Are you currently struggling with your writing? Are you in a position where you’re finding it difficult to motivate yourself to write? If so, do not worry. The following 6 reframes can help you with your writing, so that you stay positive and resourceful.
1. You’re Always Good Enough
Do you believe you’re just not cut out to be a bestselling author? Despite being a false belief, remember you’re self-worth doesn’t come from being labelled a ‘brilliant writer’. You’re self-worth comes from within and being a proud, card carrying member of the human race.
If a disaster was to happen tomorrow and suddenly you found out you couldn’t write, you would still be good enough.
2. You Always Have Options
If you’re writing a plot and it’s just not going the way you want, grab a large piece of paper and put the name of the plot into the middle, and draw a circle around it. Next, brainstorm and consider 10 different directions you can take the plot in. Draw several lines on the piece of paper, each one branching out of the main plot in the centre.
Remember, you always have options to write in a different ways. More options mean more opportunities to get unstuck from writing difficulties.
3. A Negative Review Doesn’t Mean You’ve Failed
Got a negative review of your latest book and feeling down about it? Getting a bad review is never failure. It is just feedback. Remind yourself that the reviewer doesn’t know you personally. He or she only knows your writing. Look at the feedback objectively, and see if you can learn from it. If you can, then see how you can incorporate the reviewer’s sentiments in your next book. And if you can’t, it’s no big deal. It might just have been one reviewer who didn’t like your work. It’s a part of life. It’s best to get over it quickly, and move onto your next story.
You will never be able to please every person who reads your book and it is fruitless trying to do so.
4. If You Can Imagine It Then It Can Come True
A lot of your ability to write great books lies in your mind, first and foremost. If you can see yourself being successful in your mind, then you’re already on your way to success. Keep seeing yourself writing well, the way you want to and publishing books that go on to be huge accomplishments.
5. The Power of the Pen is In Your Hands
You are a writer. You know how to change the emotions of people through your words. You can entertain, excite, frighten and leave readers in total despair with the way you craft stories, characters, settings and plots.
This is a powerful skill, indeed.
6. Tomorrow is Another Day
A simple, yet powerful reframe you can adopt is the ‘tomorrow is another day’ one. Struggling with your writing on a particular day is just as it is and doesn’t need to be anything more. Start again tomorrow with a fresh and optimistic attitude.
Image credit: Steve Snodgrass on flickr and reproduced under Creative Commons 2.0