When You Keep Putting Off Writing: Ten Ways to Lower the Barrier to Starting

A misunderstanding about procrastination

Many writers blame themselves for putting off writing, thinking "I have weak willpower." But procrastination is mostly not about not wanting to do it. It is behavior to avoid the discomfort of starting. You do something else because you think you'll write badly right now, you don't know where to begin, or you'd feel bad if you write something and dislike it.

Seen this way, the fix for procrastination is not training willpower but making starting less uncomfortable. This article explains methods by cause.

Separate the cause first

Often several causes overlap. Pick the one or two biggest and try the matching methods below first.

• Overwhelm: you put it off because you don't know what to write first. The unit of work is too big
• Perfectionism: you don't start unless you're confident you can write well. Your standard for the result is too high
• Fatigue: your body and mind are worn out and you have no energy to start
• Anxiety: you're afraid of the work or of being judged, so opening the work feels scary
• Temptation from other things: easier activities with instant rewards (social media, videos) are right in front of you

When overwhelm is the cause

1. Break the work into the smallest unit. Change "write episode 1" to "write the first paragraph of the first scene."
2. At the end of the day, leave a one-line note about the next scene. That way you already know what to write when you sit down in the morning.
3. Set a 10-minute timer and decide only that you will definitely write during that time. After 10 minutes you may stop.

When perfectionism is the cause

The problem with perfectionism is not a high standard but applying that standard even to the starting stage. Apply draft standards to the draft and revision standards to revision.

1. Set the goal of your draft as "writing something bad." Give yourself permission to write it deliberately messy.
2. Try a rule of not using the delete key while you write. Fixing is a job for after the writing is done.
3. Don't decide who will see it. Write first in a document only you will see.

When fatigue and anxiety are the cause

If fatigue is the cause, rest is the answer. Check the basics first: sleep, meals and exercise. On tired days, make "sit for 15 minutes" the goal, and you don't have to do more.

If anxiety is the cause, even opening the work is a burden. In that case, start not with the work file but by writing down your thoughts about the day for three minutes in a blank document. Once your body is used to the act of writing, it is easier to move on to the main work. If anxiety lasts and affects your daily life, getting professional help is also a good choice.

Solving it through your environment

• Put your phone in another room before you begin, or use a lock app
• Set your working document to open automatically when you turn on the computer. Remove the step of finding the file
• Use a place that turns on work mode, such as a cafe, a library or an online studio
• Create a starting ritual (the same music, the same drink, the same seat)
• Match your start time with other people who are working at the same time

The first five minutes are the hardest

For most people the hardest time is the first few minutes after starting. Once you get past that stretch, getting into flow is easy. That is why the "just try five minutes" approach works. You may quit after five minutes, but in practice you usually keep going. The fact that quitting is an option makes starting easier.

What to do about a day you put it off

If you put off a day, don't try to overdo it the next day to catch up. Returning to your usual amount comes first. Self-blame makes the next day's start harder. One sentence is enough: "I rested yesterday and started again today."