How to get into the writing zone

As a writer, it can be challenging to get yourself into the right mindset to be able to sit down and write what you need to write. But there are ways to help get yourself into the writing zone.

Today is the first of December. NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month - officially ended yesterday and if you've read a couple of my previous posts, you'll know that I've been participating in NaNoWriMo this year and trying to stick to it.

And I can proudly say that for the entire month of November, I have written at least 100 words of my novel each day. There were some days were I nearly forgot or I didn't have the time, but I quickly got my phone out, opened Padlet, and wrote for five minutes.

Sticking to this habit of writing each day has been fulfilling and rewarding, but it wasn't always easy.

From my experience and from talking to other writers, it can be hard to get into the writing zone. Sometimes the words are just there in your mind bursting at the seams to get down on paper, but often, you can find yourself sitting at your computer or with your pen in hand and nothing to write.

So, with the weather now turning colder and the final month of the year here, I wanted to share some tips on how to get into the writing zone to help motivate you and also to help you find that spark to get the words written.

Write anything

Earlier this year, I interviewed the best-selling author, Cressida McLaughlin. One of the questions I asked Cressida was how she gets into the writing zone and one of the things she said was that she would 'Hello computer'.

Cressida said that writing some random words, whilst not fitting with her story necessarily, helps get her into the zone of writing. And it's true.

If you've sat down and are ready to write but don't know where to start, writing anything can help. It's like freewriting - writing whatever comes into your head. In fact, I know that this works because for my university course, I was given the task of freewriting and I didn't know where to start, so I wrote the same boring words over and over again until I then had a spark of inspiration and could write a full scene.

So tip number one is to just get words down on the page. It doesn't matter what they are but writing anything can kick-start the creative juices and get you into the writing zone.

An aesthetic board

Now, I know a lot of authors follow this tip and for aesthetic boards, Pinterest and Padlet are your best friends.

I am a huge lover of Pinterest, I use it for all sorts of things, but one of the main reasons I use Pinterest is to create aesthetic boards. On my Instagram, I create edits for different books I've read, which are essentially an amalgamation of different photos that fit the aesthetic of the book.

I loved creating aesthetic boards so much that I've created one for my novel. And as for Padlet, I use it to store any kind of inspiration or things relating to the world of my novel that I want to remember.

When I find myself stuck or struggling to get into the writing zone to write the next chapter, I'll open up the aesthetic boards, and scroll through the different pins and items on there. It doesn't just have to be photos, it can be quotes, songs, videos etc.

Immersing yourself in the aesthetic of what you're writing, helps you focus and embrace the world you're creating.

A dedicated playlist

Music is one of my favourite things in life and there are songs for everything out there for you to listen to. So, it's only right that music can help you get into the writing zone.

Again, Cressida mentioned that she likes to play some background music, mostly classical or instrumental, to help focus on her writing. But not everyone works well to music.

However, if you're struggling to get into the writing zone or you have writer's block, having a dedicated writing playlist can help. It can be a playlist of songs you find it easy to write to, for example, some soft, mellow music like Lewis Capaldi; or it can be a playlist of songs specific to your writing.

I have created a playlist titled 'My Novel' - imaginative, I know - and all the songs on the playlist are ones I associate with my story and the characters I'm creating. During NaNoWriMo, when I'd sit down and write some of my novel, I'd always put on those songs and it would instantly aid me in getting words written because it transports me to the world of the story.

A writing space

If writing isn't your full-time job, it can be difficult to have a specific area of your house where you go and sit to write. But having a writing space can be really beneficial.

For me, my writing space is in my bedroom where my desk is. It's nothing special, but when I sit down at my desk, open my notebook or my Word Document, it's easier to write and focus there than it is, say at the kitchen table.

So if you're struggling to get into the writing zone, create a space in your house that conveys calmness and tranquillity where you can focus and start writing.

Read the previous page

More often than not, it can be a challenge to remember what you wrote the day before. I found that during NaNoWriMo.

But one solution I had that helped me focus the next time was to read through the previous scene or chapter I'd written. This allowed me to remember what had just happened, but it also put me into the characters' heads, making it easier for me to write the next section.

Reading the previous page can also help iron out any continuity errors and things that don't add up because you know you've already written it and won't end up writing something different.

Take a break

If you're finding that you really can't get into the writing zone despite trying lots of the above, that doesn't matter. Sometimes you have to remove yourself from the situation entirely.

So instead what you can do is take a break.

Getting up from your desk and going for a walk, or going to a coffeeshop, something that will take your mind off your writing, can help you get into the writing zone. It allows you to enjoy life away from work so that when you return, you have a fresher mind and won't get bogged down by sitting at your desk and staring at a blank page when the words don't come.

Remove distractions

One of the biggest things I've found can pull you from the writing zone and stop you from fully immersing yourself in it are distractions. Now these can be of any kind but the most common one is your phone.

Having your phone on your desk can be very distracting because anytime you get a notification, the screen will light up and will pull your attention away from your writing to your phone; we all know how easy it is to then get spend ages scrolling through different apps.

So to keep yourself in the writing zone, remove anything that you think may distract you.

Have fun

Now this is probably one of the most important tips I could share. Writing, whatever it may, should always be something you're passionate about and something you find fun.

If it's tedious and you're not really feeling the story, then maybe try changing direction. But if you can't wait to sit down and write, then it will be easier for you to get into the writing zone and get those words down on the page.

Happy writing!

Until next time...