Getting Words On The Page: Tips For Your Writing Time & Motivation

 Getting Words On The Page: Tips For Your Writing Time & Motivation

Hello my fellow writers! I’m back… finally. Today’s post is going to be about how to get words on the page when you’re feeling unmotivated, and just some tips to get the most out of your writing time!

Do You Need A Break?

Before we get into everything else, you need to ask yourself if you’re pushing yourself too hard in your goals, word count, etc. If you are doing too much, you’re just asking to get burnout– and that is a big no-no. 

So, if you need to take a break, I suggest you do that before trying any of these things out.

Need Motivation?

There are three things that I would recommend if you’re feeling unmotivated when it comes to your story.

Set A Goal

Maybe you’re not big into goals, or maybe you just haven’t thought about them. I would recommend setting a goal (it could be something like, write 100 words, to write three chapters) for each day, to help you maintain consistency and re-motivate yourself.

Give Yourself A Reward

For bigger milestones, like… hitting the halfway point in your first draft, treat yourself to something you like. Maybe it’s ice-cream or binging a movie. Maybe it’s buying a new blanket. Whatever feels rewarding to you will work. Just make sure that the ‘bigger’ things are for bigger goals.

Do Other Things

By this, I mean: making character or book playlists, imagining spin-offs, making moodboards… anything that’s not actually writing your story. Sometimes, the best way to re-motivate yourself to write is to… well, not write.

Tips For Your Writing Time

I have quite a few of these, and these range from where you sit to timers, and more. Remember that what works for me or for others may not work for you, though!

Know Your Limits

This is the MOST important tip for making the most of your writing time. Maybe you have hours of free time, and can write all day. Or maybe you work a 9-to-5, have eight kids (that’s a lot of kids), and five pets, and have twenty minutes to write each day. 

Maybe you’re a slow writer and have a lot of free time. Maybe you're a mother of eight kids and can crank out almost 1k words in those twenty minutes before bedtime.

What I’m saying is: know your time limits, how many words you can write in a set block of time, AND your energy level. Don’t try to write all day if you’re tired. Know your limits.

Where You Are Writing

This can actually make a VERY big difference in how well you write. If you’re sitting at a kitchen table with your morning cup of coffee, you’ll (probably) get more done than when you’re trying to write while your extended family members are over to watch the Super Bowl.

If you have a favorite or preferred place to write, always try to write there. And, if you’re shy (like me), find a secluded spot to write (because you know the feeling when someone is reading your writing over your shoulder). 

Music Or No Music?

This depends on the person. Maybe you like to listen to acoustic instrumental music while you’re writing, or maybe you like to rock out to Nirvana while writing. Or, maybe you don’t listen to music at all!

If you get distracted by songs with lyrics, but still want noise in your ears, go with instrumental. If you like silence while writing, either go someplace quiet or get noise-cancelling headphones.

Whatever works for you!

Should You Use A Timer?

There is a really simple answer to this: are you doing writing sprints? If you’re attempting to lock-in and ONLY write for a certain amount of time, please use a timer. It will help you keep yourself on track.

If you’re writing with no specific time constraints, then it really boils down to if you like timers or not. If you enjoy having timers so you know when to take a break, then do that. If you don’t care about the time, you don’t need a timer.

Goals

I would recommend setting goals for yourself. Whether it's: I’m going to write 3,000 words today, or I’ll write 10,000 words this week, or you know what, I’ll try to write 500 words during my work break… set a goal!

It can be a daily goal, a weekly goal, a time-wise goal… it doesn’t matter. It helps you have something to aim for. 

But if you don’t hit the goal, don’t feel down about it. It’s fine if life gets busy and you can’t do what you were planning on doing.

…and there it is! My tips and tricks for getting words on the page! If you’re new here, take a look around my other blogposts! And don’t forget to take a peek at my Youtube Channel, RL Writer.