Once you get out of the writing habit, inertia can make it easy to put your writing off. So, how to start writing again?
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Cough Cures is helping an international audience now that it’s been translated into Spanish. Remind yourself why you’re writing.
Staying connected to your source of inspiration for writing, throughout the day, helps you break through any challenges that come up.
Ask yourself, “What’s my vision? What goals do I have?”
- Do you want to help a much larger group of people than you currently reach—sharing your wisdom and expertise, the way Gus Ferrer, MD and Burke Lennihan, RN, have done with Cough Cures?
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Randy regularly speaks to a wide range of audiences, from CEOs to fans of Arianna Huffington and people interested in mindfulness tools. Do you envision speaking to high powered CEO’s like Dr. Randy Kamen, author of Behind the Therapy Door?
- Or traveling to exotic locales like Pat Hastings who teaches workshops and leads retreats based on her award-winning book, Simply a Woman of Faith—in Bermuda, on cruise ships and—her lifelong dream—Hawaii.
I have participants in my Bring Your Book to Life® Program develop a vision statement that captures their dreams for what will happen when their book is published. It includes their goals for what the book will do for readers, the larger community and for the author’s life and work.
They read their vision statements regularly—when they get up in the morning, before they start writing and when they go to bed at night.
Reading that vision statement on a regular basis helps you stay engaged, inspired, motivated and on track.
2. Set a specific date and block of time in your calendar to start writing—and finish.
Not just “I’ll start writing Monday morning,” but “I’ll write on Monday morning from 10-12.”
Keep that time appointment sacred. Treat it like a hot date or important business meeting.
If you tend to get burned out or low energy, plan an energizing activity right before writing, such as yoga, qigong or a walk in nature.
[bctt tweet=”Schedule your writing for times of the day when you tend to have more energy.” username=”LisaTener”]
3. Make yourself accountable for writing.
It’s easier to start writing when you’re accountable to someone other than yourself. One way to do this is to find a “writing buddy.”
You and your writing buddy can plan to meet in person at the local cafe or library, or just call each other on the phone to say, “I’m starting writing now.” Then call each other when you stop writing to say, “I wrote.”
Other ways to be accountable include a book writing coach or book writing course!
These 3 simple tips should help you start writing again—and keep you in action. Before you know it, you’ll have written a book!
Do you have any favorite tips? Share them as a comment below.
Any questions about writing your book? Just ask your questions below as well.
