The key to getting better at writing is practice. To meet their writing goals and exercise discipline, most writers try to write every day. But how do you write when you’re burnt out or need some more inspiration? Check out these three tips for writing every day without sacrificing your mental well-being.

 

Set Small Goals

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you have a huge goal you want to meet. It’s also hard to focus on your writing when this anxiety gets in the way. But there’s a simple way to combat these feelings. When writing, set small goals that are easier to complete. By breaking your large goal into more manageable chunks, you discover where you’re comfortable with your writing output. This keeps the burnout from coming.

For example, I try to write at least 500 words every day. I discovered that this goal is manageable after testing it for a few days, and I find myself ready and excited each day the better I practice it. Not only do I feel ready to increase my word count to, say, 750 words, but I also disciplined myself to write without stress every day.

 

Write in the Morning

Even if you aren’t a morning person, writing in the morning works wonders for anyone looking to write every day. For one, if you wake up and immediately start writing, your brain hasn’t had time to focus and stress about anything else. Focusing on something you enjoy first thing in the morning lets your brain associate your enjoyment with your writing, which makes you want to keep doing it.

Also, writing in the morning is perfect for anyone who has a busy schedule. At night, you’re usually too burnt out from a day’s work to write, and you might not have free time during the day. Getting just a few paragraphs in at the start of your day makes you feel accomplished, and it keeps the stress of completing your goals at bay.

 

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Do More than Writing

The writing process is more than just writing. If you don’t feel inclined to write some days, you can still work toward your writing goal. Some activities you can do include:

  1. Outlining your novel or story
  2. Editing a page or chapter you wrote earlier
  3. Taking notes
  4. Reading what you wrote!

 

If it ends up getting you closer to your goal, it’s worth doing. Having some variety every day also keeps you from getting bored and frustrated. By doing more than writing, you not only discipline yourself to keep going, but you also engage with all aspects of the writing process like it’s second nature.

Getting to the point where you can write every day takes time and patience. But you don’t have to overwhelm yourself along the way! Take your time and keep yourself in mind as you write. That way, you’re proud of what you created at the end of the day.

 

 

 

E.S. Foster is a fiction writer and graduate student at the University of Cambridge, St. Edmund’s. She is also the creator of the Foster Your Writing blog. Her work has appeared in over twenty literary journals, including Aurora Journal, Sour Cherry Mag, and Paragraph Planet. Her chapbooks have been published by Yavanika Press (2022) and Ghost City Press (2023). You can find more of her articles here.