Struggling with Your Writing Progress? Here's the Reason Why.
In the writing world, staying motivated and growing as an author can sometimes be a challenge. Meg, a freelance writer and eight-time NaNoWriMo winner with work published in various publications, believes that pushing oneself is essential for growth and success.
Meg, the creator of Novelty Revisions, a platform dedicated to helping writers put their ideas into words, attributes the issue of laziness and lack of motivation to not doing enough of something, rather than doing something wrong. She suggests adopting several deliberate strategies to challenge oneself, overcome a writing funk, and grow in the writing world.
Start writing anything, even if it’s bad, to reduce pressure and spark creativity. Getting words down, no matter their quality, can help break the block.
Build a consistent writing habit by setting aside dedicated daily or weekly time to write, focusing on routine rather than perfection. Discipline is vital and often more important than waiting for inspiration.
Change your writing environment to refresh creativity and break habitual blocks. Trying new places like a café or library can inspire new perspectives.
Use creative exercises or prompts that push you to explore different angles or perspectives in your writing, such as writing from a side character’s point of view or drafting letters between characters.
Work on a different project temporarily to reset your mental energy without abandoning your main work.
Develop meaningful connections with other writers and readers by reaching out, discussing your work, or joining creative communities. These interactions can offer support, feedback, and motivation beyond the social media follower chase.
Set clear goals, timelines, and intentions for your writing projects to create structure and accountability. Clarifying your vision and aligning your writing with a bigger mission boosts motivation and confidence.
Eliminate distractions like social media or notifications to deepen focus during writing sessions.
Talk through your writing challenges with trusted friends or fellow writers, which can provide fresh ideas and emotional support.
Meg also suggests that daring to test one's own limits as a creator can lead to positive results. She encourages writers to write and publish an essay that might receive negative comments, even if it makes the writer uncomfortable. Writing a novel featuring a main character with beliefs the writer does not support can also be a challenging exercise.
Interestingly, Meg believes that a writing life without stress can become boring. Daring to push beyond comfort zones can lead to growth and thriving in the writing world. A writing life filled with challenges, growth, and personal development is more rewarding than one filled with comfort and ease.
Meg can be followed on Twitter for tweets about writing, food, and nerdy things. For more tips and insights, visit Novelty Revisions.
To foster personal growth and enhance one's lifestyle as a writer, Meg, the author of Novelty Revisions, recommends tackling challenging writing projects and expanding one's educational horizons through activities like learning from other writers and readers. She advises user-friendly training methods such as writing essays that may evoke criticism or creating characters with disparate viewpoints, furthering self-development and improving one's writing skills.
