How Writers Can Use Positive Affirmations to Help Them Find The Motivation They Need

Writing is freaking hard.

There’s no other way of putting it.

In some ways, writing is almost akin to that toxic relationship some of us can’t seem to know how to quit. It drains us, wastes us, and after tearing much of our own hair out, we do a loop and come right back around, right back to our old patterns.

But writing is an instinct more than anything. There’s an inherent need inside us who call ourselves writers to put our thoughts and ideas into words.

And when we get it right, tell me if that isn’t the best feeling in the world. When you hit that sweet spot, where words are just flowing, and they’re not clunky words, they’re words that flow, smooth like honey, that hit every nail on the head.

Those few and far-between moments are what we writers live for. With hours tapping away at the keyboard, writing and rewriting are made worth it by those moments when we’re in the zone. Or by those moments when we’re going through edits, doing rewrites and all the pieces start to fall into place.

But those moments when it’s all looking dire, when we’re tearing our hair out are tough enough to break us down. The imposter syndrome kicks in. We stop believing in our power to tell a story.

What do we do then? How can we hang on long enough to get past it and into the next current of flow?

One thing that’s worked for me is the power of affirmations.

Now, hold on, because I know you’ve just rolled your eyes and pursed your lips and maybe even moved your cursor over to the X at the corner of the screen (or geared your thumb ready to swipe away from this window).

But affirmations do work. And I’ve found that what really helps is to have them within my sight constantly.

In my case, I have a ton of mantras. I have quotes that uplift me. But it’s so hard to remember them when I’m in the throes of negativity, feeling like all my efforts are in vain.

So I started writing them down and placing them where I can see them. Just around my desk, I have like five Post-Its stuck to places where I can look up after writing a particularly bad line. It helps me remember why it is that I keep doing this, why it means so much to me.

This isn’t just something I made up. It was actually suggested to me by my therapist. I’m not a morning person. That’s mostly when all my anxieties swoop in to attack. The heaviness of the day ahead weighs on me the most then. So she suggested that I write a mantra or an affirmation and put it somewhere where I can see it first thing in the morning.

And it’s helped so much. My mornings feel so much lighter, and I wake up in a much better mood.

So now I do this with everything. And I especially do it with writing.

I have one particular one that was shared with me by a friend who’s also a writer. Because I was so caught up in the possibility that my efforts in writing my story would be in vain, she said she’d told herself, “Stop taking yourself so seriously. You cannot control your success, so you might as well write what you love.”

I wrote this on the back of a cue card, decorated it with colorful pens, and stuck it right where my eyes land when I look away from my screen. After working steadily since last October on my manuscript, I’m about 3/4 of the way done with it, and I owe much of it to being able to see this affirmation every day.

So I encourage you to try it. You can make your own notes — a simple Post-It would do — or you can buy some online that are beautifully designed and packaged. I myself own a set by Jule Kim that I have on my desk. I look at them every day to help me be more mindful and compassionate with myself.

To help you get started, here are some I’ve shared over time on social media. Go ahead and take what you need:

I hope that these affirmations will come in handy and that they’ll help you find that extra oomph when your writing journey begins its cycle downward (because writing is made up of up and downs just like everything else). And while affirmations are helpful, remember that having low points during the creative process is completely natural. Nothing will help more than giving yourself space to feel what you’re feeling: anger, frustration, etc. Know that it will pass, and the good writing feelings will return.