5 ways to trick yourself into writing

When you dread your writing. Fear not! Plus a few ways to work with us.

Greetings, fearless writing friend, Chris here.

On the eve of All Hallows’ Eve, it feels fitting to talk about something spooky we all face as writers: the times when writing seems scarier than donning a Herman Munster mask and chaperoning a group of Haribo-fuelled six-year-olds. Okay, this is just my own personal version of hell.

If you find yourself distracted from your draft, you may need a spell up your sleeve to help you focus.

You might want to buckle down - sometimes it feels the kind of thing we should be able to do - this approach rarely works. Forcing yourself to write using willpower, grit and determination alone makes the experience of writing far scarier than it needs to be. Your brain associates bad experiences with your writing rather than positive ones - which means that you’re less likely to do it. It becomes a negative cycle that you need to break.

If the writing isn’t coming, it’s time to trick yourself instead. When you feel like screaming, here’s a few ways to bribe yourself into writing without the dread.

5 ways to trick yourself into writing

1. Focus on time, not task: Instead of wrestling with a “big” chapter, set a timer and aim to “write for half an hour.” Notice how taking it moment by moment lifts the pressure.

2. Warm up with free writing: Start your writing session with something playful or loose, like morning pages. This frees you up before tackling the main project.

3. Make your goal smaller: Shrink the task - just a sentence or a short paragraph. You can always extend it later, but start small to reduce the intimidation factor.

4. Add gentle pressure with constraints: Sometimes, a Pomodoro timer or a short sprint against the clock keeps you focused without feeling rushed.

5. Do something writing-adjacent: Can’t write yet? Try reviewing notes, outlining, or doing research - these “side” activities prime you for writing.

How do you “trick” yourself into writing when you’re stuck or not in the mood? Share your methods - I’d love to hear them.

Happy Halloween and keep writing,

Chris

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4 ways to work with us

1. A DAY OF PRODUCTIVE INSPIRATION: There are a couple of places left on Alison Jones’ Write Strong Writing Workshop featuring our very own Bec Evans at Gladstone’s Library on 27 November. Use code EBBC50 at checkout to save £50 off the price.

2. TAKE YOUR FIRST WRITING SPRINT FOR FREE: Next month we’re giving you the chance to take part in one of our 7-Day Writing Sprints for free if you’re not already a paying subscriber. Perfect for the sprint curious! Upgrade from your free membership using this coupon and you’ll get 30 days free access to our Writing Sprint Club. Sprint starts Monday 4th of November.

3. GET 20% OUR FLAGSHIP NEW YEAR COURSE: We’re hosting another of our Writing RESET course in January and we’d love to see you there if you have a project you want to tackle. The course is online or you can opt for add-on one-to-one coaching package if you’d like an extra accountability push. Signing up to the waiting list gives you 20% off the price when we release spots. Join us!

4. BOOK US FOR GROUP SUPPORT: Did you know we offer writing productivity workshops and courses for groups? Get in touch if you’d like to know how we could support your students, colleagues or organisation. All our programmes can be offered online or IRL.