Writing Magic: 20 Tips To Get Your Writing Done
Have you ever felt like you can’t get your writing or blog post started? Or maybe you started it but can’t continue or finish it?
Do you have a difficult time concentrating on the task at hand? Or maybe you’re already so busy, and the thought of sitting down to create a masterpiece or even a short blog post feels overwhelming.
You are not alone.
I’ve been there!
So I decided to experiment with different tactics to get going.
But first, after tedious research, numerous seminars, feverish note-taking, and using a coach, I found out that there’s not a productivity solution that fits all.
Bummer!
I had hoped there was a clear-cut answer, but…
We Are All Different
Some of us prefer a 100% quiet place to immerse ourselves in our creative projects. You know the eremite type, often featured in movies, writing alone inside a remote rustic cabin somewhere, only accompanied by a few hauling wolves in the background, but the rest of the time, typing in complete silence. Other creatives want noise, or a glass of wine to focus. We create best in a bustling café, next to busy, trafficked streets or in a crowded bar scene.
Writing in a cafe
This is what I found that works and what doesn’t:
1. Writing At Home: Tricks To Try
Writing at home in a dead quiet place is a no for me. So to combat the lack of noise I tried:
- Add sound by listening to music directly from my laptop, like brain music that increases alpha waves. Yes, it works.
- Use inexpensive headphones. That’s a BIG no, because of the sound quality, in one word, disturbing.
- Upgrade to Bose Around The Ear Wireless II. Incredible headphones and YES that did the trick! They sound quality is excellent, and you can rock out to music as you create. They say to avoid lyrics when listening to music, but it doesn’t bother me. The interruption of advertising does though if using YouTube for music.
- In hindsight, I wish I had bought the noise-canceling Bose headphones, but, oh well, that will be for next time. Update, I later went to buy the noise cancelling headphones.
- Put on the TV as background noise with a mindless program. Yes, this works because it feels like having a company.
2. Write by Hand: Notebook and Pens
- Write by hand, using pens and a notebook. This simple formula removes computer distractions such as pop-ups and other annoyances. It also brings a hand-heart connection that writing on a laptop omits.
3. Writing Away From Home: Places To Visit
- Write inside upscale hotel lobbies while still respecting other people who’re also using the space. This is great as it feels like a mini-vacation. I found a hotel close to my home, with a large, hand-crafted wood table. Order a strong cup of coffee and write away. You are welcome to use a hotel lobby even if you are not staying at the hotel, especially at larger hotel chains such as Marriott or Hyatt.
- Write inside a swank hotel’s restaurant. It still feels like a vacation but is a bit more distracting as the staff will interrupt at intervals, and you’ll probably eat and write at the same time. Restaurant scenes work best for jotting down ideas or planning, such as your content calendar or novel outline. Use pens and paper as a laptop can be too bulky.
- Write in a bar. Order a drink, and compose. I prefer pens and a notebook in bars. It’s also a great place to sketch people as most humans are busy looking at their phones or watching sports on TV.
- Write in cafes. Put the phone on vibrate or turn it off. Wear headphones if you’re distracted by noise.
4. Join A Writing Group
Write at a Meet up (meetup.com) group like “Shut Up & Write!” They meet and write at different locations and cities in the USA at scheduled times. I found this to be the most productive as the entire group focuses on one common goal; to get the writing done. Our group meets in a bohemian café, or at a wine bar in the morning before it opens to the public. So with a cup of Java and the creative group support, it works!
By the way, caffeine is supposed to help one focus, but it doesn’t do the trick for me. However, chatting with published authors in the group makes me up to my game. There are also Meetup support groups that can critique your writing, and most of them are free or you pay a nominal fee.
Set Yourself Up For Success
There are tools to use for long term success to calm the creative anxious mind and to improve intelligence such as:
5. Start The Day With Meditation
Start the day with meditation as soon as you wake up. There are tons of reflections available on YouTube, or apps such as Headspace and Calm. Meditation calms creative anxiety and improves imagination.
6. Get Moving
Work out for 30 minutes and say incantations. Chants can be, I, + your name, see, hear, feel, and know that I am a productive writer. Say it over and over again during the workout. As a bonus, exercise is proven to increase intelligence and focus. Or go for a walk as that also enhances creative ideas.
7. Brain Help
The ability to focus and concentrate on your writing is crucial. If you need support, try focus and brain vitamins. I am not a doctor and am not offering any medical advise, so please check with your physician before starting a vitamin regimen. Right now I am rotating between Brain Elevate, MRM PS, Gingko Biloba, and MYCO Botanicals Brain. Check them out here. They give me about 30-40% more focus, clarity, and endurance. It helps when working on those monster blog posts or a screenplay.
8. Drink Greens
Make a Green Drink with wheat-grass, fresh greens, and protein powder and add healthy fats such as coconut oil or Barlean’s fish liver oil. It stabilizes your blood sugar and prevents you from getting hungry once you start to write. Your brilliant mind might otherwise try to convince you that you need to eat, just so you’ll stop writing and instead scavenger hunt for eatables in the fridge. The fish liver (Omega) can also soothe the overactive, creative ADD brain.
9. Lower Your Expectations
Don’t pressure yourself in the beginning to create a masterpiece or the next top novel. Start with small goals. Five hundred words a day or 3 sentences a day. Or make 100-150 word micro blogs. You would be amazed at how much you can say in fewer words if you focus on sentence structure. You can publish the micros on Facebook or on Instagram as captions.
Get Inspired
10. Read something inspiring before you write. Study ten pages from a book, take notes, and see what motivates you to spin on. Develop a new story from another author’s ideas. Do not copy but pick up inspiration and form your own ideas.
11. It can be challenging to write from scratch, so have a list of topics to draw inspiration from. Bring them with you to the writing sessions and use a topic to start that first ugly draft. Don’t judge yourself. Just write something. Remember that all writing goes through several stages, from the first draft to the polished and edited last piece.
12. Keep a swipe file. You can collect articles, ideas, and headlines in a binder, on Evernote or as computer files. Keep on adding to your file what you find interesting. As a travel and lifestyle blogger, I collect notes about miles, cameras, new cruise lines, hotels, and trending topics that are thought-provoking.
13. Twitter, Google Trends and YouTube can be great places to find inspiration about trending topics. You can use their headlines or keyword phrases as a springboard for your writing. You can also see what popular posts people share on other social media channels and spin-off a question or topic from there.
14. Know WHY you want to write? Why do you want to start a blog or other writing projects? The bigger the reason the more likely you are to write. Write down your compelling reason and read it every day if you can. 
Creative Ritual
15. Develop a writing ritual. It can be short but something that cues you that you will write. Maybe make a cup of hot tea, like chocolate peppermint tea anyone? Or if at a café, order a vanilla Latte, set up your laptop, or line up your favorite pens and journal.
16. Set an intention. Tell yourself, I WILL write 500 words about your chosen topic. Or I WILL write for 1 hour. Use determination in your voice and take deliberate action.
17. Quiet your mind and ask your body what it wants to write. We are so much in our heads, so we forget that the body also has ideas. Being a head person, I did not believe this at first, but it helps.
MAC Writing Office
18. Dress For Success
Dress for success. I’ve noticed that when I dress up in business attire or creative clothes, put on makeup, and do my hair, I feel more successful which translates into taking myself and my writing seriously.
19. Schedule Writing Time
Schedule a time to write. I meet with a writing group once a week, which means I’ll write 2 hours a week. Or sign up for a creative writing class at a college as it reinforces deadlines to produce pieces on a weekly schedule. If you don’t have the time or money for an in-person college course, you can take free online classes from top universities at Coursera.org.
20. Goal Setting
Set a goal for your writing. Do you want to write a novel, memoir, or a how-to e-book? To stay on track you can check out various free and paid for online challenge. I’ve decided to join a 30-day challenmge. Focus on the result that you want and backtrack from there.
Here you have it. Twenty ideas to try out for focused and productive writing. Test what resonates with you.
Let me know what you think and what works for you. I love to hear about it!
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