How to Salvage Your Writing Session

How to Salvage Your Writing Session

Does this happen to you: You sit down to write, but when your fingers touch the keys, you don't know what to write about. You get discouraged and then abandon your session. It turns out to be a waste of time and you're left with no words on the screen or paper.

Here are some things you can do to salvage your writing session when you're just not feeling it:

Take a few minutes at the beginning of your session (or whenever you need to) to determine what you're going to write about.

I don't recommend making a habit of this; you should set aside some time to prepare before your session. That way, you know what you're going to write about when you sit down to write. But, when your session isn't going well, or you forget to do your brainstorming, just do it during your session and move on.

Don't make yourself write what you don't want to write.

Oftentimes, we come up with an idea and start writing, but then it just doesn't come out right. When that happens, pick a different topic to write about. If you're not feeling what you're writing, it won't be your best work.

What to do from here on out…

Make a point to schedule your brainstorming session before your writing session. This way you'll be armed with some topics to write about so you can make the most of your time. Remember, the purpose of your writing session is to write words that you can actually use, whether in a blog post or in your book or report. Do this long enough and you'll develop a habit. Once you develop a habit of doing something, it becomes much easier to follow through.

Chalene Johnson says it takes about 20 days of consistency to develop a habit. So, persevere. Make it easy to accomplish your goals. Set aside 5 minutes to get your notes or research materials together and to set up your word processor, another 10 minutes for your journal writing, and 20 minutes to brainstorm and plan. That's 35 minutes plus your writing time. Figure out a schedule you can handle and stick to it. Do whatever it takes to follow through.

It works best if you can determine a specific time to do all of your sessions, but if you can't, make a point to complete each one by the end of the day. Do what works for you. For me, I need a set schedule, otherwise I don't take it seriously enough. There is always something easier to do, like sit on the couch and read or go watch the chickens.

Are you doing what's easy? Or are you doing what will help you succeed and achieve your goals?

Happy Writing!