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10 Steps to Find Your Writing Motivation and Inspiration

September 28, 2023

Writing is an art that requires creativity and inspiration to produce great content. For new authors sometime finding motivation to write and inspiration is difficult but crucial to your success. The process of writing can be challenging, and writers often face many obstacles that can hinder their creativity.

These challenges can range from writer’s block to a total lack of inspiration.

When writers lack motivation and inspiration, their creativity and productivity suffer. They may find themselves struggling to come up with new ideas, and their writing may become dull and uninspired. This can lead to frustration and even burnout, which is obviously detrimental to a writing career!

To overcome these challenges, new authors need to find ways to stay motivated and inspired. In this article, I will cover ten steps that can help new authors find their writing motivation and inspiration.

By following these ten steps, new authors can spark inspiration and turn finding your motivation to write and produce great content into second nature.

Writing is a journey, and it is essential to find ways to stay motivated and inspired along the way.

Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

Set Clear Goals:

The first step is to set clear goals. Having clear goals is essential in writing. It helps you as a writer define your objectives and stay focused on what you want to achieve. Whether it is finishing a novel, writing a blog, or submitting articles to publications, setting goals can give you a clear direction.

Make sure to establish short, medium and longer-term goals so that you have something to work towards. Don’t be afraid to add milestones along the way too, for the longer goals, so that you know you’re on track. Seeing progress can help with your motivation.

Once you have set your goals, you need to break them down into smaller, achievable tasks.

This helps you avoid feeling overwhelmed and makes the process more manageable. For example, if the goal is to write a novel, you should break it down into chapters or scenes and set deadlines for each section.

With a clear direction and purpose, you can stay motivated and inspired to achieve your writing dreams.

Create a Writing Routine:

Establishing a consistent writing routine is essential as a new author to stay motivated and inspired. When you make writing a habit, it becomes easier to get into the flow of writing and overcome writer’s block.

Setting aside dedicated time for writing each day or week can help you establish a routine and create a sense of discipline. It is essential to find a time that works best for you, whether it is early in the morning, late at night, or during your lunch break.

Creating a designated writing space can also help establish a focused mindset. Whether it is a home office, a local library, or a coffee shop, finding a space that works for you can help you get into the writing zone.

Make sure your writing space is free of distractions and equipped with the tools you need to write effectively, such as a comfortable chair, a desk, and a computer or notebook.

In addition to setting aside time and creating a designated writing space, it is crucial to establish a plan for the actual activities in each session.

This can include activities such as brainstorming, outlining, and editing, in addition to actual writing. Setting targets to establish a routine that becomes a habit is a key to success for many new writers.

By breaking down the writing process into manageable tasks and incorporating them into your routine, you can stay motivated and inspired to achieve your writing goals.

Explore Different Writing Prompts:

Writing prompts can be a powerful tool for authors to overcome writer’s block and find inspiration. Writing prompts are short, open-ended statements or questions that can help writers generate ideas and start writing.

They can be used to explore different genres, styles, and perspectives and challenge writers to think outside the box. Many successful authors have used writing prompts to jumpstart their creativity and develop their writing skills.

There are many sources of writing prompts available, including books, websites, and apps.  Many author-focused websites provide writing prompts and Reddit’s Writing Prompts community offers a wide range of prompts for writers to explore.

Writing prompt apps are also available for your phone or tablet to provide daily prompts and writing exercises to help writers practice their craft.

New authors especially should experiment with different types of writing prompts to find what works best for them. Some writers may prefer prompts that are specific and detailed, while others may prefer more open-ended prompts that allow for more creative freedom.

Try different types to figure out which style works best for you. Trying out different prompts can help you discover your strengths and weaknesses and develop a unique writing style.

Incorporating writing prompts into a writing routine can also be a helpful way for you to stay motivated and inspired. By setting aside time each day or week to work on a prompt, you can develop a consistent writing practice and build momentum towards your writing goals.

Overall, exploring different writing prompts can be a valuable tool to overcome writer’s block and find new inspiration for their writing.

Read Widely:

As a new author, reading widely can be an excellent source of inspiration and motivation. When you read different genres, styles, and authors, you expose yourself to different writing techniques and ideas. It can help you develop your unique writing style and voice.

Reading is also an excellent way to learn about the writing craft and techniques. It is important to explore diverse genres and styles to broaden your horizons and avoid getting stuck in a writing rut.

For example, if you mostly write fiction, try reading some non-fiction or poetry to gain a new perspective. Similarly, if you mainly read classic literature, try reading some contemporary authors to see what’s trending in the industry.

Keeping a reading journal can also be a useful tool for new authors. You can jot down your thoughts and ideas as you read, which can inspire you to write something new or develop an existing idea.

You can also use your reading journal to track your progress and set reading goals. For example, you can challenge yourself to read a certain number of books in a month or a year.

Reading widely is an essential tool for new authors to find inspiration and motivation. By exploring diverse genres and styles and keeping a reading journal, you can develop your unique writing style and voice.

It is a great way to learn about the writing craft and techniques and keep up with the latest trends in the industry. So, make sure to add reading to your writing routine to stay inspired and motivated.

Find a Writing Community:

Connecting with fellow writers can be an excellent way for authors to boost their motivation and find support in their writing journey. Joining writing groups, workshops, or online communities can provide numerous benefits, including the opportunity to receive feedback, learn new skills, and share experiences with other writers.

One of the most significant advantages of joining a writing community is the chance to receive feedback on your work. Sharing your writing with others can help you identify areas for improvement and gain valuable insights into your writing style.

Additionally, feedback from other writers can help you refine your work and make it more engaging for readers.

Apart from feedback, connecting with fellow writers can also help you find support and encouragement in your writing journey. Writing can be a solitary activity, and it is easy to feel discouraged or unmotivated without the support of others.

Joining a writing community can provide you with a sense of belonging and camaraderie, which can boost your confidence and motivation to keep writing.

Finally, being part of a writing community can give you access to shared experiences and knowledge. You can learn from other writers’ experiences, gain insights into the writing industry, and discover new techniques to improve your writing.

By connecting with other writers, you can expand your knowledge and skills and take your writing to the next level.

Joining a writing community can provide numerous benefits for new authors, including feedback, support, and shared experiences. Whether you join a local writing group, attend a workshop, or participate in an online community, connecting with fellow writers can help you stay motivated and inspired in your writing journey.

So don’t hesitate to reach out and connect with other writers – you never know what opportunities and insights may come your way.

Overcome Writer’s Block:

Writer’s block is a common obstacle that many writers face at some point in their writing journey. It can be frustrating and disheartening to feel stuck and unable to move forward with your writing.

However, it is important to remember that writer’s block is a natural part of the creative process and can be overcome with the right strategies.

One effective strategy for overcoming writer’s block is freewriting. This involves setting a timer for a set amount of time and writing continuously without stopping or worrying about grammar, spelling, structure or quality.

The goal of freewriting is to generate ideas and get your creative juices flowing. By allowing yourself to write without judgment or expectation, you may be surprised at the ideas that emerge.

Another strategy is to try mind mapping. This involves creating a visual diagram of your ideas and how they connect. By organizing your thoughts in this way, you may be able to identify new connections and ideas that can help you move forward with your writing.

Sometimes, changing your writing environment can also help to overcome writer’s block. This could mean moving to a different location, such as a coffee shop or park, or simply changing the position of your desk or chair. By altering your surroundings, you may be able to shake off any feelings of stagnation and find a new perspective on your writing.

Ultimately, the key to overcoming writer’s block is to keep writing. Even if you feel like your writing is imperfect or not up to your usual standards, it is important to keep pushing forward.

Remember, writing is a process, and it is okay to make mistakes along the way. By embracing imperfection and continuing to write, you may be surprised at how quickly you can overcome writer’s block and get back to creating your best work.

Seek Inspiration from Everyday Life:

As a writer, it is essential to find inspiration from everyday life. There’s a wealth of potential story ideas all around us, waiting to be discovered.

While you are out doing everyday activities, observe the people, places, and events around you. It could be as simple as taking a walk around the neighborhood or sitting in a coffee shop and people-watching. By staying curious and open to new experiences, writers can find inspiration in unexpected places.

One way to find inspiration is to pay attention to the details. The way someone walks or talks, the colors and textures of a building, or the smells and sounds of a particular location can all spark ideas for a story.

Take note of these details and use them to create vivid descriptions in your writing. By incorporating sensory details, you can make your stories come alive on the page.

Another way to find inspiration is to draw from personal experiences. Think about moments in your own life that could be turned into compelling stories. It could be a childhood memory, a difficult experience you overcame, or a moment of joy or triumph. By tapping into your own emotions and experiences, you can create stories that feel authentic and relatable.

Finally, remember that inspiration can come from anywhere. A news article, a conversation with a friend, or a random thought that pops into your head can all be starting points for a story. Always keep an open mind and be willing to explore new ideas.

By staying curious and open to new experiences, you can find inspiration in even the most unlikely places.

Experiment with Different Writing Techniques:

It is important to experiment with various writing techniques and styles to keep your work fresh and exciting. Trying out different narrative structures, perspectives, or genres can help you spark your creativity and motivation.

By breaking away from your usual writing routine, you might discover new ways to approach your work and develop your writing skills.

One technique you might try is changing the narrative structure of your story. Instead of starting at the beginning and moving linearly through the plot, you might choose to start in the middle or even the end and work backward. This can add an element of surprise and keep your readers engaged.

Playing with different points of view can also be a fun way to experiment with your writing. Try writing from the perspective of a minor character, or switch between multiple narrators to add depth and complexity to your story.

Another way to experiment with your writing is to try out different genres. If you typically write romance, try writing a horror story or a sci-fi adventure. This can challenge you to develop new skills and flex your creative muscles.

You might even discover a new favorite genre that you never would have explored otherwise.

Overall, remember that experimentation is key to keeping your writing fresh and exciting. Don’t be afraid to try new things and take risks with your writing. By staying open-minded and curious, you can continue to grow and develop your craft as a writer.

Take Breaks and Rest:

As writers, we often push ourselves to the limit in pursuit of our writing goals. We may spend hours at our desks, typing away at our keyboards, fueled by the passion and excitement that comes with creating something new.

However, it is important to remember that our minds and bodies need rest and rejuvenation to maintain our motivation and creativity over the long term.

Taking breaks is essential to keeping our writing fresh and exciting. When we’re constantly pushing ourselves to write, we can quickly become burned out, and our writing can suffer as a result.

By taking regular breaks, we can give our minds a chance to rest and recharge, allowing us to return to our writing with renewed energy and enthusiasm.

But what should we do during these breaks?

Engaging in other activities, such as walking, meditation, or pursuing hobbies, can be an excellent way to rejuvenate the mind. These activities allow us to step away from our writing and focus on something else entirely, giving our brains a much-needed break from the creative process.

In addition to taking breaks throughout the day, it is also important to take longer breaks regularly. This could mean taking a few days off from writing each week or taking a longer break between projects.

By giving ourselves time to rest and recharge, we can come back to our writing with a fresh perspective and renewed motivation, ready to tackle whatever challenges lie ahead.

So don’t be afraid to take a step back and prioritize self-care and rest in your writing practice.

Your writing (and your mind) will thank you for it.

Celebrate Achievements:

As writers, we often get so caught up in the process of creating and perfecting our work that we forget to celebrate our achievements. However, taking the time to acknowledge and appreciate our progress is essential for maintaining motivation and building confidence in our writing abilities.

One way to celebrate milestones and achievements is by setting specific goals for ourselves. Whether it is completing a certain number of pages or chapters, reaching a certain word count, or submitting our work to a particular publication, having clear goals can help us stay focused and motivated.

Once you have reached your goals, it is important to take the time to acknowledge your accomplishments. This could mean treating ourselves to a special meal or activity, buying ourselves a small gift, or simply taking a moment to reflect on what we’ve achieved and why it matters.

Celebrating achievements can also be a great way to connect with other writers and build a sense of community. By sharing our successes with fellow writers, we can inspire and encourage one another, as well as learn from each other’s experiences.

In the end, celebrating achievements is not just about recognizing our own progress and hard work, but also about cultivating a positive and supportive writing environment.

So let’s take the time to celebrate our achievements, big and small, and encourage others to do the same.

After all, writing is a long journey, and every step forward is worth celebrating.

So there you have it, 10 steps to get (and keep) your writing mojo!

Finding writing motivation and inspiration can be a challenging task, but it is not impossible.

By implementing the ten steps outlined in this article, new authors can develop a consistent writing practice and build momentum toward their writing goals.

Persistence and self-discovery are essential elements of the writing journey, and by consistently applying these steps, you can enhance your writing skills and nurture your creative spirit.

It is important to acknowledge and appreciate our progress and achievements, big and small. Celebrating our successes can help us stay motivated and build a sense of community with other writers.

By sharing our achievements with fellow writers, we can inspire and encourage one another, as well as learn from each other’s experiences.

Finally, it is essential to remember that writing is a journey, and every step forward is worth celebrating. Even if we face challenges or setbacks along the way, it is important to stay focused and committed to our writing goals.

So, let’s take the time to celebrate our achievements and encourage others to do the same.

With persistence, self-discovery, and a supportive writing environment, new authors can achieve their writing dreams and create meaningful works that inspire and entertain readers.

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Motivation for Writers: How to Stay Focused on Your Writing Goals

You know the feeling when an exciting new idea pops into your mind. You want to drop everything and start working on it right away. You may also recognise the dread when you don't know where to take your story next.

Writing projects come with incredible highs and lows. One day, you're convinced your book will be the next big thing. The next day, you're embarrassed by every word you write.

Your ability to manage your motivation throughout the process is vital to your success as a writer.

In this post, we'll explore:

Why is Motivation So Important for Writers?

The secret of writer motivation: how to make yourself write, 16 effective strategies to boost your motivation to write, how to keep writing: why writing motivation is a moving target.

Let's get started!

Writing projects take a long time. Whether writing a book or growing a blog, it could be months or years before you start seeing the fruits of your labour.

Embarking on a writing project is a huge leap of faith. You have no idea whether your work will resonate until you get it in front of readers.

You'll also run into all sorts of obstacles along the way. Writing projects are rarely smooth sailing. The first draft often looks terrible. You may find a massive plot hole or struggle to find a good ending.

Things like these decrease your confidence to see the project through. Self-doubt creeps in. What started as an exciting new venture becomes a dreaded slog.

This happens to all writers regardless of their experience or ability. What separates those who succeed is their ability to persevere even when the odds are seemingly stacked against them.

When you're starting out, writing is a completely self-motivated endeavour. You don't have a boss or even a deadline. Publishers aren't clamouring at your door, out-bidding each other for the privilege to publish your book.

Often, nobody even knows that you're working on something, and that's completely fine. Sharing your work with others too early can be damaging in its own right.

However, it does mean that you're on your own. When you get frustrated or bogged down, what's there to stop you from quitting?

Unfortunately, the vast majority of people will quit well before giving themselves a proper chance.

Writers approach motivation in many different ways, but the goal is always the same: it has to be easier for you to write than not to do it .

That's the secret. If you take away only a single thing from this article, let it be this.

Motivation isn't one-size-fits-all. We all get motivated by different things at different times. Here are 16 effective strategies to boost your motivation and get your writing done.

1. Use Your Imagination

Writers conjure up vivid characters and create entire worlds from thin air all the time. As it turns out, you can also use your imagination to help you stay focused on your goals.

Many top performers across disciplines — from athletes to entrepreneurs — use visualisation to boost their confidence and increase motivation.

Studies show that thoughts produce the same response in the brain as actions. Mental rehearsal is training your brain for the actual performance.

Picture yourself sitting down at your computer tomorrow morning. You open your draft and read the last few sentences while sipping your coffee. Then, the familiar feeling of resistance comes. You acknowledge it, but don't let it take over.

The beginning of a new sentence forms in your mind. You put your mug down and start typing. The clattering of your keyboard cuts through the silence. One word at a time.

Then, imagine yourself writing the final sentence of the project you're working on. How will it feel? And how would it feel to hold the book in your hand when it comes out? How would you feel when you saw it amongst the new releases in a bookshop for the first time?

Will that ever happen? I don't know. But isn't it worth writing those 500 words today to find out?

2. Create a Writing Streak

Writing streaks are a simple yet powerful tool that can help you be more consistent. They take advantage of a cognitive bias called loss aversion . Our brains are wired to perceive loss much more intensely than gain. In other words, losing £20 will annoy you a lot more than winning £20 will make you happy.

When you build a streak of 5, 10 or 30 days, you will not want to lose it. As silly as it seems, you will be motivated to write so you don't lose your streak.

Streaks are one of my go-to ways to stay on track. I have had many days when I didn't feel like writing anything at all, but I opened the editor to keep my streak going.

Running short on writing motivation? Creating a writing streak may give you just the boost you need to keep going.

Here's my activity grid from the past 12 months:

I started my writing streak during NaNoWriMo in November 2022. Before then, I wrote something every week, but I struggled to create real momentum.

After committing to write something every day last November, I kept going. I didn't want to lose my streak. So far, it has helped me write over 163,000 words!

3. Set Achievable Goals

Finding what motivates you is only one part of the equation. Getting rid of what demotivates you is equally important.

Your goals can do both — depending on how you set them.

The number one mistake many writers make is setting their daily goals way too high. The typical numbers include 500, 1,000 or 2,000 words per day. While these are all perfectly achievable, you may struggle to hit them right out of the gate.

Writing is a lot like running. Adjusting to the process and building the endurance you need to maintain a consistent level of output takes a while. Don't overdo it from the start. You will burn out and stop writing altogether.

Even though you might be making great progress, failing to reach your goal will make you feel terrible. It can demotivate you a lot when it happens often.

Whatever goal you have in mind, divide it by ten and start from there. Only increase it when you can hit it every day for a week.

When your writing output can be unpredictable, consider setting time goals instead. It's a great way to ensure you're showing up without the pressure to perform at a high level every single day.

In Writing Analytics, you can set and track time goals automatically .

4. Track Your Progress

Tracking your progress is an excellent way of staying motivated. It's a tried and tested strategy. Tracking works particularly well with activities where you don't see any immediate results. This includes working out, weight loss and, of course, writing.

Seeing your word counter inch closer to your goal after each writing session can be addictive. You know whether you're pulling ahead or falling behind. The feedback is immediate.

You can track more things than just words. Another common metric to track is time spent . While it usually requires more effort, tracking your time can work better when your daily word count fluctuates.

Progress tracking has gone so far that runners use the term naked running these days to refer to jogging without a GPS watch logging their every step. Some would never go for a run without a tracker on their wrist.

When done right, tracking your progress can turn into an obsession and a great source of motivation.

5. Set Deadlines

Deadlines put your writing goals into perspective. When you have a deadline, you know exactly how many words you must write every day to finish on time. If you skip a day, your goal the next day (and all subsequent days) goes up. When you write more, your goal goes down.

Setting a deadline can be a wonderful motivator. However, you have to keep them realistic. When a deadline starts pushing your daily goal too high, it can have the opposite effect. Failing to hit your goal regularly will be frustrating.

The thing about deadlines is that the deadline itself isn't all that important. It's the effort that you make running up to it. When you miss, who cares? Don't beat yourself up. Set a new one, and keep up the great work.

Douglas Adams — the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy — said, "I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by."

Not sure what deadline to set for your project? Try our free writing planner tool. It will help you set a deadline based on various parameters.

6. Reward Yourself

Rewards are a key part of the habit loop . Our brains crave them. They make our habits (good or bad) stick.

Rewarding yourself with something you like after finishing a writing session reinforces that behaviour. It may be having an extra cup of coffee or reading a gossip article online.

Writing is ridden with uncertainty. You don't know whether people will like what you're working on. You don't know whether a publisher will take it on. You don't know how long the whole process will take.

While writing alone can be incredibly rewarding, the feedback loop is too long. Reward yourself when you hit milestones along the way.

That way, you'll always have something to look forward to. Your book hitting the shelves will be a nice bonus.

TIP: Writing Analytics has a built-in awards system that helps you celebrate successes along the way.

7. Join a Challenge

Writing is a solitary pursuit. You're toiling in obscurity for months and years before anyone else gets to read what you wrote. But you don't have to go at it completely alone.

Many other writers are in the same situation as you, working away on their manuscripts. They face the same resistance and are struggling with similar issues. Why not join forces?

Writing with other people can create a lot of momentum. Seeing others work hard will make you want to work hard too.

NaNoWriMo is a perfect example of this. Many writers write more words in November than during the other 11 months combined.

When it isn't NaNoWriMo, you can join word sprints to write along with others. A group of writers gets together to work on their projects.

If you use Writing Analytics, you can join or organise sprints directly from the app.

8. Look for External Accountability

Sometimes, nothing you do seems to move you closer to your goal. That's when it might be time to look for help.

Join a writing group or enlist a writing coach. Having to report your progress to someone can do wonders for productivity. Don't underestimate the power of not wanting to look bad in front of others.

Finding a writing coach is on the expensive end of the spectrum, but it can be a life changer if you can afford it. Having someone to talk to about your struggles is invaluable.

Accountability partners can work well, too. However, finding the right partner that matches your level of commitment can be difficult.

9. Attend Writing Events

A great way to spark/rekindle your motivation to write is to hang out with other writers. If your favourite author is doing a book signing nearby, don't miss it! Seeing more successful authors talk about their work can be incredibly motivating.

If you live in an area that doesn't have too many literary events going on, listen to podcasts. Listening to long-form conversations with writers will have much the same effect.

Different writers share different things — some talk about their success. Others share stories of the wild ups and downs that pursuing a creative career can bring.

Here are some of my favourite writing podcasts:

• The Creative Penn Podcast — One of the longest-running writing podcasts out there.
• Writing Excuses — Short and sweet episodes jam-packed with writing wisdom.
• Writer's Ink — Interviews with some of the world's best authors
• Our Opinions Are Correct — A fantastic podcast by Annalee Newitz and Charlie Jane Anders

10. Use Constraints to Stay Motivated When Writing

It's easier to edit an existing story than write one from scratch. Similarly, using your time well is easier when you have some structure.

Setting constraints and boundaries makes it easier to focus on the task at hand. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Here are a few examples:

• Write with a timer — Start a timer when you sit down to write. You're not allowed to do anything else until the timer goes off.
• Work from a coffee shop — Leave distractions at home and go write from a local coffee shop or library.
• Put your phone on flight mode — You're not allowed to use your phone until you finish your writing session.
• Use time-boxing — Squeeze your writing session into a specific part of your day and don't let it overrun.

Paradoxically, having too much time on your hands can make you less productive. Specific constraints mobilise you to take action.

11. Remember Why You Started

Motivation ebbs and flows. One day, you're convinced that you've got a bestseller in the making. The next day, you're panicking that nobody could possibly want to read such a pile of rubbish.

Neither feeling lasts forever. When you're not feeling motivated, limiting the damage is essential. Don't quit .

When you're down the deep end, it can be easy to forget why you started writing in the first place. Why are you doing this? What do you want to achieve?

Take time to answer these questions. Write a few paragraphs to reaffirm your commitment to finishing this book no matter what.

Save these to the notes app on your phone. Set up a recurring reminder to come back and read those. It may seem like a waste of time when things are going well. But wait for the first time you get the reminder after things haven't been going so well. It can be a lifesaver.

12. Don't Edit While You Write

The more words you add to your project, the more mistakes you'll make. Some will be small, like spelling issues or inconsistencies in your descriptions. There will be larger issues, too. Perhaps you'll find that a chapter doesn't quite work how you thought it would. Maybe you start wondering whether you got the personality of one of your characters wrong.

When you start reading what you wrote, self-doubt will creep in. Your first draft will, of course, read nothing like the professionally edited prose of your favourite authors that you're used to. You will start feeling demotivated by the sheer amount of stuff that needs to be fixed.

If you can, avoid editing or reading back what you wrote before finishing the first draft. You're the most vulnerable to giving up when you're dead in the middle of a project.

Doing revisions while writing works for some people. For most, editing is best left towards the end of the draft.

13. Don't Compare Yourself to Other Writers

Many writers share their daily word counts on social media to keep themselves accountable.

While it can be motivating to see other people succeed, beware of comparing yourself to other writers.

Social media posts are inherently biased. It's a highlight reel. People share their successes more often than they share their failures. You won't be bragging about writing 84 words after staring at a screen for 6 hours.

Besides, those who share their word counts online skew towards faster writers. They achieve higher numbers, which make for more impressive Instagram posts.

If you're a slow writer like me, comparing yourself to others is a sure way to send yourself down the self-doubt spiral. Nothing will kill your motivation to write as fast.

Remember that everyone's process is different. Other writers may be at different points in their careers. Or they are just working on things that are easier to write.

As long as you finish, your readers won't care whether it took you two weeks or two years to write your book.

14. Don't Quit Your Job Yet

Writing alongside a full-time job is hard work. It can make writing feel like a never-ending homework.

It can be tempting to quit your job to write. Burn the boats! Surely, you will figure it out when you have no other option?

Many writers did this and succeeded. Many more tried and failed.

Financial pressure can have a devastating effect on your productivity and creative output. It will intensify the lows of the rollercoaster when you're wondering what you're doing with your life.

Having no backup plan doesn't guarantee success. Only do this when you know what you're doing.

15. Don't Announce the Book Too Early

Announcing that you're working on a book and when you're planning to finish sounds like a good idea at first. Then you're committed, right? You have to follow through.

It's true. It will give you a boost of motivation at first. However, the excitement won't last for too long. If your plan doesn't work as expected, it can become a total nightmare.

The creative process is all but predictable. You need to give yourself time and space to get it right. If you start missing your goals, you will make compromises. Embarrassing yourself in public isn't worth it.

Take George R. R. Martin as an example. In 2011, he estimated that the final two novels in his A Song of Ice and Fire series would take him "three years to finish [...] at a good pace." Yes, that was 12 years ago. People have been asking him where's the book for over a decade. I bet he would not make the same mistake again.

Sharing your plans with a few trusted friends can be very motivating. Announcing them in public can backfire when things don't go as planned.

16. Stop Beating Yourself Up

No matter how hard you try, you don't always live up to your expectations. It happens to beginners and experienced writers alike.

Unfortunately, failing to reach your goals can put a serious dent in your motivation — often for no good reason.

Don't beat yourself up when you fall short. Despite missing your goal, you're moving in the right direction. Writing half a novel is still progress.

Things often last longer than expected. Your estimates may have been too optimistic. You will make it through. Give yourself the credit that you're due.

When reading your book, your readers won't care that you overran your deadline by a month.

Creative projects are emotional rollercoasters. Writing is no exception. The more invested you are in the project, the higher the highs and the lower the lows.

Productivity tools have diminishing returns. What used to motivate you will stop working, and you'll have to find new ways to keep going.

On top of that, what motivates you changes over time. Sometimes, you need kind words of encouragement. Sometimes, you need a kick in the behind.

It's best to use a combination of different tools and habits to achieve your goals. When you start falling short, perhaps it's time to find a new way to stay motivated? Don't cling to something that is no longer working just because you've always done it like that.

Motivation to write is a moving target. The only way to stay consistent is to embrace the need to change things from time to time.

Final Thoughts

You will get stuck. You will be rejected. You will wonder whether you have what it takes to be a writer.

The journey of a writer isn't easy. The odds are against you. You have to keep failing until you succeed. Managing your motivation in spite of the adversity is paramount to your success as a writer.

Remember why you started writing, and don't give up. Your words can quite literally change the world.

If that isn't worth it, then I'm not sure what is.

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How to Motivate Yourself to Write Today

• by Laurie Pawlik
• October 17, 2020
• 20 Comments

These 9 tips for finding internal motivation will help you write now. Internal motivation is more effective than external writing motivation; every tip on this list comes from within you . This will keep you motivated to start writing and keep writing until the end of the page, chapter, and book!

The most important tip on how to stay motivated as a writer is to find an internal reason. Your purpose or mission has to extend beyond yourself, or you will power down before your book (or blog post) is written.

If you’re one of the millions of aspiring writers who lack motivation, perhaps you haven’t found your own personal or internal source of inspiration. Why do you want to be a writer? What purpose does your writing fulfill? Answering those questions may be the writing motivation for struggling writers.

Staying motivated to write doesn’t just require you to find your internal reason for writing. Motivation also requires you to find what works for you . Maybe you love telling stories, or playing with words. Maybe you enjoy startling readers, or expressing your opinion about politics or the weather. Maybe you’re an advice columnist or relationship blogger whose motivation is helping readers build healthier relationships.

9 Motivational Tips for Writers

Maybe you don’t even know what motivates you to write. Like me! I just love blogging. I don’t even know what drives me anymore. Not money. Not a purpose or mission. Not even comments from readers, or the knowledge that I’m helping people. I guess my internal motivation to write goes so deep I don’t even know what it is anymore.

The secret to sustaining a long, healthy, successful writing or blogging career is to find what motivates you. Then, keep fanning the flame and feeding the fire.

1. Write in mixed company (with motivated and unmotivated writers)

Community is a crucial tip for writers who lack motivation. Sometimes we need other people to encourage us with their motivation. We also need unmotivated writers to show us that if we don’t write, we will never achieve our goals.

In an interview with Psychology Today , Natalie Goldberg said she needs to write with others. “I can definitely write on my own, but sometimes I need a kick,” she told Mark Matousek in The True Secret of Writing: A Talk With Natalie Goldberg . “I’m lazy or I’m not becoming alive enough. I have a friend who I write with every Thursday evening for about an hour and a half. And then when I teach I always write with my students. I tell them I use them.”

2. Join an online group of other “struggling writers”

In Write More, Faster, Shelley Lieber describes how she began working with a writing group in a Google Hangout. “We sprint for 25 minutes at a time, break for 5–10 minutes, then go again,” she says. “At first, I resisted. I didn’t think that was long enough to get anything done. Indeed, the first few sessions, I felt like I had just gotten going when the timer buzzed. Then I realized I was producing more words per minute than ever before. I had my first 5K words in a day, a goal I’d been working toward for years.”

If you’d like to join an in-person writing group but there isn’t one in your area, read  7 Tips for Starting a Writers’ Group – Writing Alone, Together .

3. Wait and see how your writing unfolds

If you can’t seem to find the right source of writing motivation – if you can’t see yourself as more than a struggling writer – think about how the farmer saw everything that happened in his life. Nothing was good or bad…it just was. Maybe you’re in a dry writing season right now. Maybe you won’t find writing motivation because your fields are fallow. Or, maybe you need to water your fields, plow them, plant them. Only you know why you’re calling yourself a struggling writer right now…and only you can find the key that unlocks your potential.

4. Get your “bum glue” out

“A couple of years ago I met Bryce Courtney, author of The Power of One , at a writing conference.  He said that what I needed as a writer was “bum glue”.  Meaning, I need to glue my bum to a chair and write.  I remember it every time I set myself down to my blog. Bryce! I am using your bum glue!” – Shirley VanScoyk, writer and blogger.

5. Embrace your procrastination

“When I was a freelancer, I used to set aside about 20 minutes for procrastination activities every morning before I started to write. I took care of a lot of administrative and housekeeping tasks that way, while honoring the part of me that took writing so seriously that it was convinced I was the least-qualified person ever to attempt it. Once I paid tribute to the procrastination judge, I was free to sit down and let it flow!” – Claire Bardos, screenplay writer.

6. See beyond the rejection slips

“I’ve received enough rejection slips to cover a room’s wall. What is a rejection slip?  It’s a motivator.  It demands you try harder. A rejection slip isn’t a jab at your writing ability. Remember that other factors stir into the editor’s decision. Perhaps, a similar piece was previously submitted and published. Don’t turn-away from your writing dream simply because you received rejection slips.” – Marcella Glenn, writer and blogger.

7. Write what you got

“Unless your assignment is uber specific, don’t use precious hours searching for the proverbial needle in the haystack if there’s plenty of good stuff on hand.  Look at the material you have -and decide what you can make of it.” – Joyce Wilden, publicist.

Need motivational tips because you’re facing writer’s block? Read 7 Ideas for Writers Who Have No Idea What to Write About .

8. Never settle for “good enough”

“Never settle for your first idea, first draft, or even your tenth! Writing requires a great deal of work. Even if you have the best idea in the world, it doesn’t necessarily mean you can write a good book. Whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction, you must learn each aspect of the genre that makes your book a success. You must know how to create an attention-getting introduction. You must be able to sustain interest by creating a page turner. You must end chapters with an intriguing hook. You need to create interesting, yet believable characters and realistic settings. You must know how to build an excellent plot that leads to a gripping climax. You must understand how to wrap things up and create a strong conclusion. – Cindy Kenney, freelance writer and editor.

9. Don’t use external measures to judge yourself as a writer

Being rejected by agents and publishers means you’re trying to be a writer – it means you haven’t given up. Not having a thousand blog followers means you’re blogging, you’re sharing your writing with the world. Feeling like you’re not a good writer means you actually know what being a good writer means, and that you’re growing into a different writing style. Feeling guilty for not writing means you want to write, you yearn to write, you wish you wrote more. All these things can increase your writing motivation, can transform you from a struggling writer to a successful writer.

Do you have the right writing personality? Read The Most Important Personality Traits of Successful Writers and Authors .

What are your tips for staying motivated to write, fellow scribes? I welcome your thoughts below…

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20 thoughts on “How to Motivate Yourself to Write Today”

How to Be a More Productive Writer or Blogger

1. Figure out what’s holding you back. I’m wrapping up a new book proposal, which I hope my agent sells to a big publishing house early in the new year! But, working on that proposal was like pulling teeth. At first, I couldn’t figure out why…but I soon realized it’s because I’ve written other three book proposals and not one of those books was published. I detest wasting time and energy, and this current book proposal might be a waste of both…and this niggling thought held me back from writing the best book proposal my agent ever saw. But after I figured out why I wasn’t being productive, I made a list of the benefits of writing the proposal even if the book never gets published…and I was able to happily work on it every day for two weeks straight.

2. Break a big writing project down into small steps. If you’re writing a book or book proposal, break it up into chapter outlines or a table of contents. If you’re starting a new blog, research a list of steps you’ll need to undertake before it goes live. If you want to write a feature article for a big national magazine, research the past issues to learn the writing style and format. Start with the small, easy tasks and move to the larger, more difficult ones.

3. Set a time limit on the “worst” tasks. The worst part of working on my most recent book proposal was the “Features and Benefits” section. So, I scheduled myself fifteen minutes a day to work on that part, and as soon as that time was up, I moved on to other more enjoyable part of the book proposal (creating growth charts of all my Quips and Tips blogs was a blast!). To increase your writing productivity, set aside small amounts of time to do the things you like least, and reward yourself afterward with one of your favorite tasks or activity when you complete it.

4. Let yourself do a bad job the first time. I’m sure you’ve heard Anne Lamott’s writing advice to “write a sh***y” first draft” (Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life). Go ahead, fellow scribes: write a bad query letter, create a terrible book proposal, or sketch an ugly blog logo. To be a more productive writer or blogger, let go of perfectionist tendencies. Lower the bar, fellow scribes. Once you get the dreck out of your system, you’ll be free to move onwards and upwards (and your writing skills will improve, too!).

5. Work with your rhythms. My best writing and blogging time is first thing in the morning, from 5:30 a.m. until 11 a.m.. That’s when I do my “real” writing and thinking. The afternoons, I save for uploading blog posts or researching story ideas because that’s when my energy flags. What are your natural work rhythms? To be productive, be strict about scheduling your most difficult, attention-requiring tasks in the hours you’re most with it. Save the drudge work for when you’re tired or usually experience low energy levels.

6. Savor the past to increase your writing productivity. Remember that article you published, the blog post everyone commented on, the latest writing gig you landed? To be more productive as a writer, enjoy those victorious feelings – and picture yourself feeling those same feelings when you’ve completed this current writing project. And if you want to earn a living as a writer, remember that increased productivity equals more money!

I’m reading “The 4 Hour Work Week” right now and one of the best pieces of advice I’ve seen so far is to go ahead and set very tight deadlines for yourself. In applying this to writing – especially freelance writing – it makes perfect sense. If I am under deadline I write in a focussed manner and concentrate on what is important. Give me two weeks to write something and I’ll be all over the map until the very end.

Thanks, Yolanda! I appreciate your comments and am glad you took time to comment 🙂

I’ve been thinking that the biggest source of writing motivation has to be internal, not external. So we writers need to be motivated by our own selves instead of the glory of being published and the fame of being a bestselling novelist!

What is your motivation for writing? Find that, and you will be one step closer to writing consistently and powerfully.

The Parable of the Poor Farmer was very insightful. It teaches us to not to try and figure everything out ahead or waste time pondering on what may be. Furthermore, it encourages us to be grateful for what we have no matter what we see and continue on our path. We cannot measure life by what we have or don’t have but each have purpose to be productive with what we have. I needed this gentle reminder, thank you.

I found that my motivation to write – and to revive Quips and Tips for Successful Writers – comes from a REASON to write. My reason is that I want to help people not to lose heart. I love Parables, and I’m now putting parables into practice on this and all my blogs.

My writing motivation is coming from God. I feel called to blog, to connect with people online, to write articles that encourage and inspire. Maybe the best motivation for writers is something internal – a purpose for living, not just a reason to write.

Haven’t been able to write a single word in two months. Can’t get motivated no matter what.

Hello Nisha,

Thanks for your comment! Yes, setting goals can help you be a more productive writer or blogger…and so can that inner drive to excel.

Happy writing, Laurie

Gary ~ Yes, it increases writing motivation to care about what you’re writing…but I think that even when you really care about it, you may still struggle with motivation and self-discipline. Getting the bum glue out and staying motivated is difficult for most writers, I think.

Anne ~ That’s great — your online community sounds very helpful and motivational! I’ll go check it out…I’m definitely a goals person 🙂

As the guys on the Writing Excuses podcast say, BICHOK – Butt In Chair, Hands on Keyboard!

Some years ago I joined a great online community called Forward Motion, dedicated to supporting writers working towards publication. We post our goals each week and cheer one another on, as well as talking about writing. Now I have a short story published (I don’t write many!) and a finished novel doing the rounds…

I may have commented about this previously, but I think the best motivator is writing about something that you truly care about. If it only holds your minimal attention, maybe it’s not interesting enough to go forward. If it feels like your writing is meandering or hitting walls, maybe it’s time to change directions or to ‘juice it up’ and add some dynamism. A writer should be excited about their subject, otherwise, who else will be?

Writing Motivation: 7 Proven Ways to Get Motivated to Write Instantly!

Are you looking for writing motivation?

In this article, I’ll share 7 working tips that will help you get motivated to write or reach your writing goals.

Feel free to skip this intro and jump directly to the tips by clicking here .

Imagine …

It’s 31st December, the year’s end, or 25th December, or any other day of celebration you can think of.

You are sitting beside the dinner table, with your family; mom, dad, your little brother, your elder sister, and your best buddy whom you have invited to celebrate the night with you.

You were narrating an incident when you did something amazing in class, and the table is dead silent, all lending their ears to you.

There is laughter and some aww moments on the table based on your style of narrating and overall they are enjoying your story to their heart’s content.

You finish up the story. All have a great round of applause for you, and you feel like you are on top of the world.

You think you have surpassed Shakespeare in terms of storytelling.

You go to bed smiling and patting your back.

Imagine once more …

Seven friends (including you) are going on a long journey car (okay, a spacious car!) ride and there is so much silence in the vehicle. All clung to their smartphones.

Now, suddenly you remember a story when you went to a picnic with your family. Yes, the picnic where you saved a girl from being molested and also helped her find her way back home.

Fantastic story; all seven had their cell phones back in their pockets and were glued to your words.

You conclude by taking a selfie with your friends all looking so nostalgic.

Feeling elated, you write the event in your diary and create a Facebook life event for keeping the moment alive.

Now take it this way…

You are sitting at your table writing on your blog. You decide to narrate both the stories (or anyone, no problem), and do a fab job describing the event.

You also get 7 to 8 comments on your blog, thanking you for filling their day with positivity.

You check analytics and find that post had not seven, not eight but twenty views that night and the other day after it.

But, still, you are not happy this time, you are disheartened.

You think you are no better than a dumb-ass.

You humiliate yourself by saying you are nobody in the blogosphere and you hate to be like this.

You start complaining that you are not as rocking as your fellow bloggers and competitors are. After all, they get thousands of views on any post they write!

Frustrated, you go to sleep promising to never blog again, ever.

Now answer my questions :

• What had significantly changed during both your storytelling events?
• Did you not get the seven people in your car or five family members going crazy with your narrative style?
• Did your post not garner much more appreciation when you repeated the story on the internet?

You even got twenty pairs of eyeballs on your content which was roughly three times compared to your first two attempts.

So what went wrong?

Why do you feel you now have no motivation to write?

Is it because this time it is twenty people sitting on the other side of the computer, each separately at their dinner table?

Does that make a difference?

Change your mindset…

Changing your mindset about the results will help you find that writing motivation.

Even if your blog has one reader, respect them.

If someone (in the other corner of the world) decides to spend 3 minutes of their valuable time reading what you have to say, respect their efforts.

If twenty readers of yours think you have helped them in gaining confidence and are grateful to you, DON’T humiliate them by saying, “Ah, you are not the 5000 visitors the other shitty blog is getting, and I don’t want to appreciate your gratitude”.

If you have one reader , take it as a friend who is giving you his time. Don’t get disheartened. One friend is invaluable.

If you have six readers , take it as a dinner table where everyone appreciates your words.

If you have 50 readers , take it as a cafe where everyone is sipping their coffee for sure, but lending their ears to you too.

If you have 500 visitors , it is equivalent to your community hall , where all are listening to you with all their hearts.

If you have 5000 visitors , take it as if you are addressing a football audience and they are all for you. Cheering and applauding.

Never underestimate your audience, never underestimate your ability.

• Learn what is blogging (the beginner’s guide)
• Learn how to start a blog

If you still need writing motivation, here are 7 proven ways that will help you get motivated to write instantly.

Writing motivation: 7 ways to get motivated to write

• Discover your why
• Write for your target audience
• Tips to create a reader persona
• Tips to keep the ideas flowing
• Focus on providing value
• Tips to find & fix underlying issues
• Tools to help you boost your writing motivation

If you want daily writing motivation, just remember “ some people dream of success while others get up in the morning and make it happen “.

You might get stuck or run out of ideas but you have to stay positive and keep writing no matter what.  Consistency is the key to avoiding writer’s block .

If you’re motivated by rewards, you can also consider the benefits of blogging to motivate you.

Here are 7 ways to stay motivated to write:

1) Discover your why

Henneke from EnchantingMarketing suggests that connecting with your “why” helps you get inspired to write. When you know why you do what you do, it becomes less of a chore and more of a pleasure you want to stay indulged in.

Jot down why you write, and what benefits writing has on you (personally and professionally) and these reasons will become your motivation to write.

Think about your writing goals, and the mission you want to achieve with your content.

For me, it is to help people realize the potential of blogging and help them get started.

This is helpful in increasing a long-lasting intrinsic motivation for me to blog.

2) Write for your target audience

Another most common blogging mistake beginners make is trying to be a people-pleaser.

To hit the bull’s eye, you need to focus on writing for your target audience.

You have to accept the fact that not all will relate to the story you have to tell.

Creating content on a broad topic will only boost your bounce rates.

With that said, let’s find the perfect target audience..

3) Create a reader persona

Now that you know who your target audience is, create a reader persona (a simple profile of your ideal reader, the problem they face, the solution they’re looking for, etc), and then start writing for that single persona.

That way you know what pain points your reader has.

What are their interests and how you can help them with your writing process?

Here’s a guide to creating a reader persona easily.

Did you notice how you felt like we’ve been talking one-on-one all this while so does another reader sitting in front of their laptop (reading this exact article)?

How did this happen?

By a single trick of using conversational writing style and using words like “you”, “us” and “your”. These words make the reader feel like you’re talking to them one-on-one.

4) Keep the ideas flowing

Ideas don’t have to strike you when you want them to. You can get ideas at the weirdest places and at the oddest of times.

The best way to harvest all these ideas is to jot down as they come and write on them at your own pace. Sometimes, certain ideas will not make sense, later on, discard them and cultivate newer ideas.

If you’re still stuck, here is a massive list of blog post topics to keep your creative juices flowing.

Here are some tips to help you blog more consistently. Take a thorough look:

Please note: Don’t forget to go through my best writing hacks that I mention after this graphic.

5) Focus on providing value

In the first two assumptions, did you notice both your family and your friends were happy with your story?

The reason is you provided each of them a value they wanted and could relate to. When you were with your family, it was an obedient student’s story and with your friends, mostly teens, you talked about a girl.

This is what will help you in your content too.

Research what your audience wants. And then craft blog posts that provide some value to them.

Solve their problems.

Pro Tip: Perform keyword research to write about queries that people search for

6) Fix your underlying issues

It’s always safe to run a scan and see if there is an issue that needs to be fixed rather than hoping all is fine.

If you’ve tried all the writing tips & leveraged all the writing tools for writers out there but still not seeing visible growth, you need to think about the other areas you’re missing out.

Take time out to reflect on your writing routine.

The best way to get free website readers is via search engines . Make sure your blog is optimized & indexed for search engines .

If bots don’t get what you’re writing, they can’t rank it, and then you lose out on all those potential readers that type the query you’re writing about.

I highly recommend you to check out these easy yet effective on-page SEO techniques  that will help you boost your search engine rankings .

Another important aspect is to make sure you’re not making any blogging mistakes that might be crippling your blog on the inside.

Check out these common beginner blogging mistakes  ( #3 on the list kept my blog growth-deprived for a year or so until I discovered it ) and double-check if you’re making them.

If you’re making any of those listed mistakes, follow the solutions listed there to fix the loophole in your content writing strategy.

7) Use tools to boost your writing motivation

Still can’t get out of that writer’s block?

You can use certain tools to help you gain back your motivation to complete your writing project. Heck, you can even have AI content generation tools to do all the heavy-lifting for you.

a) Use browser extensions to block social media sites

If you see how many people use Instagram or any other social media site for that matter, you’ll know it does more harm to productivity than good.

Extensions like StayFocused (for Chrome & Edge) can be used to block social media sites completely during your writing sessions or after a certain amount of time (like say 15 minutes per day).

This will keep you from being distracted from these sites and prevent you from unintentionally going down the rabbit hole of Instagram reels.

b) Use a daily planner

A daily planner app like Serene can not only help you block distracting sites but also help you focus by setting one primary goal (remember the book Eat That Frog ?) for the day and then breaking your day into sessions in order to achieve it.

It also plays your music to boost your writing motivation.

c) Use a distraction-free writing app

Here is a list of the best writing app and here’s another that lists the best blogging apps. Make sure to choose something that lets you write distraction-free.

I have tried Ulysses, Bear, and even the plain old Google doc. Choose something that is minimal and doesn’t spoil you with a lot of customizations so you can focus on writing rather than customizing.

There are times when I get the motivation to write and I can’t think of anything and open Apple Notes. It serves the purpose and doesn’t let you do too many things. That’s what a distraction-free writing app should do.

However, as complex as content creation in the current online marketing scene is, I prefer tools like Google docs that help you with collaborative writing. You can take input from team members, and share your feedback, and sometimes that’s the only thing that you need to bring back your writing motivation.

You can also use tools like Hemingway editor or Grammarly to boost your writing skills (Pro Tip: Use Grammarly student discount to save money).

d) Keep your phone away

Research shows that smartphones negatively affect productivity and overall daily lives.

Try switching your phone off or keeping it across the room (for the duration of your writing time) so that you don’t get drawn towards it after writing a little or when even in the tiny timing that a page takes to load.

Over to you: How to get motivated to write or blog

I hope this post gave you a different perspective on blogging and helped you gain some motivation to write and blog consistently.

What are your thoughts?

Here’s a writing motivation quote that I strongly believe in.

Believe in the process and don’t focus on the results. If you’ve followed the process with all honesty, results will automatically come.

How do you get motivated to write? What writing activities do you follow to keep gloomy days away?

Let us know in the comments below…

If you liked this article, consider sharing it on your favorite social media platform.

FAQs on finding your writing motivation

What motivates a writer to write?

The number one reason that motivates a writer to write is the mission that led him to start writing in the first place. Whenever you lack the motivation, just try to visualize the writing goal that you had before you began. That will help you push through and get motivated to write.

How to get daily writing motivation?

Daily writing motivation becomes easy when you have a set daily writing routine. That way, you know when to do what and don’t have to waste time thinking about your next steps. Having a set writing process also helps you connect one task to another (like making coffee taking it to your work table and then drinking it while writing) and which makes the flow easy. Other things like setting a daily writing goal (like 500 words), not editing while writing, switching off distractions, etc also help. Just remember, not to go overboard with anything.

How do you write when you are not in the mood?

Writing when you’re not in the mood will result in mediocre content but don’t let it stop you. You can work on setting your mood by taking a break, going out on a walk, creating a writing routine, setting up an ambiance (burning essential oils, clearing the writing table), etc. can help.

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Swadhin Agrawal

Hi, I'm Swadhin Agrawal, founder, and editor-in-chief of DigitalGYD . DigitalGYD is a multiple-times award-winning blog where we aim at helping bloggers how to start a blog and grow it into a profitable online business.

I'm a professional blogger for a decade now and am the founder of Value Intent Media Pvt. Ltd., a media company that creates content for a multi-million-sized audience across various verticals.

Our research & content on DigitalGYD is often referred to by brands like The Telegraph, Forbes, Times of India, Yahoo! Finance, HuffPost, Bluehost, Neil Patel, The Next Web, etc.

23 thoughts on “Writing Motivation: 7 Proven Ways to Get Motivated to Write Instantly!”

Good advice Swadhin. Blogging is like telling a story to friends. I think some bloggers make the mistake of writing like they are talking down or reporting news. It comes across kind of boring instead of engaging and helpful.

Hello Swadhin, The above article is very informative and useful, Thanks for sharing such helpful articles .

Hi Swadhin,

Most of the times I read blogs very fast and very little pieces of information I keep in my mind. But in this article, it’s well narrated and a lot of things inspired me to continue blogging as my passion.

Thanks a lot Sajeesh

Hello Swadhin,

It is really very great post and it is very motivational also and thanks for sharing this article.

Regards, Marya

Thank you! I definitely needed to read this! This way of thinking is what I need to keep in mind.

It was really helpful blog for me, really capturing one , and also loved the detailed explanation with the dinner table story narration. I just started blogging and I am definitely going to save this blog for future references.

Best regards, Sushila Nepal

Hey Swadhin,

Wow. What a riveting write up my friend. It definitely felt like you were talking directly to me.

I agree we should treat our readers with care no mater how many we have.

Off to share this one!

Thank you soo much for such an encouraging blog post. It definitely puts blogging into perspective. One reader is no different from 5000 readers – we should be appreciative that they came to our site and enjoyed our entry. Love that!

Love the “seven friends at the dinner table” analogy. Thanks for this alternate point of view.

Very encouraging and inspiring, Swadhin. Thanks for sharing! Christa

Thank you for this post. I agree with you completely. I was listening to a podcast recently and the guy said that if you have the ability to make a different for even 40 people, you are changing the world. My blog is small right now and of course, I wish that I had more traffic but I care a great deal about the traffic that I do have.

I have been considering email each subscriber individually and asking them, how I can help them. Do you think that is a good idea?

Hi Renne I am replying to your comment because you have a question in it. I think that podcast was a powerful one. We should always respect people who teach such positivism. Yes why not, I think thats a incredible one. You are not going to have subscribers after this tough. They will all be converted into your friends. Its an awesome idea and I think I should also follow it.

It will surely boost your engagement rate. So go forward :)

This was a very engaging post. I love that way you have given examples based on the number of readers in a blog. I totally agree with your thoughts. Even if a single person is reading your content, you are obliged to keep writing and providing useful content for him. You just have to be focused and good things will come your way.

Keep sharing your amazing posts with us. Have a wonderful week ahead :)

Hats of to you for motivating me, so many times I have same feeling and depressed about blog traffic comparing with other people, You said right, even if you have single reader to your blog, we should respect him because he is spending his valuable time to read your article.

I liked the way you compared readers into audiences like dining table, community hall, cafe centre, and Stadium, keep up the good work.

Loved this post and what you have shared is a nugget of wisdom. You remind of a post I wrote where I advised that we should not be rank conscious but provide value and what better way to provide value to your audience than to treat them like a special GEM.

I agree that we should not be disheartened or sad because we don’t have much followers as every blogger has a voice and If 1 reader believes in you then such reader should be treated with care and respect.

Loved the headline, story and the finish. Thanks for sharing.

Hi Swadin bro, What a great post. Its 100% true that blogging is nothing rather than a story but you need to provide a value in your story to your reader. The explanation you have made, is really impressive. Thanks for such kind of inspiration. Have a great day!! Naveen Kumar

Magical beginning and super magical ending I rarely observe ever because either a post has a great start or an impressive ending; but at both sides never happens commonly.

Your posts reminded me my visit to a recreation place in my city with my family where we also watched a magic show. The hall was completely empty when we entered into it. The show organizers waited for more audience but no one came up. We were thinking then he would refund our ticket and we would go away but to our utter surprise they started the show just for four persons of my family. They didn’t skip any item and fully conducted the show from start to end and even while winding up the show the host finished it with a typical way as mostly hosts do like “do take of yourself and people living around you, stay positive and love animals” type of phrases.

It thought then they were the real sellers either they have just one buyer or thousands and thousands. So this mindset should be of a blogger as well, as you mentioned how a blogger should treat a specific number of visitors at his blog.

Thanks a lot for sharing this wonderful post.

I agree to Nirmala ma’am that this is an unique post. Completely enjoyed reading it. You have got a nice point, in order to impress the reader we need to make them feel special.

Also if you see around these days everyone is trying to copy other’s style. I have seen people adopting the same boring styles and topics which were so 2015… Having a unique tone would surely make us stand out!

You are so right on providing value. I think this should be the top-most priority of any blogger or writer. Thanks for sharing this exceptional post with us. Have a nice week ahead. :)

Regards, Rohan Chaubey.

Nice post full of great motivation.

Actually blogging is an area where you have to start from the zero visitor count.

That was a wonderful post indeed and a much required one :)

You are absolutely right in giving the wonderful examples you gave as comparisons, about the story or incidents we share with our loved ones and how they are all ears to what we have to say. It’s the same case with bloggers – even one reader matters, and you should be happy for the views you get.

Like you mentioned, I’ve often heard bloggers talk of 5000 page views or much more in a day, or they talk of how much they earned, and share their income, reports etc. But where does all this lead to? Perhaps it makes you sad or depressed – and is what they share really true? If you are the kind to make comparison, not realizing the value of the single view, a single reader who takes time to spend time reading your post, commenting, and perhaps sharing it further. So, write for that one reader, and I am sure it would bring you as much happiness and contentment as writing for many.

Your post reminded me of the time when I was a new blogger too, and hardly got any visits and comments. But I never gave it all any thought, as I loved to write and took blogging as a platform to express my views with an aim to help others, and I just wrote and shared it with people. Slowly, they started liking what I wrote, and started visiting my blogs. And there’s been no looking back. I’d say, subscribers or no subscribers, traffic or no traffic, just keep writing and blogging.

If you can help just one person – you are on the right path. We need to rise above the numbers and counts, isn’t it?

Thanks for sharing this inspirational piece with us. Have a nice week ahead :)

hmm.. unique post for us Swadhin :)

Seriously, I got frustrated after reading several blogging type posts like how to get blog comments, how to drive traffic, some smartphone reviews etc. I felt hungry and thus decided to shut down my lappi for lunch break. That time, you shared Rohan’s interview post on Google plus (kindly note, you haven’t shared your post). I thought about Digitalgyd and assumed that I would get a good post to read (may be something on writing) and theus headed over here.

The crafting style of the post with asking so many questions is really good and it would nudge the readers to share their views here. I really liked the way you’ve explained under “Change your mindset” subheading. Agree with your opinion in respecting even a single reader and I too write the posts by imagining that I’m speaking to my beloved readers.

Nice post, keep sharing your advises :P

This was really an awesome and unique post. Now I will treat my blog as a football stadium and will help my readers in enjoying reading my each and every post of blog. I had learned even if I have one visitor i should blog for him also. As he was here for seeking some knowledge and I should not waste his efforts at all.

Thanks for sharing Regards Suprabhat

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Writing Resources

Idea and motive.

This handout is available for download in DOCX format and PDF format .

As a student, your primary motive for writing essays is usually mercenary; you write to fulfill an assignment by a given deadline. Desire for success may motivate you to write, but your reader must also be motivated to read. Your essay, if it is to be interesting to others, needs a reason to be written. Establish a shared context with your readers, something you all have in common beyond this class. Then you can state why we should all care your topic.

The motive is the situation that you define for your thesis —your central organizing idea. The motive establishes why your readers should care. If your thesis statement is the sum of your original thinking on a topic, then your statement of motive is your reason for thinking that others will be interested. The motive is your reason for raising a question; it explains why that question needs answering. The thesis is your answer to that question.

An essay lacking a motive will often sound like an exercise you’ve been commanded to write.   An essay with a motive addresses the intellectual community at large. The motive is the writer’s guarantee that the essay is worth reading. Typically, writers return to the motive in the conclusion of the essay to impress on the readers what the significance of the essay’s idea has been.

Why should your idea interest a reader? Why won’t it seem obvious to anyone who looks at the same text (poem, story, film, painting, advertisement, etc.)? Perhaps:

• The truth isn’t what one would expect, or what it might appear to be on first reading.
• There is an interesting wrinkle in the matter, a complexity that appears on closer examination.
• Something that seems simple or common or obvious has more implications or explains more than it may seem.
• There is a contradiction, mystery, or tension that needs investigation.
• There is an ambiguity, something unclear that could mean two or more things.
• We can learn about a larger phenomenon by studying this smaller one.
• A seemingly tangential or insignificant matter is actually important or interesting.
• There is something implicit that needs to be made explicit.

Motivations for a research paper could also include:

• The standard opinion of a text or a certain published view needs challenging or qualifying.
• Published views of the matter conflict.

Now that you understand the importance of motive and how it relates to thesis, take a moment to reflect on your own work:

• What question does your essay raise?
• What is the shared context between you and your readers that suggests your question should interest them? We all have in common:
• Your thesis statement (your answer to the question you raise):
• Your statement of motive (your answer to the question, “Why should your readers care?”):

Adapted from “Thesis and Motive,” UWS Instructors Resources, Brandeis University

See also: Williams & Bizup. Style, Lessons in Clarity and Grace, 7: “Motivation.”

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Build motivation to write that paper.

The cursor continues to blink on the blank document. You have a paper to write for your next class. It’s due soon. And you have no idea what to write, or how to start.

The kids are in bed, hopefully sound asleep. Your spouse is doing his or her own work. Now, it’s time for you to write the research essay you’d been procrastinating on all week.

But, the words just don’t come. And you continue to stare at the blinking cursor.

Odds are, this hesitation, frustration and inability to form complete sentences has happened to all students. You may rather want to binge watch your new show, or try out a new cookie recipe or engage in some other favorite hobby than try and write a paper.

Yet writing that paper brings you another step closer to pursuing your personal and professional goals. You know it’s important.

Wonder how to build up the inspiration to let your words start flowing? Follow these simple steps to cultivate motivation and get that paper written:

FIND THE RIGHT WRITING SPOT

In another blog article , we mentioned a way to improve your study habits includes finding the right location. To be ready to write, your environment should cater to your need to focus.

As an adult student, the location you work may require flexibility. It may be a coffee shop a few blocks down from your house; or an empty conference room in your office; or a quiet library workspace.

And if you’re unable to escape the constant craziness of life, noise-canceling headphones may just be a good investment.

The goal in establishing your working environment is to let your thoughts and words flow freely, without constant interruptions.

TURN OFF THE PHONE

You’re just about to write a sentence and you hear a ‘ping’ from your phone notifying you that someone just liked your photo on Facebook. And soon, rather than writing your next paragraph in your paper, you are commenting on your friend’s updated profile picture.

Some may find turning off their phone to work unimaginable. How can you not be constantly available via technology? Yet, to increase your focus on the paper that has yet to be written, put it on silent.

Removing the distraction of bings and rings from texts, emails and Facebook notifications can turn your attention from the hundreds of other things going on to forming that intro, body and conclusion of your paper.

PLAN A GOAL

Have six pages to write? It may not be best to set your goal to finish all six in one sitting. Such a goal may feel overwhelmingly daunting – creating another barrier in finishing the assignment.

In setting your goal for writing, be sure to follow the S.M.A.R.T. acronym to ensure success.

• S—Specific: Rather than telling yourself you’ll write a few sentences and cite a few sources, get detailed. Write three pages with using at least three sources.
• M—Measurable: Page length or word count are benchmarks that can be easily measured and evaluated.
• A—Achievable: Ensure the length and content goal you set is actually something you can physically and mentally complete in the time you allot yourself. Writing ten pages in a half hour may just be too extreme.
• R—Relevant: The goal you set in writing your paper should assist you in pursuing your professional and personal endeavors. It’s not just an assignment. It’s equipping you.
• T—Timely: Setting a deadline, whether given on the syllabus or the one you give yourself before that, gives you the mental note of what and when to get it done. Perhaps you could break up your work on the paper into different sections and set reachable deadlines for each section.

REMEMBER WHY YOU’RE WRITING

Writing the paper is about more than getting a good grade. It’s more than moving on to the next course. Writing this paper is one more step toward achieving your personal and professional goals.

Think about and answer the question of why you’re pursuing your degree. It may be a combination of factors: to show your children your commitment to education, to receive a promotion, to follow a dream that you missed out on, to perform better in your current role.

Whatever your answer, you’re in your degree program for a reason. Getting your thoughts and arguments down on paper is just one next step toward fulfilling that reason.

Cornerstone University offers numerous Academic Support resources to equip you to succeed in your degree program, whether that’s in writing a paper or other assignment.

Discover Academic Support

Ellie Walburg

Ellie Walburg (B.S. ’17, M.B.A. ’20) serves as the admissions communications coordinator for Cornerstone University’s Professional & Graduate Studies division.

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Nine Powerful Ways to Motivate Yourself to Write

15 Mar 2021 | Motivation

This post was first published in 2012 and updated in March 2021.

All writers struggle with motivation at times. Whether you’re writing freelance pieces, content for your blog, a novel, short stories, poetry, or even an essay, thesis, or dissertation … it can be really tough to stay motivated to write.

Even after 12+ years of writing full-time, I still have days when I don’t feel motivated at all. (My freelance work pays all the bills though, so that definitely helps me stick with it. ;-))

Staying motivated can be particularly hard for novelists and short story writers. You might be working on a book for months, even years, without knowing whether it’ll find a publisher or an audience.

A lack of motivation doesn’t mean that you’re not cut out to be a writer. It usually just means you need a little boost to help you feel engaged with your writing again.

These nine motivational writing tips have helped me and plenty of other writers. I hope one (or more!) of them is just what you need to motivate yourself, too.

#1: Have a (Firm) Deadline

Deadlines have a wonderful way of concentrating the mind. As soon as your writing has a deadline attached, there’s a sense of urgency about it. I wouldn’t have finished many essays in school or at university without the power of a deadline (and the fear of missing it).

Many fiction writers, especially first-time novelists, don’t have an agent, publisher, or readership waiting eagerly for them to finish. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use the power of deadlines to motivate yourself. You could promise yourself a reward for meeting a self-imposed deadline. You can also make deadlines more “real” in a couple of key ways:

• Get someone else involved: a friend, a writing buddy, a teacher or coach. Promise that you’ll send them your blog post / scene / short story by a particular date.
• Enter a short story competition . These have very real deadlines, plus wordcounts; they’re great for writing discipline. (You can also find competitions for novels and other types of writing, but short story competitions are the most common.)

#2: Take a Writing Class or Course

Every time I go to a writing class, course, or lecture, I end up feeling inspired to write. Way back in 2008, when I started my creative writing degree at Goldsmiths, I was worried I’d lost my motivation for fiction – I was enjoying blogging and freelancing too much. After a single class, though, I was raring to get started on my novel, Lycopolis , which eventually became the first installment in a trilogy.

Of course, you don’t have to take a creative writing degree to get motivated to write. You could go to a local workshop or class, attend an online class, or take a whole online course.

To get the most from a class:

• Be prepared to participate. Usually, the more you put in, the more you’ll get out. Make an effort to speak up – and don’t shy away from sharing or even reading out your work, if there’s an opportunity for that.
• Try something different. If you’re a novelist, take a class on screenwriting or poetry: you might not choose to try out a new medium, but you may well find yourself re-inspired for your novel.

#3: Listen to Music That Fits Your Writing Mood

Is there a particular type of music that you enjoy? Maybe it appeals to your creative side or helps you to focus. You might not like to listen to music while you write (some writers find it too distracting) – but you could play a favourite track or album before a writing session.

With most of my novels, I’ve had a particular album that I played over and over while writing them. Occasionally, I had a specific song that I’d play on repeat dozens of times. I found I didn’t really “listen” to the music, but that it helped me to be in the mood to write.

You might like to try:

• Picking a specific album (or even one track) as “writing” music. Listen to it when you want to get into the writing frame of mind, and not at any other time.
• Using a particular song as the basis for a new scene. You could simply take the general mood of the piece as the starting point, or work particular lyrics into the dialogue or narrative (even if you take them out later).

#4: Imagine Yourself Writing

In all sorts of fields, people use visualisation to help them reach their goals. Top athletes, for instance, might imagine going through a particular set of moves again and again. Public speakers may picture themselves walking onto the stage, delivering a great speech, and receiving the applause of a thrilled audience.

Some writers like to daydream about their finished book on the shelves … and while there’s nothing wrong with that, visualisation tends to be more effective when you see yourself doing the actual writing.

When you want to feel more motivated to write:

• Sit with your eyes closed and imagine yourself writing. Hear the click of the keyboard, see the words appearing in front of you on the screen.
• Don’t be afraid to visualise problems. Imagine getting stuck, feeling tempted to check emails. Then imagine yourself saying “no” to that impulse, and sticking with the task at hand.

#5: Set Aside Time for Your Writing

You’re never going to stumble across a “perfect” time to write. Other commitments in your life – school, work, family, friends, different hobbies – could easily fill every day, if you let them.

You need to fit writing into your week in a way that suits you and your circumstances. Before I had kids, I often wrote fiction on Saturdays. Over the past eight years, I’ve done most of my fiction writing in the late afternoon or early evening, squeezing it in around family life.

To really make time for your writing:

• Block out several hours, if you can ; perhaps even a whole day. Even if you can only do this once a month, it’s a great way to relax into your writing and make serious progress.
• Stick to your writing appointments. If you’ve promised yourself that you’ll work on your novel on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, turn down social events or Zoom calls on those nights. (You don’t need to explain why if you don’t want to: “I’ve got another commitment” is all anyone needs to know.) And when you’re writing, make the most of your time .

#6: Picture the Scene in Progress

In #4, I suggested visualising yourself writing. If you’re a fiction writer, another great use of your imagination is to picture the scene that you want to write.

Where are your story’s characters located? What are they saying or doing? Are they moving around? How are they reacting to events or to one another? Try to see the scene unfold in front of you.

This can feel a bit odd at first, so:

• Don’t worry if you can’t “see” the scene in glorious technicolour and surround-sound. When I imagine my characters, they’re often small (like dolls), as if I’m looking down from a height, and I can’t hear them. Other times, I can imagine what they’re saying, but I don’t have a clear picture of the location.
• Write down notes to capture what you imagine : these can just be brief bullet points about things that need to occur in the scene. Often, the act of writing will spark off new ideas.

#7: Remind Yourself Why Your Writing Is Important

One of the reasons why writers grind to a halt and eventually give up is because the rest of life seems somehow “more important” than writing . When you’ve got bills to pay, dishes to wash, family to care for, friends to see, writing a novel or publishing regularly on a personal blog can seem like a big waste of time or a huge indulgence.

It’s not. Your writing is important. Even if you never publish a single word of it, and even if it never makes any money, you’ll still have gained a huge amount through the writing itself.

So that you remember that fiction matters:

• Record your reasons for writing , and don’t be afraid to say why it matters to you. If writing fiction makes you feel happy and grounded, that’s important and valid.
• Talk with other writers . That could mean meeting up for coffee with a writing friend, joining a local group, or hanging out on Twitter or in writing forums online.

#8: Share Your Work with Other Writers

Sharing your writing means you get insightful feedback on your work-in-progress, plus you get the buzz of having people read and discuss your writing. Often, they’ll be keen to know what happens next – which can encourage you to get on with the next chapter.

Seeing other people’s work in progress can also be motivating: you’re around other people who value writing and who take it seriously. You may also find that spotting the rough spots and mistakes in other writers’ work helps you be more alert to those in your own writing.

When you’re looking for a writing workshop group :

• Ideally, find a group that meets regularly . To really keep up the momentum, meeting weekly or twice a month is best. Lots of groups only meet monthly, though, and that’s still great.
• Consider online groups and forums too.  I run the Aliventures Club for anyone who’s bought  from or worked with me in the past: it’s a free private Facebook group where you can share your work in a friendly and supportive environment.

#9: Just Write the First Few Sentences

This tip might look deceptively simple. It’s also very effective. When you’re not feeling motivated, just sit down and get started. Write just a few sentences.

You don’t need to be in the right mood before you’re allowed to start getting words down. You don’t need to wait until the muse descends. You don’t need to feel like every word flowing from your fingers is gold.

You just need to write. (And when you do, you’ll often find that the act of writing helps you feel more motivated to write.)

If you need some help getting those first few sentences down:

• Give yourself a time limit. Write for, say, ten minutes. However unmotivated you’re feeling, you can manage ten minutes.
• Start half-way through a scene or chapter. Jump in with a line of dialogue or a sudden action, and go from there. Begin with the first key point of your blog post. You can always go back and start things off more smoothly later (and you might even find that midway is the best place to begin).

Next time you want to write but feel unmotivated, give one or two of these tips a try. And if you’re still stuck, go for my ultimate motivation tool: I’m either going to write or clean the house . That usually helps focus my mind. 😉

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(You can learn more about the newsletter here.)

I’m Ali Luke, and I live in Leeds in the UK with my husband and two children.

Aliventures is where I help you master the art, craft and business of writing.

If you're new, welcome! These posts are good ones to start with:

Can You Call Yourself a “Writer” if You’re Not Currently Writing?  

The Three Stages of Editing (and Nine Handy Do-it-Yourself Tips)

What to Do When Your Writing Goals Seem a Long Way Off

My contemporary fantasy trilogy is available from Amazon. The books follow on from one another, so read  Lycopolis  first.

You can buy them all from Amazon, or read them FREE in Kindle Unlimited.

29 Comments

Thank you for this list – tremendously helpful! Pinning them to my wall as we speak!

#s 4 and 6 are especially good. Especially when I’m going to sleep at night or waking up in the morning, I find visualizing myself writing or picturing the scene either cements a few phrases in my mind or gives me the motivation to get up and have at it. Thanks for sharing!

Yay, glad to help! And I agree with you on times of day for visualisation — late at night or first thing in the morning works really well.

I have the hardest time taking what I see in my mind to paper. It ALWAYS is flat and dull. I look forward to trying your tips from #6! Also, I have spent much time waiting for the MOOD to strike. #9 has inspired to just write NOW!

Hurrah! Hope you get some good writing done. 🙂

I find that things are *never* as good on the page as they are in my mind … but editing at least helps.

I really like tip number 8. I can’t wait to be around a group of writers. Bridges Stevenson’s last blog post .. Assassin Part 2*

Thanks, Bridges — hope you can find a good group.

Some excellent ideas that you have shared – I find it helpful to close my eyes and type – visulaizing the action in my minds eye. My biggest problem is doing the revisions – I know that they are needed and I can identify areas that I want to improve it is just sitting down and doing it. Seems to take forever and requires more patience than I have.

Thanks, Larry. I agree that visualising the action really helps. Revisions can be tough … for me, the main motivation is knowing that I’m finally turning the piece into what I *wanted* to write rather than my clumsy first draft attempt.

I’ve always been a slacker when it comes to writing and I believe that setting a deadline would really push you to make an output. How long does it take for you to write a particular topic?

Thanks for sharing this. I’m more motivated to write now!

-Sheila Sheila B.’s last blog post .. how to pick up girls

My writing speed varies quite a bit depending on what I’m working on. Usually, though, I reckon on a comfortable 1,000 words in an hour. (It’s taken me a while to get up to that speed, though!)

As usual, some key points here. Just as no two snowfakes are exactly alike, human beings also tend to be unique. I am a restless spirit, so it is particularly challenging for me to sit down and write. And just writing is sound advice, but in my case I need to meditate, enjoy a stroll and take a long shower before I can muster up the motivation to write. I also need a quiet and peaceful environment, so late at night or very early morning…that works for me. I cannot write when there are too many distractions hovering over my head like a helicopter; nor am I good at multi-tasking. One thing, one at a time is my motto in life. So when I write, that is all that I do. Cheerio.

Thanks, Archan. I agree with you about peaceful, and first thing in the morning works well for me … though if the lure of the writing is strong enough, I can get on with it regardless of the time of day.

I am aspiring to be a writer and I already enrolled for a class. I have the passion yet I don’t have the confidence. Learning the right skills is one of the steps I need to pursue my dream. Laura’s last blog post .. DTS Home

Hope the class goes really well, Laura, and that it gives you lots of confidence about your writing. 🙂

Sadly, I can even be distracted by cleaning my bathroom or raking leaves. Sigh. Now that I’ve established firm cleaning and yard work parameters, I’m much more productive. And the great thing is, my husband doesn’t notice if the house is clean or dirty anyway. Heather Harshman’s last blog post .. ​You know you are sleep deprived when you

Parameters and boundaries are often helpful! And my husband never seems to notice either — I guess it’s a guy thing. 😉

Best thing for procrastination for me is Dr. Wicked’s Write or Die. http://writeordie.com/ When all else fails, it succeeds. And it’s so cheap. I recommend it highly for first drafts. If you stop typing, it makes horrid sounds at you. If nothing else, the fear of badly played violins or screaming children will keep your fingers flying. No, not paid to promote – just a devoted and enslaved fan. 😉 Dorothyanne Brown’s last blog post .. Writing and waiting, writing and waiting

Great addition, Dorothyanne — thanks! I’ve recommended Write or Die to a fair few fellow writers; I agree with you that it’s a great way to crack on with first drafts.

I seem to have the opposite problem. I am spending so much time on writing or re- writing that my house looks like a tip. I guess I will get quicker at writing.

My motivation tip is go on vacation. I am going next week. I will be raring to go when I get back. Be in touch then.

Carole Carole Lyden’s last blog post .. Dip into your depression and find some answers. 4 ways to problem solve your depression.

Have a great vacation, Carole! And that’s a fantastic tip — I always come back from a break with tons of renewed energy and enthusiasm too. 🙂

These are great, especially the last one. Sometimes I find I just have to fake it till I make it. I find if I take my writing time seriously I’m more inclined to give it the attention it needs. Happy to have found your blog!

Welcome, Pam! I’m happy to have you here. 🙂 And yes, I think taking writing seriously is hugely important, whatever stage you’re at. It’s the only real way to get to the next level up…

The last one is really great! Many times I find myself lacking the ideas, and by that the motive really. However when I start writing even just for couple of sentences, thoughts start to form more and more, and many ideas are starting to come up. Looking back in retrospect many of my posts originated this way. Great article 🙂

Thanks, Slavko, glad you enjoyed the piece! 🙂

Man, I really love your blog! Keep ’em coming!

I came back to this article to help out a friend I’m beta-reading for, and as I reread it I realized I did #1 on this list and it worked beautifully. Sort of.

April is Script Frenzy month: http://www.scriptfrenzy.org As my sophomore year attempting this event, I did everything I could to avoid distractions and use the “Have a (Firm) Deadline” – which would be 100 pages of script by April 30th. Well, that I failed miserably and finished the month with just 40 pages to my script.

However, also during April, I was determined to finally post a chapter to a fanfic I hadn’t updated since last June. I contacted my script co-writer from my freshmen try at Script Frenzy – who is also a big fan of my fanfic – and I asked if she wouldn’t mind beta-reading for me. The chapter was broken down in to about a dozen mini-scenes and we set forth for me to send her a new scene at least once every three days (which ended up being faster turn-arounds now that I had the thrill of feedback nearly daily), and the “(Firm) Deadline” of wanting the chapter posted by “Tax Day” so I at least had the 2nd half of April to work on my script.

Having that beta involved and feeling the need to write and send her something new nearly daily to “not waste her time” really helped. She’s working on her master’s right now, it’s the end of the school year, and she is mad-busy. Unfortunately, that meant I had no one involved in my script, which is probably why that tanked.

So I completely see the truth in advice #1 and I thank you for it. Now to be that “person involved” for others so they can be motivated. ^_^ LycoRogue’s last blog post .. Liebster Award

Congrats on the fanfic writing. 🙂 And sorry the script didn’t go so well, but 40 pages is still fantastic progress — far better (infinitely better) than zero. I think we’re sometimes too hard on ourselves when it comes to output.

Hope you get to read some great works-in-progress in return… 🙂

These are great! Also, I write chapter by chapter, and end up doing a chapter every 1-3 days. When I actually get the dang thing done, I let myself have some kind of Swiss chocolate (it’s my weakness), but I only have it when I finish a chapter. Thank you for the great tips!

I think chocolate is a great motivator, definitely one of my favourites. 🙂 (And wow, it sounds like you write fast — good stuff!)

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Top tips for staying motivated while writing essays

So, you’re staring at a blank word document yet again, desperate for anything that can motivate you and get your essay finished at this all important time. Fortunately, we have got those all-important motivational tips to get you through this tough time and fill up that blank document with the 2,000 words due next week.

1. Cut Out All Distractions

We all do it. Take a quick look at Facebook, catch up on a group chat or watch a quick video and suddenly it’s been 20 minutes. It might be a simple fix, but the best thing you can do is block out all distractions, even if you’re really tempted. Just think, the sooner you can get your essay finished, the sooner you can escape the clutches of the library and enjoy your freedom!

2. Drinks and Snacks

Keep your energy levels up. Raid the shops for their finest sweets, energy drinks or anything to keep you awake. Keep your fluids up and drink plenty of water! However, we do recommend not drinking too many energy drinks - you'll be buzzing all night long. 

3. Set a quota

Decide before you start working on how much you’re going to write. The key to this is deciding how many words you’re going to get down, rather than how much time you’re going to spend doing it as it’s likely most of it will take up doing research and reading books.

4. Think about your investment

If all else fails, remind yourself that you’re paying £9,000 a year to study for your degree (it works out at about £250 per seminar/lecture) . Realising that you’re getting in huge debts should give you that all needed drive to finish your essay on time and make it the best it can be.

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Tips for Writing Your Motivational Statement and Essays

While it’s one of our favorite parts of the application reading experience, we know that writing essay components can be anxiety-inducing for applicants. As you start or continue your application , we hope you find this guidance on the motivational statement and essays helpful.

Motivational Statement

All students applying to the Master of Public Policy (MPP) , MA in Public Policy (MA) , MS in Computational Analysis and Public Policy (MSCAPP) , and MA in Public Policy with Certificate in Research Methods (MACRM) programs are required to submit a 300-word motivational statement answering the questions: Why policy? Why Harris? (Or a version of these questions more specific to your program).

Some suggestions as you are thinking about your answers to these questions:

Answer the prompt. Don’t worry about using precious space to introduce yourself—jump right into answering the question. 

Write first, edit later. Get your ideas onto the page—whether that means bullet points, idea webs, or a journal entry. Don’t worry about crafting the perfect opener, meeting the word count, or checking grammar when you are first getting started.  

Reflect. Think about the professional, personal, or academic experience that has inspired you. 

Be specific. When answering Why Harris? , be specific to the University of Chicago and Harris. Analyze why certain programs, centers, classes, or professors made you want to apply here. 

Optional Essay Questions

Although the Motivation Statement is required, the essay questions are optional. For all optional essay questions, we aren’t just interested in the “right answer,” but how you are thinking about and approaching these complex questions.

Students applying to the Master of Public Policy (MPP) program may pick any of the three questions below. Completing question three will allow you to be considered for Pearson fellowships open only to MPP students.

Students applying to the MA in Public Policy (MA) , MS in Computational Analysis and Public Policy (MSCAPP) , and MA in Public Policy with Certificate in Research Methods (MACRM) programs may choose to complete optional essays 1 and

Option 1: Challenge—Describe briefly the biggest challenge you have ever faced. How did you tackle it and what did you learn? (max 300 words)

Tip: In essay one, you may write about a personal, professional, or academic challenge when answering this question. Perhaps more than the challenge itself, we are interested in how you tackled the challenge, and what you learned in the process.

Option 2: Community—Where do you see yourself getting involved in the community during your time at Harris—either at the University of Chicago or in the city of Chicago? (max 300 words)

Tip: If you are answering essay two, please make sure to speak specifically to Harris or UChicago.

Option 3: Pearson—If you would like to be considered for  The Pearson Fellowship , please answer the following: In reflecting on the complexities of past and present protracted global conflicts, please analyze what singular global conflict most puzzles you personally, and discuss why.

Tip: Please note that “global conflict” can refer to a range of conflicts (i.e. inter/intra state; those involving non-state actors, etc.) and a range of issues associated (i.e. refugee crises, religious conflict, gang violence, drug wars, domestic violence, etc.). Remember to consider: Is the conflict actually puzzling? For example, does it involve actors acting against their own best interest, or operating irrationally?​ And finally, for the purposes of this essay, you will not need to cite sources.

We hope you find these tips helpful as you move your application forward.

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8 Tips for Students Struggling to Find Inspiration for Essay Writing

Posted by Sponsored | Oct 5, 2020 | Classifieds | 3

Academic writing might be challenging for many students. One needs strong writing and analytical skills, not to mention inspiration to even start. And it is completely normal if you feel a bit dull about completing an essay sometimes.

After all, college paper writing is not the most exciting thing to do. Yet, there are several ways to find inspiration without extensive effort. If you need a little bit of that, follow these simple tips and writing will be a breeze!

1.   Take a Walk

Sometimes, a healthy break is what can boost motivation to continue or start. Walking is going to refresh your energy and give some time to think.

Listen to yourself and think about the factors that restrain you from writing. Maybe the case is in perfectionism, as it can be a reason for procrastination . Remember that there is no such thing as being perfect and it is not the goal of essay writing. Let yourself be imperfect and understand that the first draft will probably be quite bad. It is all a part of the process.

Walking also helps as it changes the scenery and lets the brain explore ideas at the same time. Go to a park or just stroll around the block, do whatever works for you.

2.   Clean Your Space

Cleaning has therapeutic power as you organize things and your thoughts at the same time. It also gives one a fresh feel and motivation to do more. It increases productivity and gives you a feeling of achievement.

Another benefit of the clean workspace is that there will be fewer distractions. This is important to keep the focus on an essay.

3.   Find a New Place to Work

Changing location can also boost your creativity. Maybe it is just the next room or kitchen, or maybe you prefer working outside. There are plenty of places to go – cafes, libraries, or parks. Take your laptop and notebook with you and try to do some writing outside of your comfort zone.

4.   Listen to Music

Music has great power over our emotions and overall mood. And it also helps to reduce stress and anxiety, which makes it quite beneficial . Writer’s block can produce a lot of stress and the more you think about it, the worse it gets.

Try to take your mind off it and listen to the songs you like. Some of them can help you relax, while other tracks are energetic and give you motivation. Find inspiration in it; feel like you can accomplish anything.

5.   Talk to a Friend

Another great way to get a new perspective on your essay is to talk about it. Firstly, it helps to put your ideas in order as you discuss them.

When one needs to present argumentation in the conversation, they will automatically try to find the best arguments. Besides, you can get a second opinion, a new perspective on the issue. Maybe there is something you’ve missed and your friend can point it out.

And also it makes the subject of the essay more practical. Sometimes, it might seem that academic assignments are purely theoretical and giving them practical value can help.

6.    Read Other Essays

Writing is a form of art. And when artists want to be inspired, they look at the works of other artists. The same applies to the completion of an essay.

Look up great examples of essays online, there are plenty of them. You can also read a scientific magazine or other publications.

Pay attention to the structure, sentence construction, and use of terms. A well-written essay might just inspire you to work.

7.   Work for 15 minutes

If nothing helps, it is time to force inspiration that comes in the process. For many writers, starting the work is what actually brings the motivation along.

Try just to work for just 10 to 15 minutes without interruption. Concentrate only on this task and look at how much you can achieve in such a short period. Maybe, after these 15 minutes, you will want to continue. And the task won’t seem so huge and overwhelming once you’ve already started.

8.   Try Exercising

Physical activity helps to recharge the brain and give you additional energy . There is no need to go anywhere; you can just do a 15 minute-workout at home. Sports will help you release endorphins, bring you more motivation, and make you feel better.

Finishing a workout is an amazing feeling that can be very inspiring. And it is also extremely useful for overall mental and physical health. Studies show that regular exercises influence academic performance beneficially.

A lot of times to find motivation and boost creativity, one needs to change focus and try something new. It will recharge the cognitive abilities and help to acquire a new perspective. Try finding a fresh place to write, cleaning the desk, listening to music, or going for a walk. One of these tips will definitely help you to master that essay

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Thanks for this article! For me it’s always difficult to find inspiration for writing. Sometimes I use the help of writing services, which I find by reading reviews on Best Writers Online.

Thanks for this article! For me it’s always difficult to find google search for writing. Sometimes I use the help of writing services, which I find by reading reviews on Best Writers Online.

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How to Motivate Yourself to Write an Essay

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Introduction: The Purpose and Importance of Motivation

Writing an essay can be an intimidating and challenging task. It is necessary to be motivated when writing an essay in order to remain on task and complete the project within the given timeline. In this guide, we will discuss the importance of motivation and how it can help achieve success in writing essays .

Motivation is key for any task, but especially for writing assignments. If you are not motivated to write your essay, it can take longer than necessary or may not reach its highest potential. There are many ways to stay motivated, from setting achievable goals to rewarding yourself for completing small tasks. We will discuss these strategies in more detail later on in this guide.

It is important to be aware of the purpose of writing an essay before starting the project . Once you understand the goal and the expectations, you can set clear objectives with step-by-step guidelines that will make the writing process easier and more enjoyable. It will also help you stay focused and motivated throughout.

Completing an essay on time requires dedication, focus and discipline, but most importantly, motivation. Being able to motivate oneself is critical for achieving success in any task, and this guide will provide helpful tips and advice on how to stay motivated during the writing process in order to reach your desired outcome.

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we find ourselves lacking motivation or even forgetting about an essay due soon. When this happens, it can be stressful and overwhelming to try and catch up on the work. However, there is a solution that can help alleviate this stress and ensure that you submit a high-quality essay on time: using our IB Writing Service​ .

One of the main benefits of using our service is the ability to work with tight deadlines. Our team of expert writers is skilled in working efficiently and effectively, even when time is limited. Whether you have a few days or just a few hours to complete your essay, we can help ensure that you meet your deadline without compromising on quality.

Another benefit of using our service is the expertise of our writers. All of our writers are highly trained and experienced in writing IB essays, which means that they understand the requirements and expectations of the IB program. They can help you craft an essay that meets the standards of the program while also showcasing your unique voice and ideas.

Finally, we understand that confidentiality is important to our clients. That’s why we guarantee absolute confidentiality. No one will ever know that you used our service, which means that you can submit your essay with confidence and without any concerns about your academic integrity.

Set Your Goal

Getting started on a big project can be intimidating, but setting a goal prior to beginning is an incredibly important step that helps you stay motivated and organized. When it comes to writing an essay, in particular, setting a goal allows you to break the task down into achievable chunks, rather than being overwhelmed by the project as a whole.

Start by understanding the purpose of your essay and the expectations for it. Knowing what is expected of you will help you determine the scope of your project and better define your goals. When you have a good idea of what needs to be done, it’s time to set an attainable deadline. Giving yourself a timeline helps you stay focused and stay on track, so make sure you are realistic and create a schedule that works with your lifestyle.

After you have a timeline in place, it’s time to set specific and measurable goals along the way. Breaking down the steps needed to complete your essay into smaller tasks can help keep things manageable and make achieving your goals feel more attainable. For example, you may start off by setting a goal to simply “draft an outline”. This could be accomplished within a day or two, and providing yourself with small successes like this can help keep you motivated throughout the entire writing process.

Lastly, make sure you are writing down all of your goals and creating an action plan for how you will achieve them. Visual reminders are also a great way to help keep track of your progress and stay motivated. Whenever you hit a milestone or complete a task, celebrate your success and reward yourself for all of your hard work!

By setting specific and measurable goals before beginning your essay, you can break down large tasks into achievable chunks and remain motivated and organized throughout the entire writing process. Doing this will also help you understand what is expected of you and give yourself a timeline that works with your lifestyle. And don’t forget to reward yourself for all of your hard work – it will give you even more motivation to finish strong!

Break it into Pieces

Nobody likes to be overwhelmed. When you’re looking at a large project like writing an essay , it can often feel so daunting that you may not even know where to start. The best way to tackle a large task is to break it down into manageable chunks. Think about the specific tasks you need to complete in order to finish the essay – research, writing, and editing. Rather than trying to work on all parts of the essay at once, focus on one task at a time. Setting goals that are achievable and achievable manageable can help make the job feel less overwhelming.

Taking frequent breaks can also increase productivity. Working on an essay for several hours straight can be quite draining and will ultimately leave you feeling unmotivated. Stop working after each session to take a few minutes to relax and clear your mind before returning to the project. This will help you stay focused and energized as you work through your essay.

Finally, celebrate your achievements! Rewarding yourself for completing small milestones along the way can go a long way in terms of keeping you motivated. Whether it’s taking a break for a snack or treating yourself to a movie once you’ve finished a section, staying positive and recognizing your progress can encourage you to keep going.

Prioritize Tasks

When it comes to writing an essay, one of the most important things you can do is prioritize your tasks. This means dividing up the different tasks that need to be completed into sections and allocating specific days to them.

For example, you could have a “research” day in which you gather all the information you need, a “writing” day in which you draft the main body of the essay, and an “editing” day in which you go through it and make any necessary changes or corrections. By having separate days dedicated to each task, it will help you stay focused and organized throughout the process.

You can also break down the essay writing process into smaller chunks, like researching for one hour, then writing for one hour and so on. Making the job seem less daunting by breaking up the large task into smaller ones will help motivate you to finish it.

It is also important to give yourself breaks in between to refocus and recharge, as this can also help boost productivity. Taking short breaks every hour or two to get some fresh air and stretch your legs can help refresh your mind and help you stay motivated throughout the writing process.

Rewarding Yourself

Writing an essay can be a daunting task, especially when you’re not feeling motivated. But one way to increase your motivation levels is by rewarding yourself for completing small milestones. Rewarding yourself can give you that extra push you need to keep going and reach your end goal.

Breaking your essay down into smaller tasks can help you to set achievable goals that you can reward yourself for completing. For example, if you have an essay due in a week, you could break it down into each day of the week with a task, such as researching and outlining on Monday, writing on Tuesday, revising and editing on Wednesday, etc. Each time you complete a task, you can reward yourself with a treat, like a snack, a few minutes of online gaming, or a quick walk outside.

Rewarding yourself can also help to boost your confidence, reminding you of your accomplishments and how far you’ve come. This can help to build self-esteem and a sense of control over your work, which can be beneficial when trying to stay motivated.

It’s important to find a system that works for you. While some may prefer treats as rewards, others may prefer more tangible outcomes like a break from work, finishing a chapter in a book, or a night out with friends. The important thing is that you set rewards for yourself that are exciting and motivating, and that you stick to them!

Rewarding yourself for completing small milestones can have a significant impact on your overall motivation levels. Taking the time to set achievable goals and rewards can help to make the process of writing an essay less intimidating, and more rewarding. So, be sure to find a system that works for you, and get writing!

Taking Breaks

When working for long periods of time on essays, it’s important to remember to take a break every now and again. Taking breaks can help you stay refreshed and energized, resulting in higher levels of productivity when writing. There are a few different methods of taking breaks that can be helpful.

Get Up and Move

One of the best ways to make sure you stay energized while writing is to get up and move around. Take a short walk, or do some stretching or yoga poses. This helps to get the blood flowing, which in turn will leave you feeling more energized when you sit back down to work.

Do Something Unrelated

When you take a break, don’t spend it on your phone or laptop; instead, try to do something completely unrelated to work. Whether it’s reading a book, listening to music, or spending time with friends, be sure to step away from your essay so that you can refresh your mind.

Set a Time Limit

When you are taking a break, make sure to set a timer for yourself. That way, you won’t get distracted for too long and end up falling behind in your work. A break should be a chance to reset and re-energize, but should also be brief enough that you can get back to work without feeling burned out.

Reward Yourself

Finally, it can be helpful to reward yourself during breaks. After finishing a task or reaching a milestone, give yourself a small reward such as a snack or a quick game. This will help keep you motivated throughout the writing process.

Taking breaks is an important part of staying energized and productive while writing essays. Make sure to follow these tips while working, and remember to stay focused and have fun!

Creating an Optimal Working Environment to Stay Motivated Writing Essays

Creating a productive workspace is essential when trying to stay motivated while writing an essay. A clean and organized workspace can help to minimize distractions and make it easier to stay focused and on track. Here are some simple tips for creating an optimal working environment that will help you stay motivated:

• Choose a comfortable spot: Find a comfortable spot in your home or office to work that is quiet, distraction-free, and away from any potential interruptions. Make sure the temperature and lighting are comfortable.
• Clear your desk of clutter: Ensure that your desk or workspace is free from distractions such as papers, books, and other items. An uncluttered desk can lead to an uncluttered mind.
• Create a comfortable atmosphere: Take the time to make your workspace as inviting and comfortable as possible. Ideally, it should be clean, quiet and have minimal distractions.
• Make sure you have all of the supplies you need: Make sure that you have all the necessary supplies within reach such as paper, pens, highlighters, etc., so that you don’t have to search for them when you need them.
• Plan your snacks and meals: Have healthy snacks and meals planned out for when you take breaks. Having healthy food available will ensure that you don’t get distracted by hunger or unhealthy cravings.
• Designate a specific start and end time: Setting up a schedule or timeline for when you start and finish your essay will help you stay accountable and committed to the task.

By creating a productive workspace and following these simple tips, you will be better equipped to stay motivated and focused on the task of writing an essay. Doing so will help you to achieve success and make the process more enjoyable.

Putting It Away: Avoiding Procrastination & Overwhelm

Finishing a complex essay task can be overwhelming. After all, it’s one large assignment and it’s important to get it done right. That’s why it’s so important to keep unfinished essays away from yourself. By doing this, you are eliminating the feelings of procrastination and overwhelm.

An effective way to keep unfinished essays away is to store them in a safe place. Put the essay in a drawer or on a shelf and make sure it’s out of sight. A great tip is to store the files in a cloud service such as Google Drive or Dropbox so you can access it online anytime you need to.

By putting your essay away, you are allowing yourself the opportunity to take breaks from it and come back to it later with a clear mind. This helps you to be more productive in getting it done. It also helps you to take a step back and look at the essay objectively, which can be useful for revising and editing.

It is important to remember that taking breaks from an essay does not equal procrastination. In fact, it can help you to better focus on the task when you come back to it again. Breaks give you the chance to recharge and refocus on the task at hand.

If you find yourself stuck and struggling to finish an essay, try putting it away. Taking this necessary step will help you to stay focused and motivated while writing the essay. This is a great strategy to avoid procrastination and overwhelm.

Decreasing Distractions

We all know how easy it is to become sidetracked and distracted when we’re trying to write an essay. It can be hard to stay focused and motivated in order to get the job done. But there are some simple strategies you can use to help you fight off distractions, such as social media or electronics.

Here are a few tips to help decrease distractions:

• Set a Timer: Watch the clock and limit the amount of time you spend on non-essay related tasks. Set a timer and use that as a motivation to stay on track.
• Turn Off Notifications: Turn off any phone notifications or pop-up notifications that may be distracting. This will help you stay focused and on task.
• Find a Quiet Space: Find a spot for yourself where you can work in peace. Make sure it’s away from the TV or people who could be distracting.
• Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay alert and energized.
• Break it up: Take little breaks every once in a while to give your mind and body a rest.

You can also try implementing positive self-talk into your writing process. Tell yourself that you can do it and you will do it! By doing this, you can refocus your energy and stay motivated.

Above all, it is important to remember that distractions are inevitable. The key is to recognize when they are happening and take the necessary steps in order to get back on track. With the right strategies in place, you can increase your productivity and finish your essay on time!

Writing an essay can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! One great tip to help motivate yourself and stay on track when writing an essay is to work with a group. Working with others on a project can bring lots of energy and positivity to the process.

By working together with your peers, you can combine different strengths and skills to create an amazing essay. For example, if one person is a great writer and the other is a natural proofreader, you can combine your talents to create an essay that is well-written and error-free.

Another benefit of working with a group is that it can help break down the project into smaller tasks. This can make the essay seem less daunting and can give each person an opportunity to contribute in their own way. You can also use the time collectively to check in with each other and encourage one another.

Finally, working with a group can help take some of the pressure off of having to do it all yourself. Knowing that you have friends and peers working with you on the project can help you stay motivated and enthusiastic about completing the essay.

So next time you’re feeling overwhelmed with an essay assignment, don’t hesitate to enlist some friends and form a group. It might just be the perfect thing to help get the job done.

Creating an Accountability System

Writing an essay can seem like a daunting task and it is important to stay motivated in order to complete it. One way to help you remain focused and on track is by creating an accountability system. This means setting goals and milestones that you will commit to in order to make sure you are staying on track.

The first step in establishing an accountability system is to decide what your goals are. For example, do you want to finish your research by a certain date? Do you have a target for when you would like your essay to be completed? Once you have set these targets, you can create a timeline of milestones that will help you stay accountable.

It is also important to identify an accountability partner who can help you stay on track. This could be someone you can talk to about the progress you are making or even just a friend who you can share your progress with. Having someone to report to can help keep you motivated and on track.

Finally, it is important to set up rewards for yourself when you reach certain milestones. This could be something as simple as taking a break or treating yourself to a snack. This will help to reinforce the notion that you are doing a good job and will help to keep you motivated.

Creating an accountability system is an important part of staying motivated while writing an essay . It is important to set clear goals and milestones, to find an accountability partner, and to reward yourself for reaching those goals. This will help you stay on track and ensure that your essay is completed on time!

Conclusion: Summarizing the Benefits of Staying Motivated to Write an Essay

Writing an essay can be a difficult and overwhelming process. With proper motivation, it can be much easier to stay on track, focused, and ultimately, successful. It is important to set achievable goals, break tasks down into smaller pieces, reward yourself for completing the tasks, take frequent breaks, create an orderly workspace, put away unfinished work, and avoid distractions. Working with others or having an accountability system can also help to ensure success.

Motivation is key when it comes to writing an essay. By setting precise goals, working in manageable chunks, rewarding oneself, and creating a work environment that allows for productivity, one can stay motivated throughout the process and reach their desired results.

• Develop achievable goals.
• Break writing down into smaller tasks.
• Reward yourself for completing each task.
• Take frequent breaks.
• Create an orderly workspace.
• Put away unfinished work.
• Avoid distractions.
• Work with others or have an accountability system.

By applying the strategies outlined in this guide, you will be able to remain motivated while writing an essay and complete your task successfully.

Nick Radlinsky

Nick Radlinsky is a devoted educator, marketing specialist, and management expert with more than 15 years of experience in the education sector. After obtaining his business degree in 2016, Nick embarked on a quest to achieve his PhD, driven by his commitment to enhancing education for students worldwide. His vast experience, starting in 2008, has established him as a reputable authority in the field.

Nick's article, featured in Routledge's " Entrepreneurship in Central and Eastern Europe: Development through Internationalization ," highlights his sharp insights and unwavering dedication to advancing the educational landscape. Inspired by his personal motto, "Make education better," Nick's mission is to streamline students' lives and foster efficient learning. His inventive ideas and leadership have contributed to the transformation of numerous educational experiences, distinguishing him as a true innovator in his field.

How Long Is IB IA? Average IA Word Count

From my experience as IB tutor, a frequent question among students is, “How Long Is IB IA?” This question is crucial as the IA represents a significant component of the IB diploma, reflecting a student’s ability to apply classroom knowledge in a real-world context.

IB Extended Essay Rubric. Grading Criteria

Understanding the IB extended essay rubric is essential for success. The rubric provides a framework that grades students on several key criteria including the sharpness of their research question, the rigor of their methodology, the breadth and depth of their knowledge, the fluidity and clarity of their argumentation, and their personal engagement with the research topic.

IB TOK Essay Rubric. Grading Criteria

This article provides essential insights and strategies for understanding the assessment process and helping you write essays that meet and exceed the rigorous standards of the IB curriculum. Whether you’re striving for clarity of argument, effective integration of knowledge, or personal engagement, our tips will help you achieve a higher score.

IB Internal Assessment Rubric and Grading Criteria

The IB IA rubric is carefully structured to assess students’ understanding, skills and application of subject matter in a nuanced and comprehensive manner. Each subject rubric, whether for sciences such as Biology and Chemistry, humanities such as History and Psychology, or Mathematics, emphasizes a unique set of criteria tailored to assess specific competencies and skills.

Visual Arts IA Topics: The Best Topic Ideas

In the vast world of art, the possibilities for your IA topic are nearly limitless. Yet, this abundance of choice can sometimes feel overwhelming. Whether you’re drawn to traditional painting techniques, the avant-garde movements of the 20th century, or the intersection of digital media and art, your chosen topic should ignite a spark of curiosity and passion within you.

Theatre IA Topics: SL and HL Topic Ideas

Choosing the right topic for IA in the IB Theatre course is a crucial step that significantly influences your research process and overall learning experience. Whether in the Standard Level or Higher Level track, selecting your topic requires careful thought and consideration, aiming to balance personal interest with academic rigor. This guide offers a rich array of topic ideas and research questions to spark your creativity and intellectual curiosity in the vast world of theatre.

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I Don’t Have The Motivation To Write My Essay , What To Do Now?

Table of Contents

Are you there staring at your essay? Not even sure of where to start from, not to talk about completing it. Sometimes it feels like you have hit the wall, and you don’t have the motivation to write.

If you are demotivated to start your essay writing and are overwhelmed, ask yourself, ‘how do I write my essay’ or ‘should I possibly get help to write my essay online?’. You are not the only student who has found themselves in this situation.

Writing can be so thrilling when we have all our thoughts well penned down in our writings. But sometimes, our minds blank out, finding it difficult to write. I have discovered and organized a list of tips in this article that will help you be motivated and enthusiastic about starting working on your essay.

Watching this video before reading the post really helps you:

Tips for finding the motivation to write your essay

Writing an essay is part of college life; however, many students dread writing because having a good essay requires a lot of research, time, and concentration. After facing some challenges on this part, many students are quick to “throw in the towel”.

1. Know the cause of the lack of motivation

The first step to staying motivated is to ascertain why you are not motivated to write your essay there are many reasons and factors that could have possibly led to these, some of which include;

• Lack of interest in the Essay topic: this often happens when the given essay assignment doesn’t interest you. 
• Lack of confidence: When you don’t trust your writing abilities and are already viewing your essay as “a piece of trash”, this can jolt your motivation.  
• Feeling overwhelmed: Because of the nature of essay writing, which requires a lot of effort and time, it can take over your mind and make you feel intimidated. Hence, make you lose the motivation to write your essay.

2. Choose an interesting topic

One of the primary ways to keep your motivation to write an essay is to choose a topic that you find interesting. Some articles don’t afford you the luxury to select the subject, but when you do, don’t choose a topic you aren’t interested in.

Writing an essay on a topic that interests you is enough motivation because you genuinely want to know more about what you are writing about, making it more fun and exciting.

3. Minimize distractions

Create the right environment by shedding off extra tasks that take most of your time to focus on writing your essay, including music, noise, your mobile device, and the internet. You can block some websites that might distract you.

4. Find a conducive environment to write your essay

Find an environment that is convenient and comfortable to write your essay. The less distracted you are, the better it is for you to focus on what you want to write, getting a serene, quiet, and clean place that won’t drain your energy due to discomfort.

The feeling of being relaxed and in a conducive place would be an excellent motivation for you to write.

Read more:  When You Focus On The Good The Good Gets Better

5. Gather all the necessary materials you need to write the essay

Have your necessary tools and resources at hand when writing your essay, including articles, writing materials, or your computer system, as this also eases unnecessary stress that can demotivate you.

You can also plan to reward your effort with snacks or coffee; you can have them available also as you will need to be energized and comfortable as you write your essay.

6. Break down the writing process

You don’t necessarily have to rush the whole essay assignment at once; we spoke earlier about being overwhelmed by the essay assignment as one of the reasons for being demotivated. So, take it a step at a time.

To avoid being intimidated by the workload of doing it all at once. You can break down the writing process by setting aside time for research, writing, editing, and proofreading. Don’t rush to finish the essay; you will maintain motivation if you take it gradually.

7. Create an outline

Creating an outline helps you write clearly and efficiently; it gives a sense of direction and gives your writing a focus.

An essay comprises the introduction, body, and conclusion.

The outline does not have to be extensive but should include the main points your essay will make. It helps you follow a particular format and save the article from rambling. 

8. Divide the word count for each section of the essay

You should determine the number of words in each section of the essay.

For instance, in an essay of 1500 words,  I would have 150 words for my introduction and conclusion and 300 words each for four body paragraphs.

Breaking down the number of words for each section depends on your choice. The closer you get to each word target for the units, it also serves as motivation and encourages you to continue.

9. You don’t have to begin with the introduction

Yes, in every essay, the introduction section comes first. However, it doesn’t necessarily need to be written first; people often get stuck at the introductory part, not knowing what to start with. 

The introduction section is an essential part of an essay, so you tend to face a lot of pressure because you have to ensure you start with something that can get your reader’s attention.

It’s not a bad idea to start with the body paragraphs before you decide to write the introductory part. In fact, writing the introductory part after the body makes it relatively easier.

10. Take breaks

Taking regular breaks is quite crucial in staying motivated. Take a break from your writing and do other activities aside from writing, like taking a walk down the street; it helps refresh your mind.

You can also get a few drinks and snacks to keep your energy level up; you are advised not to consume too much as it can slow down your pace.

11. Reward yourself

In every field, reward boosts motivation. Creating a reward system for yourself when you finally complete the essay will motivate you to push yourself to write the article to get the compensation at the end. It can be something as simple as eating at your favorite restaurant or going to a cinema.

We also have found this awesome podcast that teaches you how to start writing an essay:

Getting a writer motivated to write an essay might be pretty tricky, but it’s not impossible, especially if it’s not a topic of interest. However, follow the tips we have put together for you above on how to be motivated and make it easier for you to approach your essay efficiently.

Written by Saeed Ahmadi

Who am I? A blogger, mindset mentor, personal development coach, content creator, SEO Specialist, digital marketer, entrepreneur, reader by night, and writer by day.

Mindsetopia, my brainchild, is more than a platform, its my vision of a world where everyone has access to the tools and knowledge necessary for personal growth and self-growing.

What really makes me excited is helping people to unlock their true potential. So,I am here to give you the kick you need to change your mind and then your life :)

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My Top 35 Don’t Treat Me Like an Option Quotes in 2024

When You Focus On The Good The Good Gets Better

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6 Unique Tips for Writing a Brilliant Motivational Essay

Fortunately, in the contemporary world we live in, we can pursue have numerous education paths.

However, choosing college and career path is only half the battle.

The hard part is gaining admissions into the school of your dreams. Make no mistake: this is not an easy task. Most schools require not only outstanding grades, but also a thorough motivational essay explaining your motives for pursuing your chosen major at their institution.

This is the opportunity to stand out and show your character and ability to turn your education into a successful venture.

In the following article, we will give you some writing tips and practical advice on how to write a superb essay for college admissions and earn that acceptance letter.

1. Do your research

One of the most common mistakes people make when writing a motivational essay is creating a template piece for every college they apply to. This is a huge no-no, and here’s why: each academic establishment has its own agenda and preferences.

Some appreciate social initiatives and volunteering experience, some look for passion and determination to succeed, while others pay more attention to grades and test scores.

Try to research your chosen school as much as possible and write a unique essay accordingly. Sometimes colleges provide specific questions they want to see answered in your essay, so be sure to read the instructions carefully. Edit your work so the readers will feel the school’s spirit in your essay. It’s a good start to help your application stand out from the crowd.

2. Be personal

This part may surprise you: you don’t need to be an excellent writer. Sites like EduBirdie might save you some time, but they skip over the real reasons colleges want a motivational letter. Colleges want to get to know you — the person behind the application forms, documents, and numbers.

They want to see what your aspirations are, what you like to do, why you decided to pursue this particular path, and what you consider your strengths to be.

A generic, standard letter with no personality simply won’t. Don’t just repeat your application verbatim — embrace your life and interests and show off the real you! Try to present yourself in an informal way; don’t worry about formalities.

Let the university staff get to see your unique character and way of thinking; perhaps you can include a relevant joke or an anecdote from your life that is connected with your choice of profession, etc.

A strong personal approach goes a very long way here — trust us.

3. Drafts are important

First impressions matters. In the case of college applications, your first impression is in your motivational essay . Of course, you want to give a good first impression. Proper grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation are the key. This is why editing and revising your text is crucial.

Play around with word choice, ensure the paragraphs are clear and concise, and pay close attention to sentence structure. You can even use an Online Word Counter Tool to help you size up your draft properly.

Online programs like Grammarly are great for checking spelling and other possible issues in your writing. If the admission committee reads an essay with a clear sense of purpose, excellent grammar, and determination, they will see the applicant as a good fit because they understand the applicant’s goals and abilities. Don’t underestimate the power of proper styling and grammar.

4. Survey your essay

This may seem like an odd tip, but it can help with your essay quite a lot. If you’re unsure about the motivational essay you’ve written, or maybe you’re looking for ways to make it more memorable, try creating an online survey. You can put it out to the masses on social media, or even ask a few close friends to take a read and give you their thoughts.

Ask their opinion on your writing: what points are the strongest, what areas did you struggle, and how could you improve. This will provide you with real feedback to identify any issues you may have overlooked.

5. Get to the point

It may seem alluring to include every seemingly-relevant detail in your motivational essay. However, this can make the whole piece come across as vague and all over the place. Pick a couple of routes to follow, assess your best qualities, and decide what areas of your life and background you wish to include.

Don’t try to cram in every idea that crosses your mind; this will only clutter your essay! One good suggestion is to ask your friends and family to list your best characteristics, skills, and talents, then pick a few of most common to include in your essay.

6.Professional goals matter

While showing personality in your essay is essential, don’t forget to talk about your professional goals. Clearly state your motivation for choosing this career path and why you’re most suited for it. Explain why you are the best candidate for the program. Don’t overdo it by showing off or praising yourself too much.

Instead, talk about what personality traits will help you success, and where you plan on going with the degree you earn.

Remember, balance is the key to a good motivational essay; putting less information than needed is just as bad as putting too much. Getting too personal and informal will harm your application,but so will being too bland and official.

The secret is to maintain balance, and include only the points that matter. The most important advice is be yourself and be inspired.

For more great college tips, check out the other blogs on College Basics.

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Passionate members of the College Basics community that include students, essay writers, consultants and beyond. Please note, while community content has passed our editorial guidelines, we do not endorse any product or service contained in these articles which may also include links for which College Basics is compensated.

Essays About Motivation Leads to Success: Top 5 Examples

If you’re writing an essays about motivation leads to success; you will be inspired by our guide’s essay examples and prompts. 

Motivation is the ultimate key to success. The journey toward any goal is always fraught with hardships that tempt you to quit. But with the right motivation, you can keep sight of your goals and make it to your finish line. The search to find the source of people’s motivation and how to sustain its momentum has been a favorite subject among psychologists and management experts. This interest has engendered several motivation theories applied across society, whether at home, school, or work.

Read on for great essays and prompts on motivation leading to success, and find yourself filled with the motivation to get your essay done.

5 Top Essay Examples

1. the power of positive self-talk by teri karjala, 2. the goldilocks rule: how to stay motivated in life and business by james clear, 3. caffeine, exercise and the brain: how ‘doping’ with psychoactive drugs can boost motivation by ian mcmahan, 4. how to motivate your problem people by nigel nicholson, 5. how to overcome self-doubt and a lack of motivation by leo babauta, 9 helpful writing prompts on essays about motivation leads to success, 1. what motivates you, 2. rewards as tools for motivation, 3. how to develop self-motivation, 4. maslow’s hierarchy of needs, 5. motivating children to succeed, 6. using motivation to succeed in fitness, 7. creating a motivationing atmosphere at home, 8. rejection as a powerful driver for motivation, 9. motivating team members.

“Powerful and positive self-talk can change your entire mindset, which can affect your actions. That, in turn, can have a massive impact on how successful you are on any journey you take or any obstacle you face.”

Practicing positive self-talk can help turn self-doubt into concrete positive actions toward your goals. There are several ways to establish a habit of positive self-talk that will fuel our motivation. Such habits include steps as simple as changing how we address ourselves and physical activities, such as exercising and volunteering for social activities. 

“It is hard to imagine a situation that would strike fear into the hearts of more people than performing alone on stage and failing to get a single laugh. And yet Steve Martin faced this fear every week for eighteen years.”

The essay chronicles the success of American comedian Steve Martin, offering an excellent example of someone who has applied the so-called Goldilock’s Rule. Goldilock’s Rule states that people’s motivation is at its peak when they face manageable challenges. Psychologists also add that immediately receiving positive feedback will also motivate people to work their way to success with more determination than ever.

“When motivation is low and perceived effort high, the couch wins. So if a cup of tea or coffee can get you out and exercising, Marcora’s research suggests it’s worth a try.”

This article describes how your fitness and body toning goals would have been easier by keeping motivated. It also describes the quick fix that could eradicate psychological barriers to exercise: the mildly stimulating “drug” called caffeine.

Looking for more? Check out these essays about personal growth .

“Everyone knows that good managers motivate with the power of their vision, the passion of their delivery, and the compelling logic of their reasoning. Add in the proper incentives, and people will enthusiastically march off in the right direction.”

By coaxing problem employees to do better, managers are not only demotivating them further but are stoking the fire in an already dysfunctional relationship. This is the last thing managers would like to do if they still want to unlock employees’ intrinsic motivation and channel it toward the company’s goals. Before seeing problem employees as the main cause of the problem, managers must look inward and be more flexible in setting goals.

“It can be hard to get moving when you are stuck. This is how I felt in 2005 when I couldn’t change any of my habits. It was really hard to motivate myself when I didn’t think I would succeed, when I felt horrible about myself. But I took one small step, and it felt good.”

We all have that day when a lack of motivation strikes us. This article reassures us that experiencing sluggishness and self-doubt is okay. But instead of wallowing in self-pity, we can still make that bad day count by taking a small step and changing our perception of ourselves and the world around us.

What motivates you to wake up early to get to school, do your homework, or study intently for an exam? In this essay, write about the factors that figure in your motivation equation. Next, enumerate your techniques or attempts to build motivation for your goals. How do you deal with a low motivation level on a bad day? Do you take some rest or force your effort? Finally, share with your readers how much you have progressed in building motivation and what more you want to achieve.

Several studies have uncovered the enormous benefits of rewards in motivating people. First, delve into these studies and discover the scientific explanation behind the effects of rewards on people’s motivation and success. Then, write about the kinds of rewards that have proven effective. Finally, write about rewards you have received that fuelled you to improve yourself and your outlook to add a personal touch.

Self-motivation is a strong sense of motivation that comes from within a person rather than from external factors. This essay focuses on activities and habits that can empower your readers to be self-motivated. For example, it is proven that a deep and daily reflection of goals keeps one focused on following a routine built for that goal, regardless of the difficulties.

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory is the most popular motivation theory. So, elaborate Maslow’s theory, which proposes that a person has to fulfill five basic needs to keep motivated — physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization. Also discuss the motivation theories derived from Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, such as Alderfer’s ERG Theory, Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, and McLelland’s Acquired Needs Theory, among others. Explore how they relate with each other or even pick out which improvised theory best captures and works with your situation at school or work.

Adults at home and school have a big role in instilling in children the importance of motivation as the key to success. For this essay, share the motivational methods your parents and teachers employ to help you keep motivated. Then, assess how these methods effectively or ineffectively build your inner sense of motivation. 

Many of us might have added fitness goals into our New Year’s resolution. And most might have deferred it or abandoned it altogether. Provide your readers with tips on how they can conquer laziness and hit the gym. Of course, the most challenging part is staying motivated in this routine. So compile tried and tested techniques from wellness and fitness experts, and encourage your readers to chronicle their fitness journey so they can appreciate their progress over time. 

This may be a challenge for parents who are working from home. Once parents feel the weight of the responsibilities at home, their motivation for work tends to slip away. So, provide recommendations on how working parents can set healthy boundaries between housework and professional work to deliver on their priority tasks. 

Now, if you want your essay to cater to students, you could also write your experience in distance learning – if any – during the pandemic. Talk about your challenges, strategies for overcoming them, and recommendations to enhance students’ motivation in distance learning. 

Several success stories are made possible because of rejection. For your essay, learn how popular figures embraced rejection. How did they harness it to generate the energy they need to reach their dreams? Finally, offer your readers, particularly those who may be experiencing rejection, some encouraging words to help them get through such trying times. 

How do you deal with uncooperative team members? Unfortunately, some team leaders just allow such instances to pass. But for leaders determined to uplift their team members’ motivation, what can they do? For your essay, offer proven practical approaches to help members align with team goals. Use case studies from the experiences of long-time leaders and managers.

For more writing tips, learn about persuasive writing . Also, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers to ensure your piece is error-free.

Yna Lim is a communications specialist currently focused on policy advocacy. In her eight years of writing, she has been exposed to a variety of topics, including cryptocurrency, web hosting, agriculture, marketing, intellectual property, data privacy and international trade. A former journalist in one of the top business papers in the Philippines, Yna is currently pursuing her master's degree in economics and business.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, how can i effectively express my motivation for higher education in my college essay.

I need to start working on my college essay and I'm seriously pondering over how to convey my true motivation for wanting a college education. It’s more than just getting a degree for me. How do I put this passion into words without sounding cliché?

I completely understand your desire to express your genuine passion for higher education in a way that stands out. It's important to show the admissions committee what drives you, and how your experiences have shaped your decision to pursue college education. To avoid clichés, focus on specific experiences or moments in your life that ignited your enthusiasm for learning. For example, you could write about a project or subject that you explored on your own time and how that deepened your interest in a certain field.

Additionally, you could talk about mentors or role models who have influenced your academic journey, or how particular challenges have strengthened your commitment to further education. Remember to be reflective and introspective; focus on your personal growth and development. It's not about grand statements, but about showing how your unique story connects to your educational aspirations. Tie these experiences back to your motivation for seeking a higher education, highlighting how college is a necessary and meaningful next step for you. By doing so, you'll be able to craft an essay that is both compelling and personal, clearly demonstrating your passion to the admissions committee.

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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6 Common Leadership Styles — and How to Decide Which to Use When

• Rebecca Knight

Being a great leader means recognizing that different circumstances call for different approaches.

Research suggests that the most effective leaders adapt their style to different circumstances — be it a change in setting, a shift in organizational dynamics, or a turn in the business cycle. But what if you feel like you’re not equipped to take on a new and different leadership style — let alone more than one? In this article, the author outlines the six leadership styles Daniel Goleman first introduced in his 2000 HBR article, “Leadership That Gets Results,” and explains when to use each one. The good news is that personality is not destiny. Even if you’re naturally introverted or you tend to be driven by data and analysis rather than emotion, you can still learn how to adapt different leadership styles to organize, motivate, and direct your team.

Much has been written about common leadership styles and how to identify the right style for you, whether it’s transactional or transformational, bureaucratic or laissez-faire. But according to Daniel Goleman, a psychologist best known for his work on emotional intelligence, “Being a great leader means recognizing that different circumstances may call for different approaches.”

• RK Rebecca Knight is a journalist who writes about all things related to the changing nature of careers and the workplace. Her essays and reported stories have been featured in The Boston Globe, Business Insider, The New York Times, BBC, and The Christian Science Monitor. She was shortlisted as a Reuters Institute Fellow at Oxford University in 2023. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade as an editor and reporter at the Financial Times in New York, London, and Boston.

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The Trump Trial’s Extraordinary Opening

The first days of the criminal case against the former president have been mundane, even boring—and that’s remarkable.

This is The Trump Trials by George T. Conway III, a newsletter that chronicles the former president’s legal troubles. Sign up here .

The defendant nodded off a couple of times on Monday. And I have to confess, as a spectator in an overflow courtroom watching on closed-circuit television, so did I.

Legal proceedings can be like that. Mundane, even boring. That’s how the first couple of days of the trial in The People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump , Indictment No. 71543–2023, felt much of the time. Ordinary—despite being so extraordinary. And, frankly, that was comforting. The ordinary mechanics of the criminal-litigation process were applied fairly, efficiently, and methodically to a defendant of unparalleled notoriety, one who has devoted himself to undermining the rule of law.

Certainly the setting was ordinary. When the Criminal Courts Building, at 100 Centre Street in Lower Manhattan, first opened in 1941, an architectural critic lamented that the Art Deco structure, a New Deal/Public Works Administration project, was “ uncommunicative .” Eight decades later, it still has little to say. Raw and spartan, it’s a bit of a mystery to people who aren’t familiar with it (including me, a civil litigator who, despite having been admitted to the New York state bar some 35 years ago, practiced mostly in federal and Delaware courts). A pool reporter yesterday described the surroundings as “drab.”

Drab indeed, but busy—very busy. There’s never a want of bustle here, of the sort you would expect. As the former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann put it this week, 100 Centre is, “well, Dickensian—a beehive of activity with miscreants, state prosecutors, judges, defense lawyers, probation officers, court security [and] families—in dark, dingy halls and courtrooms.” It’s a bit like New York City as a whole: How it functions, with the volume it handles, never ceases to amaze.

And how the court manages to keep track of things, Lord only knows. In contrast with the federal courts or even New York’s civil courts, it has no electronic, publicly accessible docket. The Supreme Court of the State of New York for the County on New York, Criminal Term, is, as one courthouse reporter said last month, “stuck in the past.” It’s a tribunal “where the official record is a disorganized and incomplete mass of paper with no accounting of what’s inside.” The records come in brown accordion folders—Redwelds, lawyers call them—and what judges and clerks decide to put in them is the record, and what they don’t is not.

But somehow it works. Somehow the court manages to dispose of thousands of cases a year, involving all manner of defendants and offenses. A calendar emailed to journalists by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office listing the week’s anticipated court appearances gives you the flavor. It catalogs names seemingly of many ethnicities, with a couple of corporate entities to boot. A hodgepodge of alleged charges, including the violent and the corrupt: robbery, conspiracy, forgery, criminal mischief, identity theft, enterprise corruption, stalking, murder, attempted murder, sex trafficking, grand larceny, attempted grand larceny, possession of a forged instrument, offering a false statement for filing.

And the list contained three cases involving the crime of falsifying business records, one of which was set for trial on Monday, April 15, in Part 59, Courtroom 1530— People v. Trump .

Nothing on the calendar, other than the defendant’s readily recognizable name, would have told you there was anything special about the case. In that sense, it was ordinary. But the hubbub outside—a handful of protesters, multiple television cameras, and a long line for the press and other spectators—made clear that something somewhat special was afoot. An overflow courtroom down the hall from the main courtroom offered a closed-circuit television feed of the proceedings. Those who had lined up went through an extra set of security screeners and machines—mandated, we were told, by the United States Secret Service.

But still, so much was ordinary—the stuff of the commencement of a criminal trial, housekeeping of the sort you’d see in virtually any court about to try a criminal case. That began promptly at 10 a.m. on Monday, when Judge Juan Merchan assumed the bench. There were loose ends for the judge to tie up, pending motions to decide. Merchan denied the defendant’s motion to recuse, reading, in even tones, an opinion from the bench. The motion was frivolous; the result unsurprising. And then the parties argued some motions in limine—pretrial efforts to exclude evidence.

For example, would the notorious Access Hollywood tape that rocked the 2016 presidential campaign be played for the jury?  The prosecution said it should be: An assistant district attorney said the tape would elucidate why the defendant and his campaign were so hell-bent, to the point of falsifying business records, on keeping additional instances of the defendant’s miscreant conduct with women out of the public eye. The defense, of course, argued that playing the tape would be prejudicial. After all, this wasn’t a case about sexual assault.

The judge allowed that the tape’s existence provided context for the business-records charges but ruled that actually showing the tape to the jury would be prejudicial. Instead, the jury would be given a transcript. And speaking of sexual assault, prosecutors tried to get in an excerpt from Trump’s deposition in the E. Jean Carroll sexual-assault and defamation cases in which Trump testified that he was a “star,” and that stars historically get to do to women what Trump said on the Access Hollywood tape that he liked to do to them. Judge Merchan rightly said no, he would not allow the jury to hear that. It would be too much, too beside the point of what this case (unlike the Carroll cases) is actually about.

But as unusual and colorful as the factual predicate for the evidentiary motions was, the argument wasn’t all that interesting. It was rather low-key, in fact. Perhaps that was because none of the proffered evidence was new. But it was also because the arguing of pretrial evidentiary motions, however crucial they may be (although these, frankly, weren’t), is seldom scintillating. I can’t imagine that Donald Trump and I were the only ones watching who dozed off.

Then came jury selection, which took the rest of Monday, all of yesterday, and will probably consume tomorrow and Friday as well. (The judge will be handling his other cases today.) That was a bit more interesting, but slow going at first. Again, the ordinary met the extraordinary. Ninety-six potential jurors were brought in. The judge provided an overview of the case in the broadest terms, describing the charges in a few sentences; explained what his role and what the jury’s would be; and read the names of the cast of characters (some would be witnesses, others would simply be mentioned, including—full disclosure—my ex-wife). Still, it was mundane. It was pretty much what a judge would say in any big case.

And jury selection was a bit tedious; in a case like this, it simply has to be. Jurors were asked to give oral answers—some 42 of them, including a number with multiple subparts—to a written questionnaire. In substance: Where do you live? What do you do? What’s your educational background? What news sources do you read? What’s your experience with the legal system? Have you ever been to a Trump rally or followed him on social media? Have you belonged to any anti-Trump groups? And on and on and and on. But the most important inquiries came toward the end of the list: questions asking whether the prospective jurors could be fair. Occasionally the judge would interject, when an unusual or unclear answer was given. And once in a while there was a moment of levity: One woman—in response to a question about having relatives or close friends in the legal field—noted that she had once dated a lawyer. “It ended fine,” she volunteered, with a flatness of tone that betrayed no hint of nostalgia or loss.

This process took well over a day, and included brief follow-up questioning—“voir dire”—by the lawyers for both sides. But the judge did take a shortcut, one that saved a great deal of effort: After describing the case, but before proceeding to the individual-by-individual, question-by-question process, he asked the entire group the bottom-line question: Do any of you think you couldn’t judge the case fairly? Roughly two-thirds of this first batch of potential jurors said they couldn’t. That was extraordinary—a reflection of the fact that everyone knows who the defendant is, and that not many people lack a strong opinion about him.

And during the lawyers’ voir dire, a few interesting moments did occur, mostly when Trump’s lawyers pulled out social-media posts that they claimed showed possible bias on the part of the remaining candidates in the jury pool. One man was stricken by the court for cause because he once posted that Trump should be locked up.  The Trump lawyers attempted, but failed, to get the court to strike a woman whose husband had posted some joking commentary about the former president. The judge’s response: That’s all you have? He allowed the juror to stay, and left it to counsel to decide whether to use their limited number of peremptory strikes.

In the end, for two days, the extraordinary intertwined with the ordinary, as it should in a case like this one. As one young woman from the Upper East Side, now to be known as Juror No. 2,  put it during the selection process, “No one is above the law.” Let’s hope that sentiment prevails.