How to Write When You Don't Feel Like Writing - WN 008

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If you're looking for episode eight of the "Write Now" podcast, you've come to the right place. OR SHOULD I SAY THE WRITE PLACE BAH HA HA HA HAAA haaaaaaaaa I'm such a dork.
I probably should be writing, but I just don't feel like it.
There are days when it's hard to even think about writing. I know -- I've been there. (In fact, I may or may not be there right now.)

It's so easy to feel disheartened or stupid or restless or any of those other thousand things that can keep you from writing.

But I've come up with a decision tree you can follow that will help you start writing and keep going on even the worst days (or to know when it's time to get the rest you need).

1. Enter your writing space. Shut the door and sit down.
2. Honestly assess how you feel. If you are actually exhausted, go to sleep. But if you are simply feeling lazy (i.e., if you feel a tinge of guilt or regret when you think about ditching your writing session), then you need to write.
3. Create a "journal" file on your computer, or grab a notebook you can use as a journal. In it, begin writing about why you don't feel like writing today.
4. Take action to combat whatever you've written down, or simply use your journaling momentum to continue writing for your writing project.
Either way, the key here is finding a active/creating path, and not tripping merrily along a passive/consuming path. Listen to this episode to get the full details.

I also reference episode WN 004, "Go On, Surprise Yourself", which you can listen to if you need to liven up your storytelling.

Also, while I'm at it, here are a couple of the passive "Do Not"s:
1. Do not watch a movie.
2. Do not watch TV.
3. Do not play video games.
4. Do not take a nap.
5. Do not surf the internet. Despite your best intentions, you will get lost in a black hole of unproductivity.
I hope this helps. Because you're a smart, capable writer with a great story to tell. And I want you to tell it.
The book of the week.
I just finished Rachel Hartman's Seraphina. It's a YA fantasy novel about a 16-year-old girl and dragons and political unrest and OMG YOU GUYS I LOVED IT. And despite your age/gender/whatever, you might love it, too.

Seraphina is a great example of a strong female character -- not in the "Angelina Jolie can bend bullets" or "Viking woman is a better fighter than the Viking men" way, but in a way that's real. She's confident, passionate, and true to herself while dealing with various personal flaws and realistic relationships.

There are a few plot holes here and there, but it was otherwise an incredibly satisfying read. I can't wait to start the sequel.

Keep up-to-date with my reading exploits on Goodreads.
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Submit a question.
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Listen to the full podcast.
You can listen to the full podcast episode using the controls at the beginning of this post. Or find it on iTunes! >> (And subscribe!)
Tell me your thoughts.
How do you make yourself write when you've had a long day and don't feel like writing? Let me know in the comments below, or send a quick email to hello [at] sarahwerner [dot] com.
The Write Now podcast is on Facebook, apparently.

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