It is easy to get lost along the way during the course of being a writer. This fact is true whether you write novels or write for the web, whether you write for fun or you write to put food on the table. Writer’s block will throw itself in your path. Self-doubt will creep into your writing world. And every day you will need to make the choice to continue writing despite the difficulty of it.
Here are 25 simple mantras that you can keep in mind to keep you writing when the writing gets tough to do:
1. I can write.
2. I will know more tonight than I did when I woke up this morning.
3. My own writing voice is good enough.
4. The right words are just around the corner.
5. Reading is research.
6. It’s okay if the draft isn’t terrific.
7. My opinion matters more than my critics’ opinion.
8. I can write something else tomorrow.
9. It’s okay to be friends with other writers.
10. I only need to sit and write – the rest will work itself out.
11. My writing is good enough to serve fair pay.
12. My perspective is unique; sharing it adds to the world.
13. I write because I enjoy writing.
14. Writing is the way that I understand the world around me.
15. Inspiration is a jewel to be treasured and carried within me each day.
16. It’s okay to feel like a mess.
17. The most well-known writers have felt bad about their work.
18. There is a way to do this writing thing that will work for me.
19. Creativity is a worthy use of my time.
20. I can say “no” if I don’t want to waste my time writing something.
21. My writing will change with time.
22. Putting my writing out into the world may affect others in ways I’ll never know.
23. It’s important to listen to my instincts about writing.
24. I deserve to take time out each day to write.
25. I will write.
It’s the simple things that matter each day. We need to walk into our experiences with the mindset that it’s perfectly okay to do what we are doing and that how we are doing it is good enough for today. The world is tough enough; don’t make it harder by being unkind to yourself or your writing. Remember that when you are sitting down at the desk to write something that’s not working for you. And then just sit and write.
Question of the Day: What mantra gets you to the next step in writing?
[Tags] writing, affirmations, mantra, motto, sayings, inspiration [/Tags]
March 23rd, 2008 at 6:35 am
[...] 25 Simple Mantras for Every Writer to Remember (here) [...]
March 24th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
I think I need to start doing affirmations or something. Self doubt always rears up its ugly (and useless) head, and yet I’ve received very little in the way of bad feedback on my writing.
Thanks for the post.
@ Frootbat31 - I definitely think that writers are harder on themselves than the outside world is on us. I’ve found that it’s important to find ways to get past the self doubt in order to get quality work done, but it’s an ongoing process! -Kathryn
March 28th, 2008 at 3:14 am
[...] presents 25 Simple Mantras for Every Writer to Remember posted at Real Words, saying, “Sometimes self-doubt is the worst thing about writing. Here [...]
May 4th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
thanks for the tip….I’m really helpless though, for it has been a few years since I said I’d publish the book of my life as a photojournalist-cab driver-writer-waiter-and about one hundred other jobs around the globe, before i settle down got married and have a six years old daugther, kind of life.
ta daa…end of story….
i like your blog ciao
pio
May 12th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
I think that battle between “My writing is horrible and anyone who reads it will automatically hate me” and “Hey, this isn’t that bad!” makes whatever we scribble down that much better.
June 5th, 2008 at 7:50 am
The worst thing for a writer is not criticism - it’s when people don’t care.
June 5th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
I’d like to add:
“I am a writer.”
June 7th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
I like no. 18. I think I need to tell myself that!
October 13th, 2008 at 9:23 am
Wonderful affirmations I especially like 12. My perspective is unique; sharing it adds to the world. Thanks for the words.