A few years back, when my mom was diagnosed with OCD, we experienced a terrible phase of life. After many ups and downs, and with the help of intense psychotherapists, my mother was able to overcome the condition. My mother’s condition pinched my heart deeply, and therefore, I decided to write a book on dealing with OCD patients to help others.
However, I was unable to write a single para for six months. Whenever I wanted to write, the trauma my family and I went through started coming to my mind. This made me feel depressed and not in the perfect mood to write. Several months passed, and I couldn’t get in the mood to write, and that’s when I decided to join a writer’s retreat.
To my wonder, it helped me greatly. The techniques I learned there helped me shake my inhibitions and undo my writer’s block. Here, I will share the tips I learned with you to help you write when you are not in the mood!
Let’s begin:
1. Identify the Problem
Writers, especially beginners, often say that they are not in the mood to write; however, this is just an excuse, not the reason. When we do not want to write, there is a reason or resisting force behind it. To get in the mood, you have to identify the reason that’s causing the problem. Take a pen and paper, and write down all the possible reasons for your unwillingness to write.
Be sure to answer the Why, What, and Where part. Now, in the next para, write down about dealing with this resistance. Once you identify the problem, you can deal with it and move on. In addition, this is a perfect exercise to warm up your writing style. It brings you into the flow of writing and let you write about the main topic. In most cases, this strategy is enough to get you into the mood of writing.
2. Set Some Boundaries
Divide your project into small chunks and set time for each part. For instance, you have decided to give 30 minutes to write each day. Now, if you are not feeling motivated to write or you want to do some other task, stop yourself from doing it. Turn off your cell phone, and sit idle in a separate room. Be strict with the rule. The time allotted to write should not be given to any other thing.
Outcome:
After a few minutes, you will feel like writing rather than sitting idle.
3. Be Prepared
At times, we are not in the mood to write because we don’t have sufficient knowledge. When we have a sound knowledge of the topic, we will feel great writing about it. For instance, let’s assume that you are hired to write about carpet cleaning hacks, but you have zero knowledge about it, so you may be tempted to procrastinate. On the other hand, when you research the hacks, you will be inspired to write good content, and it will become easier to write.
4. Set a Dedicated Space to Write
Sitting on a bed with pillows, all around will never bring you into a writing mood. Create a dedicated space in your home for writing. It can be a simple table chair in your garden. Fresh air and nature will surely inspire you to achieve your writing goals. You can also set a writing table in your study room with a few motivational quotes on your desk.
5. Using Real-Life Examples
Some people hate writing about bookish things and quotes. The facts, figures, and scientific methods are boring for many of us. However, sharing real-life examples and telling your own story can be interesting. So, reinforce fact-based writing with personal anecdotes and tell the audience about your life.
6. Breaks, Breaks, and Breaks
Even when you are in a mood to write, you cannot write without taking a few breaks. A perfect strategy to keep your mind fresh is to take strategic breaks. Taking breaks will help keep you fresh, so you enjoy your work while doing it. Moreover, when you review your work with a fresh mind, you can pinpoint mistakes and make modifications to improve your work.
7. Plan
Researching the topic and then writing it may sound like a boring task. However, you can make it interesting and simple by researching beforehand. Use your Android phone to research while coming back from office, relaxing in your garden, or just lying down on the bed. Plan everything about the topic and make notes about the key points. Now, you are almost done with the research without sitting in front of your laptop. This will give you a sense of relaxation, and you will require less time in writing. So, now you will be sitting in a working position for half of the time that you usually do.
8. Reward Yourself
Everyone needs the motivation to write, and so do the writers. You can give small rewards to yourself when accomplishing tasks. For example, if you are done with the first chapter of the book, go for a short walk with your friends, enjoy a pizza break or have a Skype call.
9. Let Your Laptop Stay Open
If you have finished the introduction and you don’t feel like writing more, do not turn off your laptop. Now, even if you are going somewhere or making a call to your friend, your subconscious will keep reminding you about the pending work. In the same way, you can keep the docs open. Once you are done with the social media news feeds, you will automatically notice the docs and will be prompted to finish your work.
Conclusion
Getting into the right mood to write is not that difficult; you just need the right techniques to get in the groove! Delaying writing, showing reluctance, and giving justifications can only prolong your writing projects. Use the above-mentioned strategies to combat procrastination and get into the perfect writing flow.
How many times have you faced the same situation, and how did you deal with it? Share some useful tips with us!
Arslan Hassan is an electrical engineer with a passion for writing, designing, and anything tech-related. His educational background in the technical field has given him the edge to write on many topics. He occasionally writes blog articles for Carpet Cleaning St Albans.
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