Last Updated on by Michael Brockbank
Writing a book is not as easy a task as some might think. In reality, it takes a great deal of motivation and determination to put together an entire book. At least one that people will want to read. Luckily, there are several ways to motivate yourself.
Consider this, most people who start writing will hit around 20,000 words before giving up. Not everyone who wants to be a writer is capable of actually being one. There’s nothing wrong with that. There is just a lot that goes into being an author, especially at the level of some of your favorites.
Then add in the sheer volume of work it takes to be a successful self-published author. It’s enough to drive one mad.
Can you imagine yourself writing as often as Stephen King or Nora Roberts? We’re talking about publishing three to five books per year. And most are over the 80,000-word mark.
That’s a lot of writing and editing.
13 Ways to Drive Motivation to Write a Book
Some of us can just get up in the morning and start writing. Others often have life elements to address before diving into a novel. Whatever the case may be for yourself, there are always ways to find motivation and inspiration.
That is as long as you’re willing to give a few new things a try. A negative frame of mind toward anything will skew how it affects you. If the negative is all you’re expecting, that’s all you’ll receive.
The most important part of a writer is his or her brain. The health of this organ will directly impact your success. And I’m not just talking about processing information. Moods and stress can also impact motivation as well as finding what inspires you most.
In any case, I’ve compiled a realistic list of things you might want to try to get those creative juices flowing. Feel free to change these up to suit your needs or adjust them how you see fit.
Keep in mind, these are the methods that work best for me. You’ll have to do a bit of trial and error to figure out what drives your motivation to write a book. Everyone is different and have varying wants and needs.
1. Finding Ideal Places to Write
You can derive a lot of motivation and inspiration to write your book purely from the surrounding ambiance. In other words, where you choose to write can make a big difference in how much you write.
Some people love taking their laptops to the corner coffee shop and hammering out a chapter or two. Others have a nice, quiet home-office space to keep them centered.
Regardless of where you choose to write, it’s best if you find someplace that is void of distractions. What those distractions are is completely up to the writer. Some don’t mind the background sounds of a Starbucks while others can’t have background sounds at all.
If you care for children or have a household to manage, those places can be very few and far between. Still, getting a few moments somewhere that helps you feel creative is a great boon to writing your book. You’ll just have to plan a bit around your schedule.
I have a quiet basement where I do all of my work. I am surrounded by books and elements of the series I’m working on, so it helps fuel my imagination. It also helps that I work from home and everyone knows to leave me alone.
2. Consider Outlining
Planning out your book can come in a variety of forms. You can jot down a single idea you’d love to explore or break down the major moments of every scene. There is no right or wrong answer here because it all boils down to what helps the author most.
In any case, outlining can help develop a flow for your book while helping you avoid writer’s block. The most difficult part is connecting point A to point B. But having those points present can help your mind work out the details fully.
The planning board in Reedsy Studio can be exceptionally helpful in this case. You can put all of your research, notes, and story outline in view while you write.
My point here is that outlining has the potential to inspire as you start to see certain sections of your book come to life.
I often get motivated to write just by planning what scenes I’d love to see. During my walking breaks, I’ll listen to my book’s theme song and get even more inspired to write. It’s an excitement I get as the visuals of what the scenes would look like in my head if they were put into live-action segments.
3. Keep Sight of Your Goals
Having goals and deadlines can do wonders for boosting motivation to write a book. That is as long as you are able to commit to them with maximum effort. A goal means nothing if you’re not putting in the work. Yet, you also want to make sure those goals are realistic.
When I say “realistic,” I am referring to your current capabilities.
For instance, you wouldn’t set a daily goal to write 2,000 words if you don’t necessarily have the time available. Of course, you want to push yourself a bit to get things done. But, you don’t want your goals so difficult that they can’t physically be met. There’s a good chance you could set yourself up for failure.
Because I am a bit of a geek with a spreadsheet, I know how much I can write per day with great accuracy. I always base my goals and challenges on what I’ve been able to write in the past. Then, I try to work to write at least one more word today than I did yesterday. Remember, you’re only in competition with yourself. Improve your abilities at your own pace.
4. Develop a Daily Habit
If you develop writing as a positive daily habit, you’ll find yourself motivated. You may even get overly excited about sitting down and working on your manuscript. I know I do.
However, creating a daily writing habit isn’t the easiest. It may take quite a bit of time and repetition before it really sinks into your head. And that happens through constant practice and reminding yourself to write.
Before long, it will become second nature to sit down and write the story. You’ll spend less time trying to convince yourself to write and more time thinking of ways to progress your book.
You don’t have to create these writing habits alone, though. If you join writing groups or connect with other authors on social media, you can help each other develop those habits. Never underestimate the value of a writing community. Most will strive to build you up instead of tearing you down.
Perhaps one of the most impactful things affecting my writing in 2024 was adding the writing sprint videos to the YouTube channel. I enjoy writing live on the channel so much that they’ve become a habit. Unfortunately, life often disrupts the flow, but I usually come back to the sprints when things calm down a tad.
5. Exercise More Often
There are a lot of studies demonstrating how exercise improves cognitive function. It takes the saying, “Healthy body, healthy mind” to a realistic level as physical and mental fitness are directly linked. This includes everything from your mood to how motivated you are throughout the day.
Remember, as a writer, the most important organ in your body is your brain. The healthier it is, the better it will perform. Since exercise is linked to improved memory, processing information, and mood, it only makes sense that you’d want to give it the best chance of cranking out that best-selling novel you’ve been thinking about.
Now, I’m not saying that running a 7-minute mile will instantly turn you into Hemmingway. However, you’ll notice a difference over time in your ability to write while having the motivation to finish writing your book. It won’t happen overnight, but you will notice a difference after a few weeks of routine exercise.
I often play the Oculus or Xbox Kinect to start my mornings. The games I play work me up into a decent sweat and I’m ready to tackle the day. Of course, I also get a similar feeling the mornings I go to the gym.
6. Eating Healthier
Like exercise, certain foods can help boost brainpower. Some of these foods include:
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Avocados
- Berries of all kinds
- Coffee and tea
- Walnuts
- Peanuts
- Eggs
- Dark chocolate
- Various whole grains
Eating healthier isn’t for mere weight loss enthusiasts or clean living. The foods you put into your body provide nutrients organs like your brain need to function properly. The better you eat, the more it benefits your brain.
Of course, there are some foods that provide benefits for the brain to which people are allergic. So, you’ll want to be careful not to cause other issues because you think it’ll help your mind stay fit.
When all is said and done, it’s better to live a healthy lifestyle for a myriad of reasons. In this case, the change in your eating habits may directly affect writing your book.
Although I’m not the cleanest eater, I can attest to how starting the day with a logical amount of proteins and carbs keeps my mind alert and ready to go. I am far more productive and motivated after having something like 2 ounces of steak and a couple of hard-boiled eggs in the morning.
7. Take Nature Walks & Breaks
Walking is a great exercise for getting the blood pumping, but going for nature walks can amplify mental effects. In fact, studies show how spending time in nature can reduce stress, prevent depression, help with anxiety, and improve your overall mood. Spending time in nature is so beneficial that it’s often prescribed to treat a range of illnesses, both physical and mental.
Even if you live in a larger city, spending time in a park or going to the zoo may have a similar effect on your mind. It’s more about being surrounded by flora and fauna than where you spend the time.
The best part is that most of the places you can visit right now are free. The only cost is travel time and perhaps gas, depending on how far you want to go.
In any case, surrounding yourself with nature can be greatly beneficial for your mental health.
I’m lucky enough to live near a small lake that is a beautiful walk during the spring and summer months. However, one of my favorite places to go is Lookout Mountain, which is about a 40-minute drive from here. Needless to say, Colorado is full of beautiful nature-esque locations.
8. Visualize the Book’s Success
Visualization exercises have been around for a very long time. The idea is to see yourself being successful in the task at hand, which will fuel motivation, determination, positivity, and relaxation. All of these are quite helpful when writing your book.
When visualizing your book, focus on things like seeing it published in your favorite store, having a book-release party, or even seeing your book play out on a streaming service like Netflix. I know – it sounds a little touchy-feely for some. However, it can play a huge role in how you progress in writing your book.
Essentially, visualization exercises hype you up to accomplish a goal. Getting excited about it only makes you want to put in the effort to do it. If you want to put more power behind the exercise, include a song that fits and is motivational.
While each of my books have specific theme songs to inspire the story, I have one piece of music that encompasses everything I do. When I listen to it while walking, I envision being a successful author. It fills me with motivation to write the book and to keep pushing forward with everything I do.
9. Don’t Push for Perfection
One thing that will sap a lot of motivation to write any book is trying too hard for the first draft to be perfect. The goal is to get the story out of you, not strive for perfection. That’s what the editing phase is for; to polish up the story and tie up loose ends.
Although some people may be able to edit as they write, more often than not, authors get stuck in an endless loop of editing. That’s because there is always something more to fix. Every author can look back and think of ways to make the book “better.” There has to be a point when you feel it’s good enough for others to read.
Trying to write the perfect first draft can also chew up a lot of time. This is especially true when you think about the changes you’re going to make after that first draft is complete. You may find yourself removing those “perfect” lines and scenes anyway.
I focus primarily on getting the story out in that first draft. Then, I’ll make adjustments as necessary during the editing phase. Take Kingmaker, for example. One of the main characters had a complete overhaul in subsequent drafts, completely different from the first. Not to mention how I added all of the scenes the readers loved after the fact.
10. Using Social Accountability
A lot of people will use social accountability to help drive motivation. This is when you post on social media or announce the book in a blog. Then, you have a sense of urgency as some people may be waiting for that book to be published.
Also, talking about your book in a public setting may inspire you to write. Without giving spoilers, you can still engage in conversations regarding the origin of the story, its underlying premise, and more. The more you talk about it, the more excited you may become to write.
This works better if you have a large audience. But even if you don’t, you may find inspiration from the few people who interact with your social content. I’ve found the writing communities of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads to be of great help. Plus, you may find a few more subscribers to newsletters from your blog if you talk about your writing process.
I often blog and make videos about the books of which I’m writing. In reality, I get myself more excited to publish another novel than most of my fans. Plus, I like to share my experiences to perhaps help another writer find his or her path.
11. Join Writing Groups
There are writing groups all over the world, both online and off. You’ll have to come out of your shell a bit to get the most out of the experience, but trust me – it’s worth the effort. I have no doubt that you’ll meet some amazing people out there who are more similar to yourself than you think.
Perhaps the best online groups to join are those on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. You can surround yourself with people from all over the world who work to provide motivation to help others write a book.
If you prefer more of an in-person group, a lot of those online collectives also meet in real life. For example, I met some people on Threads and wound up attending Read Between the Stars with half of them.
Plus, you can find Meetup writing groups in your local area.
I haven’t joined a lot of writing groups, mostly because I don’t have a lot of time on my hands. But the ones I have interacted with were some of the funniest experiences I’ve had all year. Don’t be afraid to get yourself out there and be a part of something special.
12. Using Writing Sprints On YouTube
Writing sprints consist of a small community that aims to inspire each other to write. There are several authors on YouTube who do writing sprints, so you just need to find one you like and commit to attending. Then, interact with both the YouTuber as well as the other viewers. You may just make a few new writing buddies.
The idea behind writing sprints is to hammer out the first draft without distractions. This includes denying yourself the temptation to edit. It’s a chunk of time you dedicate to your craft to write as much as you can before the timer ends.
You can do these either live or as pre-recorded videos, but the live versions are better as you can interact with the other viewers.
The only drawback is having the time to attend the live sprints. Some YouTubers only write during the weekends, while others try to do them Monday through Friday at 10:30 am, Mountain Time. Find one that works with your schedule or simply watch the replay on your own.
One of the most positive experiences I’ve had for motivation to write my book has been going live with writing sprints on the YouTube channel. Although I don’t get a lot of regular viewers during the sprints, they have been one of the most pivotal pieces of content for working on my books.
13. Compete with Yourself
As I said earlier, you’re only in competition with yourself. This means you shouldn’t judge your success or progress on that of other people. Every author has their own processes and abilities, which includes everything from typing speed to how information is processed in the brain.
If someone you follow on social media can write 2,000 words per day but you can’t, don’t feel bad about yourself. That person could have spent the last 10 years writing content for clients who also has a knack for putting things into context relatively quickly.
We all write at our own pace, whether it’s because we’re formulating a story or having to deal with life’s interruptions. This is why I push to make realistic goals based on what you can handle as a writer.
This is one of the many reasons why I keep a spreadsheet to record my day. I know what I can handle as an author, blogger, and YouTuber. Then, I can assign blocks of time throughout the day to get what I need to be completed. It doesn’t matter what anyone else can create – only what I can create.
Motivation Isn’t Always Easy to Maintain
Although the tips above may help with that initial motivation to write your book, sometimes life happens. Depending on who you are and your household, it could happen all over the place. There are days that will feel like nothing you do works to keep you focused.
That doesn’t mean you’re a failure, though. All it means is that particular day was just a bit more chaotic than you would have liked. Trust me, I have plenty of those. But I still keep moving myself forward because I know where I want to be as an author, blogger, and YouTuber.
If something is no longer driving your motivation to write a book, don’t be afraid to try something else. Learning and growing as an author is more than just expanding your literary library of words and fine-tuning grammatical structure. It’s also about discovering who you are as well as what drives you to continue writing.
If being a writer or author was easy, everyone would do it. Some days will feel more difficult than others, but as long as you don’t give up, you may find everything eventually clicking into place.
Life will happen. Even the most well-thought-out plans can fall apart quickly due to unforeseen circumstances. When that happens, you have two choices. You can either let it eat away at you, causing even more frustration. Or, you can chalk it up to “life happens” and try again tomorrow.
I side with the latter.
Get Rid of Instant Gratification Ideas
A lot of authors, especially newer ones, have delusions of grandeur and thrive on instant gratification. This is amplified on social media as “successful” people show off Bugattis and million-dollar homes. They make it seem like you can strike it rich from day one.
It’s easy to get sucked into the hype, especially if it comes from a particularly charismatic influencer. What often happens is that people give these hypemen a lot of money for very little return. At least, returns that will let you look in the mirror and be proud of what you’ve accomplished.
Part of building the motivation to write a book comes from knowing that you’re playing the long game. Unless you already have a massive following and supporters who’ll toss money at you for any reason, your first book isn’t going to be on the New York Times Best Seller list. That doesn’t mean you should give up.
Continue to work on yourself as well as your ability to tell a good story. Remember, every word you write gets you closer to your ultimate goals, whatever they may be.
Don’t get sucked into the hype of producing an instant hit. Just do the best you can and let the books fall where they may.
Mental Health is Vital for Success
The state of your mind directly influences success. If you’re constantly looking for the negative in every situation, that’s all you’re going to see. You’ll be less likely to see the opportunities that present themselves because you’re wallowing in a negative mindset.
Of the methods I pointed out above, exercise and eating well are probably going to be the most influential. The health of your brain impacts everything from focus and concentration to being able to remember your character’s names and the places in your story.
Having the motivation to write a book starts within your head.
Sure, the other points I made can help get you into gear. But they won’t be as prominent or as long-lasting if you’re not in the right mindset.
Also, consider how your frame of mind can influence word choices and sentence structure. Not to mention that it’s much easier to make errors while writing if you’re not focused on the task. This was something made abundantly clear when I began my writing career in 2012. Simply being too tired resulted in having to address revision requests from clients the next day.
Make sure you spend adequate time focusing on yourself. Find ways to relax, take regular breaks, and steady your breath. Do what you can to keep yourself in a good headspace.
The Book Won’t Write Itself
Motivation can come in a lot of forms when you sit down to write your book. Everyone is different and has varying needs and wants to fulfill. And although I listed some of the most effective for myself, that doesn’t mean they are the end-all, be-all for motivational elements.
It all comes down to what works best for you. Perhaps the chirping of birds outside a window, the low rumble of a dryer, or the thought of being more successful than your ex works best. Motivation and determination are all relative to the person.
But if you don’t find a way to keep yourself on task, that book in your head will remain there. Unfortunately, you can’t wave a magic wand over the pages and have it appear. It takes a lot of work to be a self-published author, and getting the first draft done is but a small drop in quite a large bucket.
Your only other option is to hire a ghostwriter. But at that point, you’re not really the author of your book, are you? But that is a tale for another time.
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