Writing is creative work and it sometimes can take a toll on you. There are times when you are left wondering if you can ever complete your book. Other times, you feel that you have not written anything worthwhile. There are many points in your writing career that you will feel down. But this is normal and there are ways you can keep yourself positive against all odds. Read on to learn about five such ways.
1. Set realistic goals
Like all other work, writing needs to be done in a disciplined manner. Schedule how many words or pages you will write in a day or week. Make sure that the goals you set are realistic. It is not possible for you to write 10000 words a day, so don’t even set such goals. Setting such wild or unrealistic goals is only setting you up for a disappointment. Learn your own limitations and work within them. If you want to do more than you feel currently capable of doing, gradually push the limits. In the end, remember that you want a satisfying journey as well as a satisfying product.
2. Share with family and friends
A good way to keep ahead of your work is to share your work with family and friends to get some feedback. This will help you to constantly keep improving your work and you will also be strengthened by the fact that people care about your work enough to read it and give you suggestions. You can also join a writing group for similar results. It will help you grow in general, and in your writing in particular.
3. Be prepared for setbacks
Being positive also means being prepared for setbacks. The motto, hope for the best and prepare for the worst, applies to a writing career as well. Do not expect to strike gold with your first book. Do not expect to be successful every time. At the same time, know that failures will gradually help you in improving your work. Try out all avenues for promoting your work. Engage in social media and join competitions. Every little helps.
4. Read
If you don’t read, you can’t write. By reading extensively, you will learn a lot. You will learn to improve your vocabulary and different styles of writing. You will also pick up ways of expressing emotions and different methods to expressing your opinions. Once you learn to absorb the joys of reading, you will discover how to give the same joy to your readers. Reading books also takes you into a different world where you can escape your problems and fears of the moment.
5. Take a break
A writer cannot work like a machine. No matter how creative you are, you will need to take occasional breaks. Take time off with family and friends each week. Get involved in a hobby and make sure you devote some time to it. Switch off from your writing work for a few hours and do other things you enjoy. It will help you to return back to writing in a more refreshed and happier frame of mind.
Image credit: Loreen Liberty on flickr and reproduced under Creative Commons 2.0
Kavitha is a freelance content writer and French translator, and has been working in this field since 2008. She has degrees in computer applications and international business and has a background in business and international trade. She enjoys learning languages and is currently learning Japanese. Her interests vary from books and writing to travelling and history.