Dr Nicolya Williams

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How to stop procrastinating when you're wanting to write a book

Dr. Nicolya Williams
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Do you ever find yourself looking at the computer screen overwhelmed with where to begin?
Or maybe you’re struggling with simply getting started with your writing.
If so, you won’t be surprised to hear that this is one of the biggest problems nearly every aspiring author faces when they start writing and even sometimes when they are far into their writing.
Procrastination is the action of delaying or postponing something. Many aspiring authors deal with procrastination. Whether it’s because they have made it a habit in the past or sometimes it’s because the entire writing process is overwhelming.
Thankfully, there are lots of ways you can tackle this problem.
By using the best strategies and shifting your mindset, you can be more productive and spend less time agonizing about your writing.
How to break free of procrastination for good
  1. Identify the cause of the procrastination- many times we procrastinate because we made a habit out of it or bc it feels safe. When you identify the root cause it’s easier to address.
  2. Review your goal and expectations too many times we set BIG goals and it becomes challenging to reach. It often feels like you’re falling short when truly your idea may have been too extreme. If this is the case you can use this time to revamp you goal to get your book written.
  3. Review the deadline and if it’s realistic. Sometimes we may have a deadline too close or a deadline too far either way it can impact the work you are putting in with your book. Take time to review your deadline and see how realistic it is. Make adjustments accordingly.
  4. Remove any distractions - whether in your writing space or in general . It’s important to know where you’re spending your time and attention. If social media is a distraction remove it from your phone. If tv is tempting hide the remote. If you have a cluttered desk and it causes you to lose focus clear it out or change where you spend time writing. Many times we make excuses for our schedule for our responsibilities etc. These are all distractions. When you’re working on a menu script it is important that you commit to this in the same way that you would commit to work a doctors appointment your children’s extracurricular’s etc. So don’t use this as an excuse because there will never be a perfect time or a perfect day to write and if you continue to wait for that you could be waiting for the rest of your life. So take it vantage of where you’re at now and just get started.
  5. Set a timer and just write . You’re likely thinking “if I had something to write I would be doing that already”. First thing first, if you set a short timer (10-15min) it feels more manageable than an entire writing session. Also here is the thing the ....writing flows the more you make it a regular practice. I suggest googling writing prompts and just write to that. Often when you take the pressure off of yourself to write about a specific topic or to perfect your writing you are able to write freely and then you will notice your creativity flow. Most of my clients who try this tactic end up in such a flow that they are writing long beyond when the timer buzzes
  6. Replace your writing time with something else productive. If you still can’t get the writing juices flowing choose to instead do something else related to your writing goal. This could be researching other titles similar in subject to your book for inspiration. This could be contacting a designer or editor to get quotes. It could be spending time researching cover designs. It could be talking to your coach or accountability partner for extra motivation and encouragement. While it doesn’t feel like you’re making progress with “word count goals” and the like you’re still moving in the direction of your aspiring author dreams because it’s much more than just writing. Be careful not to allow yourself to believe that something is working when it’s not. It’s tempting to say you’re using Facebook groups to learn about your ideal reader but really you’re just scrolling because you’re bored. Watch out for those temptations!
  7. Give yourself something to look forward. This way when you’re done with the writing session it feels “worth it”. Writing is a BIG goal that requires a lot of hard work and dedication. Honestly, that’s why less than 1% of people actually write books. So give yourself something to look forward to when you commit to it because you’re doing something most people would not commit to. Now don’t go overboard and eat a bowl of ice cream daily then look to blame me haha. But you can choose to do a reward weekly or a more responsible reward daily! (For my last book writing project my reward was an episode if The Office -it’s my favorite)
  8. Keep going- the more consistent you are the more this becomes a regular practice for you. Now when I am not writing something I feel weird - and that is because it’s become so normal to me. The opposite is true too, the more you start and stop and start and stop increases the chances of you staying stuck in that perpetual cycle and it sucks! The point is the more you can make it a daily practice the easier it is to commit to it. Some people work better when they have the formality of setting an appointment with themselves. If that’s you, put a note in your calendar that you will be writing from 6am – 7am. This will help to improve your consistency. Having a writing commitment is like creating a healthy habit it takes time but once you get over the tough part it’s so worth it.
Procrastination is a problem that many writers run into. It’s not that you don’t find your writing valuable it’s not that you don’t really want to write it does that most of us have created a habit out of procrastinating. Procrastination is one of those things that always seems harmless and sometimes even fun initially, but just leads to problems and regrets later on. Don’t fall into that trap. When you’re able to identify this that’s the first step in the right direction and then you can use the above formula to break free of your procrastination and get started writing!
You got this!!!
If you’re looking for a way to get started writing your book without the overwhelm sign up for my FREE write your book in 30 days training: www.nicolyawilliams.com/writeyourbookin30daysnow