Have you ever been rolling along churning out words and then, out of nowhere, when you sit down to your next writing session, you find yourself procrastinating and using almost anything else to avoid putting words down on the page?

Whether you’ve had a book (or several) published, or you’re writing your first, when I find myself avoiding the writing, it’s usually because of one of these reasons.

IMPOSTER SYNDROME

Writers who struggle with this often lack confidence in their own writing, and inadvertently, in their future success. They re-read what they’ve written and question whether or not it’s any good. Often, they are perfectionists who set themselves up to impossibly high standards. Those who suffer from this often see themselves as frauds. Who do I think I am writing this book?

Give yourself permission to write badly.

Re-read positive feedback you’ve received on your writing.

Remind yourself of all the things you’ve accomplished so far. It could be how many scenes you’ve completed, or small goals you’ve achieved.

Connect with other writers and share things you’ve done when you find yourself avoiding your writing.

Take the pressure off. Write for ten minutes. Use prompts if needed. Any progress is still progress.

BURN OUT

Authors today have to wear so many hats, from writers, to editors, to proofreaders, to building an online presence, blogging, sending out a newsletter … the list goes on and on.

Have a look at your schedule and see if there are items you can eliminate. For example, if social media is draining you, pick one platform and put a time frame on how long you are willing to spend posting and interacting.

Take a break. Nothing will derail if you take a few days off.

Prioritize sleep, fresh air, physical movement, and proper nutrition.

THE IDEA YOU WERE EXCITED ABOUT

The best ideas that excite writers may not be enough to sustain the long run. What started out as an enticing premise for a story, for whatever reason, has fizzled out and no longer teases you into continuing.

Is there something that would re-spark the flame again? Are you bored because you’ve been working on it for a long time? If not, do you have another idea that you can’t ignore? Try shelving it for the time being and jump in to another project.

I’m not suggesting this bait and switch on a regular basis, however, because all you’ll end up with is a drawer full of partially written projects and nothing completed.

Take a break for a week, then go back and read what you have. Maybe you’ll want to do some in-depth character profiles or plot out the timeline to see if you get inspired to move forward. If it’s still not stirring up the urge to keep going, perhaps it is time to shelve it (for now).

TOO MANY SHINY NEW IDEAS

Writers are creatives and any of the writers I know do not lack for new ideas. Lots and lots of shiny new ideas, which can be distracting. The only way to complete something is to stick with it until it’s done.

Any time I get excited about a new idea, I either pop it onto a sticky note and shove it into a file folder with the name of the project on it, or write it in my idea notebook. Then, I tuck the folder into a drawer until I’m looking for my next project. That way, I haven’t forgotten them or lost them. It’s actually a lot of fun to go through the folders when looking for the next project and I know by my reactions which one I’m going to choose.

TRYING TO DO TOO MANY THINGS AT ONCE

Writing a book is a long term project. There’s plotting, character development, structure, pacing. It’s a lot to think about.

I still follow the advice of author Terry Pratchett: “The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.” So I start with that.

Once I have this skeleton draft done, I figure out what scenes may still be needed. I plot out the chronological timeline of the book. I write brief chapter summaries, adding in questions, suggestions etc. that I want to address. Now, I write the second draft – filling things in, cutting where the words slow things down, adding description where necessary.

After giving my manuscript this overhaul, I send it to beta readers. Once I get their feedback, I sort through it and apply what is useful.

I don’t recommend revising and editing as you draft, although if you ask some writers, that’s what works for them.

Doing too many things at once can be overwhelming and the ultimate goal is getting the story down. As they say, you can’t edit blank pages.

FEAR OF FINISHING – THEN WHAT?

The creative flow can definitely slow down if the author is already worrying about what will happen when they have finished their book.

Ask yourself why you’re writing the book? Is it just for your own entertainment or do you want to find your ideal readers and share your story?

Finishing a book is a rite of passage, much like leaving the nest to go to college. You’re moving into uncertain territory. What if you don’t sell many copies? What if people don’t like it?

Cross those bridges when you come to them, but for now, write the best book you can write.

COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHER WRITERS

Unfortunately, competition is thrust at us in many aspects of life. The best grades, winning at sports, how much we make, our job title, how we look. It’s everywhere. But not everything needs to be a competition.

You are the only one who can write your book. It shouldn’t sound like someone else’s. You are unique and your writing style and storytelling is unique. Celebrate that and don’t worry about what other writers are doing.

Celebrate other writers. Read the books of other writers. Leave reviews for other writers. Support other writers.

Don’t let comparing yourself to them stifle your creativity.

If you have any tips on how you deal with those times when you don’t feel like writing, drop them in the comments.