3 Ways to Start Your Writing Project.
Article by Carter Cada - Written 8/2/2023
Oftentimes, the hardest part of a project can be just starting. Even in my own life, I have found this to be true: a new business venture, a new project, or even a new post (yes, including this one).
Beginning means a lot of things: it means a new idea, the first few steps of many, that a laborious task lies ahead of you. So what can you do to find the motivation to leap right in?
I’ve discovered a few tricks that have been able to help me throughout the years, and as someone who is naturally bent towards procrastination, I believe they will help you as well.
Instead of deliberating over and over again about when to start, ask yourself instead, “how am I going to start?” Let’s try to answer that.
Table of contents:
Find your writing role-model
Create a “focus space”
Take time to plan
How to start your writing project
1) Find your writing role-model
One of the great things about being a writer is that you are joining a guild of artisans stretching as far back as history is recorded. From contemporary authors to ancient poets and historians, many have dedicated their life’s work to others through writing.
My personal figure is Winston Churchill. In his lifetime, he wrote 43 books; most written during some of the the most arduous periods not only of his own life, but also of the world (something you can read about here).
“Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with it is a toy and an amusement. Then it becomes a mistress, then it becomes a master, then it becomes a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster and fling him to the public.”
Finding a “writing role-model” can help us to better understand how we can write. For example, one might look at Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and see the he was motivated to write by ideological and political needs, or how C.T. Studd was motivated to write to reveal to his countrymen the needs of others.
When choosing a writing role-model, ask yourself, “Why do I want to write?” Once you know that, find an author inspired by the same passion, and learn from them.
2) Create a “focus space”
I suffer from ADHD; and not just mildly, either. I have found myself very easily distracted by anything and everything in a room, especially when I have a project to work on, and especially if the project hasn’t even begun.
For me (and, I believe, most people), a focus space is an absolute must. Without it, my projects simply aren’t going to happen. So how do you create a focus space? Here is what works for me-
Without proper preparation and environment, every day is going to seem overwhelming. A focus space is a must.
-Don’t write where you read
When I first started blogging and writing, I thought it would be find to just plunk myself down in our living room with my computer and a water and be able to focus. How wrong I was.
In the living room, there are books. In the living room, there’s a TV. And you had better believe it was hard to stay focused when I could just step over to the fridge for a snack. Suffice it to say, those were not my most productive days.
Working in the same place you relax can create two problems. Firstly, your brain is so used to being in “relax” mode in that area, that when you try to work there, you are already fighting something of a mental barrier.
Secondly, if you manage to get a decent amount of work done in the area, your brain will begin associating stress with the environment, making it not as relaxing as it once was. Trust me, you don’t want to lose a place to escape from your work.
So what can I do about it? Find a place at home you don’t use for something else, and try to turn it into a dedicated office. I was able to pick up a cheap desk, put it in a spare bedroom, and bam; instant office.
-Limit “white noise”
I love music. In fact, I hope to add a music thread to my collection of blogs someday. Yet, while I love to listen to music, I have found that, sadly, I can’t listen and work at the same time.
It’s not the mainstream thought; lots of people find that their work is enhanced by music. In some cases, this might be true. However, if you find that you are listening to the music when you need to be writing, just turn it off.
Silence, too, however, can be a hindrance to work, so a little bit of white noise can be beneficial. Here are a few that work for me:
Ambient music at very low volumes
A fan/AC unit
Nature ambience (forest at night, forest in the rain, and campfire are a few personal favorites)
Airplane cabin fan
trickling water
While most people probably have something they could use for one or more of these (like a small fountain for water or a fan) any of these can be found for free on YouTube. If you do go the YouTube route, however, find something without ads.
-Take a break when work is all done
If you’re going to write, you’re going to have to be the meanest boss you know…to yourself.
I understand that a break every now and again is good for focus (especially around lunch time). That being said, don’t stop halfway through a difficult paragraph to see if you can find “tips” on twitter or YouTube. I can almost guarantee you that it’s going to be another hour before you’re back on the project; and that’s time you can’t afford to lose.
I like relaxing as much as anyone else, but I also need to live just as much as anyone else, which means I need to put in a full day’s work (and sometimes more), same as the rest of us.
What has helped me tremendously in this area is setting work boundaries: From 8:00 to 5:00, I work. Period. After 5:00, I do not work. Period.
Having the certainty that I will get to chill after 5:00 helps me to focus better during my work day. Sure, there are times that I need to work a little later, but I make sure to balance it all out. I guess I’m not the meanest boss of all time…
The point is, when you’re writing, write.
If you stick to working during your work time, relaxing will have never felt so good. It create a beautiful contrast between work and leisure.
3) Take time to plan
It can be really easy to think of the beginning of a writing project as the moment the pen hits the paper (of the finger hits the key, I suppose). Ask any good writer, though, and you will find this is rarely the case.
Just like any other job that needs to be done well, much time, thought, and consideration needs to go into writing. While a piece can be written off-the-cuff, this often leads to a sloppy piece that lacks both direction and a focus. Readers will be left confused as to what the author intended to say.
So how do you fix this? Proper planning. When you first sit down to begin writing, take time to think through the following:
What message am I trying to convey?
What do I want my audience to feel?
What actions do I want my audience to take as a result?
What tone do I want to have?
Am I trying to be confrontational, persuasive, or entertaining?
How much explanation does each point deserve?
If you’re looking for a more in-depth exploration of what questions to ask yourself when beginning to write, you can check out my article on the topic here.
Regardless of how minor your project is, whether it’s for a school project of a persuasive debate, take time to thoroughly prepare. Not only will it improve your writing, but it builds a discipline that improves the quality of your work, whatever you do.
I hope that, as you finish this article, you feel ready to jump right into your own writing project. Best wishes to you! I hope that you seek to, with your writing, create something inspiring.
About the author
Carter John Cada is the founder of and main author for Quips from the Quiver. In his free time, he loves to read, spend time with his 10 siblings, read, work out, read, work on his manuscript, read, and read.
He also enjoys eating.
