7 Ways to Get Inspired About Writing

“I never put off till tomorrow what I can possibly do the day after.” โ€” Oscar Wilde

I am probably not the best person to give advice about blogging. This is coming from someone who lacks the motivation to open her laptop every day. This is coming from someone who much rather use her phone to read blog posts and leave thoughtful comments on other blogs instead of creating her own content. Yeah… that girl ๐Ÿ™‡โ€โ™€๏ธ

And who can blame me? Anything else is more exciting than this ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™€๏ธ

I don’t even enjoy writing blog posts but I write because I have something to give to the world. I have ideas that need to be expressed to an audience rather than keep these ideas to myself. Honestly, social media just isn’t cutting it for me anymore. Being obligated to write lame status updates or leave superficial likes/comments does not make a lasting impact in my opinion. I don’t know if blogging is a waste of time but it is a risk that I am willing to take. Tbh, the WP community is important to me so I will continue to write blog posts for them. I don’t write for myself anymore.

Inspiration is Where You Find it

writing-828911I am sure that any writer, including bloggers, have faced some kind of roadblock throughout their writing journey. If you have ever lacked inspiration to write a blog post that you are actually proud of, then welcome to the Writer’s Block Club! Just know that you are not alone if you are lacking inspiration. Personally, I do not really struggle from a lack of inspiration or creativity; my issue is motivation and laziness.

I want you to know that there are ways to overcome resistance, and often, the solution is pretty simple. I want to share some tips to help you find your spark in writing again. Here are some tips to get you back on track:

7 Ways to Find Inspiration

1. Write it on a Cue Card. Yenno, those little note card things you can buy at Walmart for less than $1.00? Do yourself a favor and buy a pack of cue cards. Whenever random ideas strike, write your ideas down on these cards and store them in a place where you won’t lose them. I actually use sticky notes for this hack but the type of paper does not matter. A notepad on your smart phone works too. However, if you lose your phone, then you’re out of luck.

2. Write it down on paper! Similar to point #1, writing your ideas or thoughts down on paper frees up space in your brain so that you can focus on the things that matter. Even if your ideas seem stupid or silly, write them down anyways! I also encourage you to write down those brilliant shower ideas. You could potentially use these ideas for future blog posts. #just-saying

3. Reconnect with the reason why you’re writing. Why did you start writing? What inspired you to start a blog post? Why haven’t you quit blogging yet? What is that spark that keeps you blogging? What is your “why”? Reconnect with your “why”. Surprisingly, I have a why, even though it’s a dim flame right now. I may be an inconsistent blogger but it really does not matter, as long as I do not quit. Winners will tolerate the mundane and the monotonous. Losers will quit.

4. Remember mindfulness? Yeah, mindfulness. If you haven’t been practicing mindfulness on a consistent basis, start reconnecting with it by silencing your mind. By living in the present, you break away from focusing on the past or future. Instead, you train your mind to focus on what’s right in front of your nose. Mindfulness closely relates to the concept of realism, but you don’t have to be a realist to be mindful.

5. Change your environment. You need to love your writing space. I don’t particularly love my writing space so I often face resistance. Why would I want to spend time at my desk when I can lounge on my comfy couch and watch TV reruns all day? If the weather is nice, I will occasionally write posts from my balcony. Writing blog posts from my balcony sparks joy. Writing blog posts from my bedroom does not spark joy. Find a writing space that sparks joy for you.

6. Move your body. It is incredibly difficult to become a productive human if you don’t know how to snap out of being lazy. Laziness often occurs as a result of environmental cues (I’m looking at you, comfy couch). You must find a way to snap out of your laziness, and sometimes, simply getting your butt off of the couch and cleaning the house for 10 minutes is enough to switch productivity gears. Incorporate movement into your day to break the laziness spell. Remember, long-term laziness is not sustainable, especially if you are trying to be a productive human.

7. Take a break. There is nothing wrong with taking a blogging hiatus, but there IS something wrong with deleting your blog when things begin to lack luster. If you feel burnt out, by all means take a break! Blogging is meant to be fun and it should not feel like punishment to you. And when all else fails, walk away from your blog for a while to clear your mind. You’re doing yourself a disservice by forcing yourself to write sub-par blog posts just for the sake of publishing something for your readers.

1941cf28de72a936b283224927879ac8Whether you are working on a blog post, essay, poem, or short-story, remember that laziness or lack of inspiration does not have hinder your writing goals and dreams. Turn off the TV, put your phone away, get your butt off of the couch and go write something. Good luck and happy writing! ๐Ÿ’Œ

Thanks for stopping by!

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Published by Hilary Tan

I am currently in the process of finding my inner goddess as I search for inner peace, find mental clarity, develop mental toughness, and crush goals. Come join me on this journey so we can live our best lives!

39 thoughts on “7 Ways to Get Inspired About Writing”

  1. Simon says:

    That’s some serious way to make a change, I only wish all bloggers who doesn’t follow any of this should start to follow. It’s okay, it doesn’t matter who says what, good advice comes from the expert that tried not doing it. ๐Ÿ˜‰. well done โœจ๐Ÿ‘Œ

    Liked by 2 people

    • Hilary Tan says:

      These were some of the practical tips that I found while researching, as well as tactics that seem to work for me. This blog is 4 years old but I didn’t do much with it until Spring 2019! Yes, applying these strategies is key ๐Ÿ˜Š Every so often, I have to stop myself from reading blog posts so that I can actually apply the things I learn. It’s easy to get caught up in the “research” rather than the application. Thanks for your insights, Simon! ๐Ÿ˜„

      Liked by 1 person

    • Hilary Tan says:

      I have encountered so many interesting people in the blogging sphere and even met one in person. I like the richness and variety that blogging has to offer. Thank you so much for reading and commenting, Ribana! Hope all is well with you these days.๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ’•

      Liked by 1 person

      • popsiclesociety says:

        I think thatโ€™s the beauty of blogging ๐Ÿ˜‰๐Ÿ˜Š We can encounter people all around the world ๐ŸŒŽ๐Ÿ˜‰ and if you have a chance of meeting them in person I think is even greater ๐Ÿ˜‰
        Everything ok, thank you…same routine ๐Ÿ˜‰๐ŸŒธ๐ŸŒธ Have a wonderful evening Hilary! ๐ŸŒธ๐ŸŒธ๐Ÿ’•

        Liked by 1 person

      • Hilary Tan says:

        I hope to visit Singapore again. We were planning on going to Singapore this summer but then the pandemic happened. Maybe next year… ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿ’• Next time we visit, I will let you know! ๐ŸŒธ๐ŸŒธ

        Like

  3. xandria says:

    wow wow wow, I feel like I’ve been in a rut recently with writing it’s like I was meant to see this blog post this morning. Thank you for these tips โค

    Liked by 2 people

    • Hilary Tan says:

      Perfect timing! Thank you for reading, Xandria! โ™ฅ๏ธ Itโ€™s normal to be in a rut sometimes. The important thing is that you recognized it and youโ€™re being proactive about it, which is awesome!โœŒ๏ธ๐Ÿ’•

      Like

    • Hilary Tan says:

      There is SO much pressure to post every day, every week, every month etc. but this guilt stems from within. We wonโ€™t judge you if you take a break… promise. Weโ€™ll be here when you return. ๐Ÿค—

      Liked by 1 person

  6. kachaiweb says:

    Writing your ideas down helps me a lot. I just write them down in a notebook but mostly in a word-document. I feels good to have a designated place for them instead of having it all in my head.

    Liked by 2 people

  7. Shaunak says:

    Hehheh, I could see a bit of myself in the first para as I’m lazy to open my laptop too and prefer reading all posts over the phone, as also I struggle to write (though I make it a point to post every Monday) yet enjoy reading other fellow bloggers posts and letting them know how much I appreciate their work

    Liked by 2 people

    • Hilary Tan says:

      Hi Shaunak! I noticed that you are a new follower – welcome! ๐Ÿ˜„ It’s reassuring to see that other bloggers struggle to find motivation too. Getting started is so hard, right? It’s much easier to passively absorb information than to create content, even though content creation so rewarding long-term. Thank you for your insights! ๐Ÿ˜€

      Liked by 1 person

    • Hilary Tan says:

      Hi Michelle! I completely agree – writing outside is a good change of environment. I have the most uncomfortable chair on my balcony and yet, I still prefer spending time there vs. the comfy office chair ๐Ÿ˜‚ Thanks for reading and commenting! ๐Ÿ˜„

      Liked by 1 person

  9. Michelle says:

    I have been lazy and as consistent with my blog as I planned. I think this has to do with everything that has happened and changes happening around me. I do come on once in a while and write when I have something I want to write and share. I think a change in environment would be helpful for me because the places I am the most are used for relaxing.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Hilary Tan says:

      Hi Michelle, thank you for being open and honest about blogging. With everything that is happening right now, it is understandable that your blogging schedule has changed. I highly recommend writing a blog post outdoors if you haven’t tried this yet. I would have recommended the library as well, but the library is closed right now (here it’s closed). Thank you for sharing your insights with me! ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ’•

      Liked by 1 person

  10. PoojaG says:

    Thanks for sharing these tips- as someone who gets writers block quite often I have used all of them at some point! What I find particularly helpful is to get away from technology and meditate for a while and just clear my mind. Without the distractions you can think more clearly and are much more open to new ideas.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Hilary Tan says:

      Hi Pooja! Sometimes I wonder if the tips I provide are resonating with people, so I appreciate your feedback! Meditation definitely helps. I find that my brain wanders a lot, so I struggle to incorporate meditation into my daily routine. I try to keep my phone in one designated area, so I am forced to take breaks when I leave the room. Thanks for reading! ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ’•

      Liked by 1 person

      • PoojaG says:

        Yeah I wonder that too but I’ve realised that not everyone is going to take away something from the post but if the tips help even one person than it’s worth it. Ooh that’s a good idea I should keep my phone in another room!

        Liked by 1 person

    • Hilary Tan says:

      Idk why, but I feel much more creative when I’m outside. Yes, it’s the little changes that can make the biggest difference sometimes. Thanks for commenting, Jenny! ๐Ÿ˜Š

      Like

  12. Krisna says:

    Hi Hilary! ๐Ÿ‘‹ Iโ€™m so happy I found your blog. โ˜บ๏ธ Thanks for being open and honest about your blogging experience. Iโ€™m new to WP and I guess I still donโ€™t know what Iโ€™m doing. I love to write and itโ€™s my way of letting all my feelings out. I love WP but because I donโ€™t have a lot of following, it definitely feels like talking to a wall sometimes. So I turned to social media (even if I donโ€™t like them!) to try and promote my blog, see if I could get some following from there and get them to talking to me! Lol! Well turns out, social media is a very closed platform. Itโ€™s hard to get people out of IG or FB and just start following a blog. I donโ€™t even know how to use those platforms properly โ€” I got blocked by FB after 1 week and got flagged by IG shortly thereafter because my activity on there was deemed to be bot activity ๐Ÿ˜‚ Your WP story tells me social media is not necessary as long as you put out quality content that readers can relate to. Thanks for inspiring me! โœŒ๏ธ

    Liked by 2 people

    • Hilary Tan says:

      Thank you for the nomination, Shelley! I havenโ€™t done this particular award yet but if I start a series for this award I will complete it. Thank you for thinking of me ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ’•

      Liked by 1 person

  17. inspirechief says:

    Great tips. You have a talent for putting your thoughts on paper. Your posts flow very nicely.
    Iโ€™m like you in that I want to share my knowledge and experiences with my readers. I never enjoyed writing until I started my blog a few months ago. Thank you for sharing and following my blog. Take care.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hilary Tan says:

      Thatโ€™s one of the nicest things anyone has ever told me. Thank you so much! ๐Ÿ˜‡ I never used to be a writer and English was my worst subject. Iโ€™m grateful that I was forced to learn how to write in university. Now I really enjoy writing; writing is a gift that we can share with the world. ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿป๐Ÿ’•

      Liked by 1 person

  19. Yinda says:

    This was a really helpful post!
    Lack of motivation to write even when I have ideas is something I still struggle with. Sometimes, I can draft and publish a great post in a day. On other days, it could drag for a week.
    But I’ve learnt to give myself a break when it’s not working out because pressuring myself doesn’t help. Will be putting these tips into practice.

    Liked by 1 person

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