Top Ten ways to Stay motivated when writing

When you're right in the middle of a project, it's easy for it to become a long stretch of struggles. Whether it's just feeling those mid-way blues, fighting that burnt-out writer's block, (Check out our post on that!) or just having a hard time staying motivated to keep going, the middle can be a difficult place to get through. Here at Fearless Type, though, we believe in you, and that's why we're here with our top ten ways to stay motivated when writing!

1. Set smaller, stepping stone goals. It's easy to feel really overwhelmed when looking at the big picture. If you've committed to writing a novel in a month, or a word-count goal of 25k in two weeks, you know how quickly that goal and deadline can start to loom over you. Sometimes, the daily word count isn't even much better-- if you're looking at a number like 5k or even 2k for the day, it can suck the enthusiasm right out of you before you even start. Don't let the numbers change your outlook, though! Break up your goal into smaller, bite sized, stepping stone goals. Writing 5k in a day might seem like a lot, but writing 250 words is easy. If you can commit to writing 250-- then commit again, and again, you'll find you reach your goal before you know it. We talk about this some in our post on how to get through a 10k Day-- be sure to check it out! 
2. Use writing tactics you enjoy. There are so many different tricks and tools out there for writing. It's important to find the ones you enjoy and then actually utilize them. If you aren't a fan of word wars or using apps like Write or Die stresses you out, then don't feel pressured to use them just because they work great for some people. Instead, think about what actually helps you get in the flow and what tools you've found helps you smash the wordcount. Do you enjoy the imagination of word crawls? Do you find that you just need to use apps like Forest to turn off your phone and help promote a deep focus? Do you need to include friends on social media in your process by asking them for prompts or word count goals? Whatever it is you know works for you, do that, and don't worry if it's not what everyone else is doing.
3. Share your goals on social media or with a friend. If you want to get others involved and cheering you on your way, you can share your goals on social media or with a friend. By going public with your commitments, it can help you stay motivated to show up and achieve your goals, and you also have that accountability if you're putting your work off.
4. Plan a reward for each small goal, and then a bigger one for the ultimate goal. Planning positive rewards for each goal you reach is a good way to keep your brain happy and eager to keep going. You can have a daily goal reward and then a larger one for the entire project, or you can even break it up to reward smaller wordcounts throughout the day. Maybe you get a piece of chocolate every 1k words, or maybe you get to watch an episode of your favorite show or make a single-serving cupcake at the end of a successful day. These are just little perks to incentivize your work, and can lead up to the final reward-- perhaps something like a new coffee mug, a few books, or some writer merch you've been eyeing.
5. Go over some mantras. Creating mantras are an easy way to instantly give yourself a boost of encouragement and help your brain start working in a positive way. You can even write these and place them around your writing space to keep you motivated as you go.
6. Self-encouragement. Take a look at what you are telling yourself. If it's harsh or negative, it's got to go! Be kind to yourself and make sure the words you are speaking about yourself whether that's aloud or just in your head, are positive and encouraging. You lack of motivation will just increase if you are beating yourself up about things, but if you flip the script and begin encouraging yourself, you'll probably find that you're that much more likely to feel motivated to write! Consider how you would talk to a writer friend, and then give yourself the same courtesy.
7. Create habit chains. This is something that has to be built on, but if you make a commitment to a daily habit, it gets harder to break it the longer you go. Get a calendar and hang it up, or have a piece of paper where you log your streak of wins. Then keep it visible and in your writing space. The more success you see, the more motivated you will be to keep that going and not break the chain. Whether this is a daily word count, simply writing something everyday, a chapter written, or a certain amount of time you spend every day on your book, habit chains are a great way to get you motivated and in good patterns.
8. Have a distraction notebook nearby. If you find that one reason your motivation wanes is because you get distracted easily, consider having a distraction notebook on hand. Every time a thought pops into your head that feels like it's pulling you from your project, write it down in the notebook. At the end of your work time or during a break, you will have the chance to review what you've written and see if any of those things still interest you enough to pursue. Doing this not only helps you stay focused when you need to, but it also helps your motivation stay strong by giving yourself permission to look at those distracting things later. Just saying "ignore it" can easily be a motivation killer because it feels restricting, so by promising yourself that you can chase those distractions-- just later-- can help you stay on track.
9. Stay organized. A messy writing space is not only distracting but it can also negatively impact both your brain and your writing. The clutter will begin to extend into mental clutter, and before long, you'll find yourself distracted, tired, and unmotivated. Staying organized doesn't have to be an ordeal, either. Simply tidying up for a few minutes before and after each writing session is usually all you need, and having a place for everything to belong (like pens, notebooks, snacks, and more) will help keep things in order. 
10. Just start. At the end of the day, sometimes the best way to beat that feeling of no motivation is to just sit down and start moving those fingers on that keyboard. While it might feel like a grind at first, the more you go, the easier it gets. Isaac Newton was right-- a thing in motion stays in motion. It's a lot easier to keep going if you actually begin.

So there you have it! Our top ten ways to stay motivated and stay writing! Do you have any tips or tricks that keep you motivated? Why don't you share them in the comments below!

Stay Fearless!