Things I Do To Actually Get Writing Done

It’s hard to write sometimes. That is, the actual act of writing comes easy to many writers, but most struggle to actually get into the momentum to write.

This makes it especially difficult to finish longer works like books- something I myself have been struggling with. I began several novels never to finish any go them, either because I felt doubt or uninspired or simply because life got in the way.

That’s why I wrote out a list of the things I do that actually get me to finish writing whatever I’m working on. Whenever I feel like I’m not making any progress on my writing, I will refer to this list to see what I could do to change that. I suggest all writers to make such a list, and I hope that my list will give you ideas for your own.

So here they are: 10 things that help ensure that I actually get my writing done.

1.Train myself to believe that writer’s block doesn’t exist

One way to get writing done is to get rid of the main culprit- writer’s block. Tell yourself that it doesn’t exist, because although there may be times when inspiration comes easier than other times, that doesn’t mean that it’s the only time it can come.

You have to work to find inspiration to write, and not doing so is just being lazy. Stop being lazy and do something to get some inspiration.

2. Don’t set goals too ambitiously in the beginning

It’s easy to start a book, write 5,000 words in one day, and then expect yourself to write that much every day and finish the book in just a few weeks. Chances are, this won’t be possible. You will get burnt out, run out of ideas, or life will get in the way, and suddenly your book is a year in the making and still only halfway done.

You should set a minimum word count that you have to complete every day. Keep that minimum as if your life depends on it. If you go way beyond that minimum count, then great- keep on doing it. But for the days when the words aren’t flowing out of you, when you’re feeling too tired, lazy, busy or uninspired to write, you still have to write. Even if it’s just a small amount, like 200 words, you need to write every day if you want to see progress.

3. Get everything out of the way first

Usually when I feel like I can’t write, it’s when I have too much going on in my life and I’m feeling too stressed and overwhelmed to write. What I do is first take care of everything on my mind and on my to do list so that I can focus on my writing without having anxiety distract me. I run the errands, pay the bills, get those chores finally done. I focus on getting responsibilities out of the way so that I have no excuse not to write.

The responsibilities of life should have no place in your writing mode mind. Banish them from the kingdom of your writing world. They have no place there.

If there’s something on my mind that I can’t take care of right at that moment, I banish it. If there’s nothing I can do, there’s no point in taking up the space in my head that could be used for writing. I know that’s easier said than done, especially for those with anxiety like me, but with practice, it can be accomplished.

4. Set deadlines that are non-negotiable

Convince yourself the world will end if you don’t meet your set deadlines. Because if you want a life as a writer, it kind of will.

Make it real. Your deadlines must be met or the world will end.

Other people will think you’re crazy if you tell them this. Let them think it. You’re a writer; you’re supposed to be a little crazy.

5. Edit when stuck

I’ve heard advice from other writers saying that you should never edit while writing your first draft, or else you will never finish it, constantly editing the same parts over and over. I partly disagree, because sometimes you simply can’t move on with new ideas when you know that you have a gaping plot hole.

You can go back to edit parts you want to change to move the story forward. Just make sure that you aren’t editing for grammar issues, but plot issues. While revisiting your story, you will likely be able to come up with new ideas to move forward with the story.

6. Free write

Don’t stop writing for a set period of time. Set a timer and don’t stop typing or writing down words until the words start making sense and you come up with a new idea. And then don’t stop writing.

This is an especially good idea if you are stuck on what comes next in your story. You could either stop writing, and perhaps not start writing again for months until you come up with an idea, or you could force yourself to come up with an idea in that moment by writing non-stop. When you want to finish writing a book asap, which option sounds more productive?

7. Have a general outline

It’s always good to know what your book or story is going to be about before sitting down to write it. You don’t have to write it down, but make sure you have a general beginning, middle and end before writing.

Without one, you’re more likely to hit a point where you don’t know where the story is going and stop writing it. Some writers don’t like having a detailed outline, preferring instead to let the story guide itself. That’s great if this works for you, but it’s always a good idea to have at least a very basic foundation in mind already before you start writing.

8. Banish all possible distractions

Set aside a certain amount of time in your day to write. Then get rid of any distractions that would prevent you from writing. Disconnect your laptop from Wi-Fi, turn off your phone (better yet, don’t have it with you) and tell whoever you live with not to bother you.

Even if it’s as little as half an hour a day, you can eventually reach that writing goal. Just make every second of the half hour count.

9. Go to a designated writing spot

Find a nice writing spot and designate it as your go-to writing spot. This way, when you’re in this space, your brain associates it with time to write. It could be a desk or certain room in your home, a café nearby or the library.

You can also designate a few spots to write if you’re like me and need a constant change of environment to focus.  This is one of the easiest and fastest ways to get me to write. When I sit down at a cafe with a tea I ordered, my brain instantly turns on its writing mode, knowing that it’s time to write.

10. Manifest: see the writing completed

Imagine seeing your story or book completed. See yourself holding the book or uploading the finished story to a literary journal. Hold on to that image while writing. It may seem silly, but it seriously works (and not just for writing, but for all aspects of life).

Don’t let doubt tarnish that image. You can’t completely prevent the doubt from entering into your writing kingdom, but don’t let it inside the city’s gates. You can’t stop it from existing, but you can stop it from destroying your goal.

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I hope you learned a new tactic for forcing yourself to get your current writing project done! If you have any other suggestions for things that work for you, make sure to leave those suggestions in the comments below! Happy writing 🙂