How can you get writing done when you’re really not feeling it? If you want to write every day, being able to push through resistance is going to be an important skill. Some of these techniques are going to be useful for other things than writing, some are more writing-specific. But all of them should help you kick procrastination and get some writing done, if you want to!

If you’re having a hard time with writer’s block generally, you might want to check out my post on overcoming writer’s block. And if you’re looking for ways to integrate daily writing into your schedule, I’ve got some tips on finding time for writing here! But what about how to get writing done when you just, kind of… don’t want to?

Set a five-minute timer

This is classic advice for a reason! When you promise yourself that you’ll only sit down and do something for five minutes, it becomes a lot less intimidating and easier to get started. If you find that you get on a roll in that five minutes, then you can obviously keep going! But there’s no obligation to.

Writing sprints

This is similar to the previous suggestion, but there’s a community aspect to it that can be really motivating. Twitter often has writing sprints ongoing, and you can join in for a limited time and see how many words you can get down. You can share your wordcounts with other participants, celebrating successes and commiserating over challenges in your writing.

Read something that inspires you

Watch out that this one doesn’t just turn into more procrastination! But if you know there’s something you can read that will make you feel like getting in front of the keyboard yourself, that can be a good use of time. That might be a great writing article, or a piece of prose that you really love. Ideally, it could be something that you’ve written previously, reminding yourself of how great you are!

Use motivational music

This works for so many things! If I need to do some cleaning, I’ve got music for that. If I don’t feel like going for a run? Music. And it can be helpful for getting you in the zone for writing as well! Personally, I struggle to write when listening to music with lyrics, although I’m sure that works for other people. What I recommend most though is soundtracks from films and video games that match the genre you’re working in. I find this incredibly helpful for getting me in the mood for working on my current project.

Consider your goals

Maybe you just want to write because you want to have written every day, without aiming for anything in particular. That’s fine, if so! But it can be helpful to consider the reason you want to write if you’re struggling to motivate yourself. Are you trying to make progress towards finishing your manuscript? Are you hoping to practice your writing skills? Sit for a moment and really consider why you want to write, and what you want to achieve. That can help you motivate yourself for a writing session!

Put aside distractions

It’s so easy to promise yourself, over and over again, that you’ll start after this last video/article/tweet. The first step to getting your writing done is, unfortunately, putting your phone down! You might want to use a website blocker to keep you from being dragged back to your usual social media platforms when you’re trying to work.

Use the power of habit

This isn’t something you can apply in the moment, but it’s worth mentioning anyway. If you can get into the habit of writing at the same time every day, that can make it much easier to just slip into your writing time and get some done.

How do you get writing done when you’re not feeling like it?

Is there anything in particular that you do to get writing done when you’re not in the mood? Please share any tips and tricks in the comments!