Motivation is a cardboard bridge.

It’s perfectly fine to cross on a nice, sunny day with no extra weight on your shoulders. But what happens when it rains? What happens when you’re carrying long work hours, family time, dirty dishes, and a backache?

I wouldn’t want to be standing on that bridge when the storm comes.

There are so many things we can’t control as writers. But we can control the strategies we use to make the most of our valuable writing time. And if motivation is your main strategy, that bridge is liable to give out and leave you helplessly staring at a blank page.

So what’s our other option? Constructing systems that support our ability to write despite what life throws our way. In short, building a stronger bridge.

So, dear writer, grab your hard hat and forklift certification as we dig into the details.

Surveying the Land

If you’re reading this, you’re likely hoping to sneak a few moments of writing into your already busy schedule. Me, too.

If so, then your first step is to take a breath. Literally and metaphorically. Because it’s time to slow down and see what you’re working with.

You wouldn’t start building a bridge without surveying the land. That’s a good way to get too invested in a project that fails because it was built on shaky ground. Crafting the strategies necessary to get more writing done works the same way.

Instead of soil quality and structural integrity, we’ll be doing a thorough inspection of ourselves. Some things to consider include:

• What free time do I have on a mostly consistent basis?
• What do my energy levels feel like throughout the day?
• Who can I rely on to support me while I’m writing?
• What obstacles do I anticipate will make it harder for me to write?
• What solutions can I have prepared to tackle those obstacles?
• What reasons for writing can I lean on when I feel discouraged?