A while ago, I was asked by a reader at Writing: My Life how I dealt with writer’s block, distractions and waning motivation.

The simple answers are “I give up,” “I give in” and “I let it wane,” respectively. That’s what I’d like to do sometimes, anyway. As a writer, the devils of writer’s block, distraction and lost motivation can wreak havoc on my life—if I let them. In reality, giving up or giving in aren’t options when I’m getting paid, and I’ll never get that novel or memoir written if I give up. So here’s what I do when I’m hit with The Block, I’m distracted by dust bunnies or I’m losing motivation.

Writer’s Block

When writer’s block strikes, I try to push through it with a random writing exercise or by working on something I enjoy. Usually writer’s block is more about fear or boredom for me, so to get past it requires getting word–ANY words–down on paper or on my computer screen. Once I’ve started I can usually transition into that dreaded project or scene I’m struggling with pretty easily.

Distractions

Distractions are a bit harder for me to deal with. Sometimes I let them take over a little bit, like allowing myself to take a 15 minute break every hour to check my Twitter replies or email. A little distraction can be a good thing. On the other hand, sometimes they threaten to take over. For instance, if I’m at home trying to work I avoid turning on the television at all costs. Even the worst shows (we’re talking infomercials, here) can distract me when I don’t feel like working yet another weekend.

On a bad day, I can also be tempted by laundry, dishes or rugs that need to be vacuumed. On those days, I pack up my stuff and head to the nearest Panera or Starbucks or other writer-friendly locale, where household chores and a comfy couch aren’t calling my name.

Motivation

To keep me motivated in my freelance writing, I try to choose more projects that excite me than projects that don’t. If the topic interests me, it’s easier to motivate myself to get it done. If it’s dry and boring…a little harder. For the not-so-fun writing, I generally have to bribe myself. (”When you finish this article, you can watch that movie.”) For my personal (meaning non-paying) writing, motivation is more about staying excited about the story/blog/article that I’m working on. I do that by:

• telling everyone I know about the project
• setting aside time to work on it (or at least think about it)
• setting goals and deadlines and sticking to them
• rereading old pieces
• joining a critique group that requires me to write something bimonthly

Staying motivated is a challenge sometimes, but because I enjoy writing (in general) it’s easier to motivate myself to write than, say, mow the lawn. Although if the lawn needs mowing and I’m feeling the need for a distraction…

How do you deal with the challenges of writer’s block, distraction, and lack of motivation?

*A version of this post was originally published at Writing: My Life as part of the Question Me Good series*