a break and visit these sites for some of Steve’s writing samples.

The computer site and gardening site addresses are listed so the reader can go there and check out my writing.

3. Don Your Writer’s Clothes

Business coaches tell you to dress for success. This carries over into freelance writing as well. I enjoy working from home because I can work in my, uh, pajamas. That doesn’t mean I should, though.

I have four nice shirts and a pair of penny loafers that constitute my writing wardrobe, along with a pair of nice jeans, of course. When I wear them, I’m magically transformed into Super Writer-Man. Try it yourself. Sounds corny, but it works.

(Cape not included.)

4. Create a Place for Your Writing

Create an office for your writing. It could be a spare room in your house, or as simple as a corner of the living room. Teach yourself, and your family, that when you’re in your “office,” it’s writing time.

We converted our carport into offices several years ago. My office holds my computers, books and other writing paraphernalia. Mary’s is a combination sewing/laundry room for her seamstress business. When I’m off to write, I let her know that I’m going to “the office.”

Remember the part about visualization, speaking something into existence? Even if it’s just a corner of a room, start calling it your office. Make it hallowed, sacred ground: “Creativity lives here.”

Before long you’ll have a real office, if you want it.

5. Set a Time for Your Writing

Having an established time (or times) for your writing helps, but keep some flexibility. In fact, you might find that you’ll break up your schedule into movable blocks of writing time. You can’t do that with a job, but you can with your writing.

My first block usually starts around 4:30 in the morning. I’m an early riser, so I write while the rest of the household is still asleep. Around 6:00, Mary wakes up and starts getting her child care brood. I take a break, eat a little breakfast, play with the kids, maybe take a shower and then get back to writing.

The rest of the day sometimes varies with the activities we have planned. If I’m in the zone, I might be researching and typing all day. Sometimes the evening works out better for writing. I’ve often taken my laptop out under the stars to our picnic table and written deep into the night. By the way, a fire-pit adds terrific ambience. I know; I’m a little weird.

Maybe you just need a primer in how to become a successful freelancer.  Even experienced writers lose track of their business or need to revamp it every now and then. Writers Life has come up with a product that can help you realize your career dreams and get paid!  You can learn about how to make a living as a writer by taking our  How to Make a Living as A Writer Course (CLICK HERE!)

That brings us to the last tip.

6. Change Your Location to Change Your Mood

Sometimes you can get out of a writing slump by changing your setting. Like I said, the picnic table in the yard is my outdoor office. However, I’ve traveled to other exotic locations as well: various McDonald’s diners, the Village Inn restaurant across town and the Fayetteville Public Library.

All right, they all have free Internet access, but there are other reasons too.

A change of scenery often sparks creativity. Watching people going about their daily activities gives you a different perspective than sitting in your office all day. In fact, it just might give you some ideas for spec articles.

For example, we were traveling back home from Indiana last week and stopped at a diner in Missouri. I had my laptop out to check email and do some writing. A guy in the booth across from us had his computer out too. We chatted about computers, and soon I asked him if he was from around there.

It turns out that he’s a professional griller, commissioned by a major food brand. He was on his way to cook for a charity event. Hmm, article idea there? Not only that, but it turned into an impromptu interview and I got the contact information for the company. People love to talk about themselves, so start asking questions!

Delicious; a burger with a side order of ideas!

The Writers Life creative team has put together a product called  The Get It Done, Writer's Toolkit .  This is an ebook/CD combo set that can teach you how to overcome writer's block and procrastination. You will learn how to stop stalling and

Steve Maurer is the author of this blog that appeared with the title 6 Proven Tips For Getting In The Write Mood at http://www.therenegadewriter.com/2012/07/19/7-proven-tips-for-getting-into-the-write-mood/

About Ty Cohen

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Writer's Life.org is the go to place for writers and authors across the planet and of all genres. Our mission is to give you the resources, tools and information needed to take your writing to the next level.

How do we plan on accomplishing this? Easy, instead of focusing 110% of our efforts on meaningless things such as correct spelling, proper grammar and fancy words...

...We'll give you solid information, that you'll get solid results with when tested in the real world ;-)

So with that said...

Consider the mis-spellings, grammatical mistakes and lack of $1000.00 words that you may or may not find on this site a reminder to you to focus on the things that will "really" prompt publishers to become interested in your book or potential fans of your writing to want more and more and more..

...And that is, learning how to write not good, but Great content, that pulls people in and will have them coming back begging for more. (Geesh... Could we get any worse with this run on sentence and lack of structure? I guess not, but I'm sure you get the point...)

A publishing house could care less if you won the spelling bee 10 years in a row.. They have editors that they pay to correct mistakes...

The only thing they are interested in is knowing if your writing is something that will SELL..

Nothing more, nothing less!

Consider this lesson #1 ;-) (Use the social buttons above to follow us on your favorite social site.. You'd hate to mis the next lesson wouldn't you?)

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Book News & Features

Ai is contentious among authors. so why are some feeding it their own writing.

Chloe Veltman

The vast majority of authors don't use artificial intelligence as part of their creative process — or at least won't admit to it.

Yet according to a recent poll from the writers' advocacy nonprofit The Authors Guild, 13% said they do use AI, for activities like brainstorming character ideas and creating outlines.

The technology is a vexed topic in the literary world. Many authors are concerned about the use of their copyrighted material in generative AI models. At the same time, some are actively using these technologies — even attempting to train AI models on their own works.

These experiments, though limited, are teaching their authors new things about creativity.

Best known as the author of technology and business-oriented non-fiction books like The Long Tail, lately Chris Anderson has been trying his hand at fiction. Anderson is working on his second novel, about drone warfare.

He says he wants to put generative AI technology to the test.

"I wanted to see whether in fact AI can do more than just help me organize my thoughts, but actually start injecting new thoughts," Anderson says.

Anderson says he fed parts of his first novel into an AI writing platform to help him write this new one. The system surprised him by moving his opening scene from a corporate meeting room to a karaoke bar.

Authors push back on the growing number of AI 'scam' books on Amazon

"And I was like, you know? That could work!" Anderson says. "I ended up writing the scene myself. But the idea was the AI's."

Anderson says he didn't use a single actual word the AI platform generated. The sentences were grammatically correct, he says, but fell way short in terms of replicating his writing style. Although he admits to being disappointed, Anderson says ultimately he's OK with having to do some of the heavy lifting himself: "Maybe that's just the universe telling me that writing actually involves the act of writing."

Training an AI model to imitate style

It's very hard for off-the-shelf AI models like GPT and Claude to emulate contemporary literary authors' styles.

The authors NPR talked with say that's because these models are predominantly trained on content scraped from the Internet like news articles, Wikipedia entries and how-to manuals — standard, non-literary prose.

But some authors, like Sasha Stiles , say they have been able to make these systems suit their stylistic needs.

"There are moments where I do ask my machine collaborator to write something and then I use what's come out verbatim," Stiles says.

The poet and AI researcher says she wanted to make the off-the-shelf AI models she'd been experimenting with for years more responsive to her own poetic voice.

So she started customizing them by inputting her finished poems, drafts, and research notes.

"All with the intention to sort of mentor a bespoke poetic alter ego," Stiles says.

She has collaborated with this bespoke poetic alter ego on a variety of projects, including Technelegy (2021), a volume of poetry published by Black Spring Press; and " Repetae: Again, Again ," a multimedia poem created last year for luxury fashion brand Gucci.

Stiles says working with her AI persona has led her to ask questions about whether what she's doing is in fact poetic, and where the line falls between the human and the machine.

read it again… pic.twitter.com/sAs2xhdufD — Sasha Stiles | AI alter ego Technelegy ✍️🤖 (@sashastiles) November 28, 2023

"It's been really a provocative thing to be able to use these tools to create poetry," she says.

Potential issues come with these experiments

These types of experiments are also provocative in another way. Authors Guild CEO Mary Rasenberger says she's not opposed to authors training AI models on their own writing.

"If you're using AI to create derivative works of your own work, that is completely acceptable," Rasenberger says.

Thousands of authors urge AI companies to stop using work without permission

But building an AI system that responds fluently to user prompts requires vast amounts of training data. So the foundational AI models that underpin most of these investigations in literary style may contain copyrighted works.

Rasenberger pointed to the recent wave of lawsuits brought by authors alleging AI companies trained their models on unauthorized copies of articles and books.

"If the output does in fact contain other people's works, that creates real ethical concerns," she says. "Because that you should be getting permission for."

Circumventing ethical problems while being creative

Award-winning speculative fiction writer Ken Liu says he wanted to circumvent these ethical problems, while at the same time creating new aesthetic possibilities using AI.

So the former software engineer and lawyer attempted to train an AI model solely on his own output. He says he fed all of his short stories and novels into the system — and nothing else.

Liu says he knew this approach was doomed to fail.

That's because the entire life's work of any single writer simply doesn't contain enough words to produce a viable so-called large language model.

"I don't care how prolific you are," Liu says. "It's just not going to work."

Liu's AI system built only on his own writing produced predictable results.

"It barely generated any phrases, even," Liu says. "A lot of it was just gibberish."

Yet for Liu, that was the point. He put this gibberish to work in a short story. 50 Things Every AI Working With Humans Should Know , published in Uncanny Magazine in 2020, is a meditation on what it means to be human from the perspective of a machine.

"Dinoted concentration crusch the dead gods," is an example of one line in Liu's story generated by his custom-built AI model. "A man reached the torch for something darker perified it seemed the billboding," is another.

Liu continues to experiment with AI. He says the technology shows promise, but is still very limited. If anything, he says, his experiments have reaffirmed why human art matters.

"So what is the point of experimenting with AIs?" Liu says. "The point for me really is about pushing the boundaries of what is art."

Audio and digital stories edited by Meghan Collins Sullivan .

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• mary rasenberger
• chris anderson
• sasha stiles
• authors guild

The Creative Writing Breakfast Club Sunday 5th May 2024

Join writer Laurie Bolger for Creative Writing Breakfast Club, a chance to get scribbling from the comfort of your own space via Zoom.

Date and time

Refund policy, about this event.

The Creative Writing Breakfast Club as featured in Time Out is a Free Flow Creative Writing hour with writer Laurie Bolger.

This session is about letting your creativity lead the way, generating new and exciting writing in your own unique style.

During this 60 minute workshop Laurie will take you through fast paced writing exercises to boost mindfulness. All you need is a pen and paper and somewhere chilled to sit and let your imagination do it’s thing.

"My first workshop of Laurie's & definitely won’t be my last… ideas exploding all over the shop - thank you, loved it"

Writing: Water Participant 2023

“Laurie’s workshops are a safe & at the same time dangerous place for writing..."

Writing The Seven Deadly Sins Workshop Participant 2022

“If you ever want a cosy, creative, calming place to explore writing, Laurie's workshops are perfection…My heart is so full (I know what that means now)”

Breakfast Clubber 2023

"Probably the best, most productive w/s I've ever attended. Fantastic. Thank you!"

Writing The Body Participant 2023

Laurie Bolger is a London based writer and founder of The Creative Writing Breakfast Club. Her debut collection Box Rooms has featured at Glastonbury, TATE, RA & Sky Arts.

Laurie’s work has appeared in The Poetry Review, The London Magazine, Moth, Magma, Crannog, Stand, & Trinity College Icarus. Laurie’s writing has been shortlisted for The Bridport Prize, Moth Poetry Prize, Live Canon, Winchester & Sylvia Plath Prizes.

Her poem ‘Parkland Walk’ was awarded first place in The Moth Poetry Prize judged by Louise Glück & was highly commended in this years Forward Prize for Poetry.

Laurie has collaborated with organisations such Google, as Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Nationwide, Mind UK & Choose Love. Laurie's latest publication 'Makeover' is to be published by The Emma Press next year.

www.lauriebolger.com

Instagram @lauriebolger_

Twitter @lauriebolger

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