Between writer’s block, the distractions and stresses of everyday life, and an overall lack of motivation on some days, it may feel like a miracle anyone gets a book written at all, let alone published! To some extent, it is – crafting an entire world through only the written word (and maybe a few illustrations) is one of the most deceivingly difficult, yet infinitely rewarding creative exercises a person can do. So, without further ado, here are our top tips to stay motivated while writing your book.

Set Daily Targets

One of the most straightforward nuggets of advice for budding writers is to set targets for how much to write every day. For example, your target could be to write at least 1,000 words. By setting these small, incremental targets, you’ll have a full-length novel before you know it. Sometimes, it can be helpful to write in an almost stream-of-consciousness way without looking back on anything that you’ve already written, just for the sake of reaching those self-made deadlines.

Your personal goals may not always be realistic to reach every single time, so don’t be disheartened if you can’t meet the expectations you set for yourself – everyone is their own harshest critic, after all.

Write First, Edit Later

Ernest Hemingway once brusquely wrote: “The first draft of anything is ****.” Crude, yet accurate.

It’s rare for even an experienced writer to immediately produce solid gold. If anything, they will be more acutely aware of how important the self-editing process is. Some may find it easier to edit as they go, this may be very time consuming and limit your in-the-moment creativity. Focus most of your energy on writing as much as possible, then look at your work again with a fresh perspective once the bulk has been done.

Don’t Blame Everything on Your ‘Person from Porlock’

One night in the late 1700s, Samuel Taylor Coleridge awoke from a vivid dream (while heavily intoxicated on a fashionable substance which we do not recommend) and grabbed his quill and paper in a frantic haze. He had imagined the composition of “the perfect poem” – Kubla Khan – in this dream, and he simply had to write it down for the whole world to see. 

Unfortunately, while in the process of translating his dreams to reality, he was interrupted by a person on business from Porlock. Trapped in a boring conversation for over an hour, the man eventually left and Coleridge sullenly returned to his desk. His worst fears had come to pass – he had forgotten most of the poem. The fragmented version we know today is still regarded as one of the greatest poems, but many wonder how much more mind-blowing it could have been if not for this meddling Person from Porlock!

However, the ideal of the lone genius having waves of divine inspiration is not always realistic for most writers. Getting too bogged down in trying to replicate a “perfect” idea you may have had while taking a shower can sometimes be limiting. Case in point, it took decades for Coleridge to bother publishing Kubla Khan – if it wasn’t for his friend Lord Byron noticing how great it was in its “imperfect” state, it may have never seen the light of day!

Take Regular Breaks

Sometimes, the only thing you can do is step away from your writing completely and come back to it later. This can take weeks or even months, but any amount of time may be necessary to collect your thoughts and rethink how to approach your work.

We hope you find our advice on how to stay motivated while writing useful when you’re working on your new book. Let us know some of the techniques you use to stay motivated!

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