Burnout is rampant among writers.

We set unrealistic expectations for ourselves, try to write every day, worry that our story isn’t perfect and that it will never get published.

These thought loops and the pressure we put on ourselves negatively impact our writing mindset. They make it extremely difficult to accomplish our writing goals.

In today’s blog post, I’ll share 3 strategies to help you strengthen your writing mindset so that you can maintain your motivation, build confidence and achieve your goals.

Improving your written skills is only half of what allows you to build a sustainable writer lifestyle.

Let’s take a look at your writer mindset!

Self-compassion is the act of treating ourselves with the same kindness, patience, and understanding that we’d offer a friend who is struggling. 

Our negativity bias leads us to say some pretty harsh things about ourselves – statements that we’d never say to a friend.

While you might think, “My writing sucks. I’m a failure,” a friend can look objectively at the situation and state, “You’re writing has improved from the last story. You’ll continue to grow.”

The perfect first draft is a myth. A writer without flaws is a myth. 

Striving for perfection harms our creative flow. We stop taking risks, and our work loses that authentic voice only we can infuse in it.

You can practice self-compassion by normalizing messy prose, days when writing doesn’t happen and goals that aren’t hit on time.

When you notice that you’re repeating a negative statement to yourself, consider taking time to journal about it. 

Get curious. Why do you believe that?

Reframe those statements into affirmations that you can refer back to when needed.

It’s not about stating that you’re the best writer with zero flaws. Affirmations you don’t believe won’t help you. 

Self-compassion shifts your writing mindset by seeking out your strengths, looking for ways to improve and acknowledging those small wins, all while accepting the challenges and setbacks you’ll face.

Check out Kristin Neff’s amazing website of resources to help you develop a self-compassionate lifestyle.

I totally understand wishing that every piece of work were your best, perfect in all facets.

I’ve been writing the same novel for 10 years because I just can’t stop revising it.

A great place to start with writing mindset work is to reframe this stream of thought.

Instead of “this has to be my best work yet,” remind yourself that the more you write, the more you improve. 

So, while you’ll put in your best work now, that written piece will be part of your progress. It will be a stepping stone towards your future talents.

Take some time to reread your old drafts, and you’ll find that with every story, your pacing, character or voice improved.

Sometimes, you’ll learn what not to do in your future written work. Both avenues are valuable.

Pinpoint those incremental improvements in your craft.

Acknowledging and celebrating your progress rather than seeking perfection aids in developing a growth mindset.

With each story that you write, reflect on what you’ve learned from it. 

Celebrate your writing growth.

Waiting for inspiration to hit or for you to be a ‘good enough’ writer before you commit to that story will block you from accomplishing your writing goals.

Inspiration will ebb and flow.

The perfect, most skilled writer does not exist.

Real progress on your story happens when you are writing, revising, learning from your mistakes and revising again.

When we aren’t writing, our skills don’t have the opportunity to improve.

Try setting a timer for 10-25 minutes. Allow yourself to just write.

You might find that inspiration returns along the way, and if not, you’ve at least gotten words down on the page.

A writer must balance the need for a genuine break with the commitment to pushing ourselves to write when we aren’t feeling it.

Don’t worry when inspiration has disappeared or your prose isn’t yet polished. All can be rewritten later.

When you experiment without expectation, you allow your skills the chance to grow.

Shifting your writer mindset takes time.

Those negative thought loops will creep up.

You’ll lack inspiration and feel discouraged with your progress now and again.

Self-compassion, seeking growth over perfection and holding space for experimentation help you develop a flexible and confident writing mindset.

With this mindset, you’ll be able to complete the story you’re writing now and craft a sustainable writer lifestyle – a writing practice you’re excited about and that supports you with every mountain you face.

Share a mindset shift that you’re actively working on in the comments below!

Talk soon!

Julia