Hi Reader,

Because your project won’t finish itself—no matter how many videos you like about high protein diets and baby goats.

Let’s be honest. Some days, writing sounds about as appealing as cleaning your fridge. You could work on your novel or screenplay… or you could binge another episode of that true crime show.

And hey, I get it. Writing is amazing… once you’re in it. But the getting-started part? The “open the laptop, resist TikTok, put words on a page” part? That’s the real villain of the story.

So how do you write when your motivation has packed its bags and moved to Bali?

Glad you asked. Here are some tried-and-true, joy-sparking, distraction-busting strategies to help you write even when you don’t feel like it.

1. Trick Your Brain With a “Just Ten Minutes” Deal

Tell yourself, “I’m just going to write for ten minutes. That’s it. Then I can go back to scrolling, streaming, or staring into the void.”

Why it works: Starting is the hardest part. Ten minutes feels doable, and once you’re in the groove, you’ll often keep going. But if you don’t? You still wrote. And that’s a win.

Pro Tip: Set a literal timer. Make it a tiny writing sprint. Reward yourself with a piece of chocolate or the world’s most satisfying checkmark on your to-do list.

2. Create a Ritual

Writers are creatures of habit. If your brain knows, “Okay, when the writing playlist starts it’s writing time,” you’re more likely to show up, even when your motivation is in witness protection.

Pick a few easy-to-repeat cues like:

• A specific mug or drink
• A five-minute stretch or dance break (yes, dance counts!)
• A playlist you only use for writing

It’s Pavlovian productivity. Without the drool.

3. Make It Tiny

The thought of writing a whole chapter or polishing your pitch deck can make your brain shut down faster than a Zoom call with bad Wi-Fi.

Aim for something micro:

• One paragraph
• One snappy line of dialogue
• One terrible sentence you’ll fix later

This lowers the pressure and helps you get moving.

4. Find Your Accountability Buddy (Or Bribe Yourself)

Writing is less lonely—and way more fun—when you have someone to cheer you on or guilt you into sitting down. Try:

• A weekly writing date with a friend
• Joining a writing sprint on Discord, Slack, or Zoom
• Posting your word count on social media (even if it’s “I wrote 14 words and 7 were terrible”)

Or go solo but high-stakes: Promise yourself a reward if you hit your writing goal… or a consequence if you don’t. (No coffee until you write? Dangerous. But motivating!)

5. Let Writing Be Bad (Gloriously, Delightfully Bad)

The biggest block to writing is believing it has to be good. But you can’t edit a blank page, and you definitely can’t edit the screenplay you didn’t write because you got sucked into a three-hour rabbit hole of frog TikToks.

So lower the bar. No one’s watching.Write like no one’s going to read it… because they won’t. Not yet.

6. Rediscover Joy

If you’re feeling blocked, bored, or burnt out, reconnect with the part of writing that delights you.

• Writing a ridiculous side scene that’ll never make it into the final book
• Giving your villain a melodramatic monologue, just for fun
• Naming every chapter after your favorite 90s song

Your story doesn't have to feel like a spreadsheet. It’s supposed to feel like a sandbox. So dig in, make castles, stomp on them, and then build them better.

When Writing Feels Hard, Shrink the Task, Set the Mood, and Make It Fun

Writing when you’d rather be watching Netflix is a universal creative struggle. But with the right tools, a little trickery, and maybe a playlist that slaps, you can outwit your own procrastination.

Remember: the writing doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to happen.

And who knows? That scene you almost didn’t write today?
Might be someone’s favorite one tomorrow.

What’s your go-to trick for writing on the blah days? Hit reply and let me know—I’d love to share some in a future newsletter!

You got this. Now go write just ten minutes. (And if you accidentally write more? Victory dance time!)

Book Nook

There is a new platform to sell e and audio books - curios.com. It looks cool! And unlike other direct sales platforms, this one gives authors’ 100% of the sale price.

From the website:

The best self publishing tools for creators. Creators keep 100% of sales. Creators put their time, expertise, and money into making content and we are proud to pass all funds directly to them. A platform for musicians, authors, publishers, comedians, producers, artists, game developers, and more. Let your fans purchase content once and own it forever.

In Case You Missed It

​How to Turn Readers Into Fans​

I’m back on the Dialogue Doctor Podcast evaluating pitches! See or listen to me in action.

​Follow Your Inspiration​

​Multiple Streams of Income: How to Write and Audio Drama and Why You Should​

Cheers,

Lindsey

Thanks for reading!

You can share this article here.

Was this week's newsletter useful? Help me to improve!

Click on a link to vote:

​👍Super! - 😐 Meh - 👎 Not my jam​