7 Practical Tips to Help Writers Struggling with Depression and Low Motivation

Writing is not always a day at the amusement park, and when you’re feeling discouraged or depressed, so… There will be times – whether they are caused by work or other things in life – that you’ll find yourself deserted in the middle of your dreamland, surrounded by litter, collapsed and overgrown rides, graffiti-covered buildings.

Without further ado, here are 7 tips to keep in mind when somber moods take hold of your joy in writing.

This article contains swear words. It may include affiliate links.

1. Write in Any Way, Anywhere, at Any Time

Whether you’re sitting, standing, lying down, doing a handstand, or even on the toilet – when you’re going through a tough time, having a routine is a luxury. Write in those brief three seconds when the urge strikes, even if it’s not how you’d usually write.

Rituals are great when things are going well, but if they feel heavy when you’re down, don’t waste your energy on them. Here, it’s not about writing more or better. It’s just about doing something at all.

You need to use every spark of energy, even if it only lasts a minute or half a paragraph. Sometimes that gets you a whole page; sometimes it doesn’t. The important thing is to write. When a new spark shows up, write another bit.

2. Writing Crap Is 100% Allowed

Again, it’s not about writing more or writing better; it’s just about writing. The inner critic can be especially cruel during a crisis, so it’s essential to remember:

A bad note or a bad piece of writing is still better than nothing at all.
Rewriting is easier than starting from scratch. If you have something on the page and only need to make it better, you’re halfway there.
Perfection is an illusion: what looks like trash today might look like a masterpiece tomorrow once your inner critic is asleep.

3. Jot Down Ideas as Soon as They Pop in Your Head

This should be as natural as breathing for writers. It’s useful all the time, no matter your mood. This works a lot like the first tip: if the only thing you manage is to jot down a quick idea in a short sentence, it already counts.

The key here is to always keep whatever you need to write on close at hand – it can be a pen and paper, a computer in sleep mode so it boots up faster, a tablet, your phone. That way, you keep things easy and don’t waste time and energy searching for something to write on while your sneaky little idea slips away.

4. Try Different Goals for Each Day and Situation, Depending on How You Feel

I’m not talking about productivity goals here, but about learning what works best for you to help your overall well-being.

Pay attention to what you can do and how you feel when you manage to write during periods of low energy. That’s how you figure out what works and what doesn’t for you.

5. Reward Yourself During the Process

Getting something you like while you write or just before makes the process less difficult, or even enjoyable. For me, it’s chocolate and music, but it can be anything, as long as it’s compatible with writing.

The ‘reward afterwards’ thing – doing something to deserve a treat – may not work during a crisis. When your mind is already weighed down with depression, you need to lift that burden first. Otherwise, the effort to get even the coolest treat can turn into another burden, making the task heavier.

Rewarding yourself before or while you write has a better chance of getting you going.

6. Tell Self-Deprecating Thoughts to Fuck Right Off. Every Time

Thoughts are just the conversations we have with ourselves, so you can answer however you want.

For example, here are some of my own real-life conversations with my abusive inner critic, and my responses as the writer who’s had enough:

Critic: “You’re a useless idiot. You’re good for nothing”.
Writer: “Yep, now fuck off”.
Critic: “No one will ever want to read this shit you write”.
Writer: “I’ll keep writing anyway. You can go fuck off”.
Critic: “You’re wasting your time as always. Nothing you do amounts to anything. Nobody cares. They make no difference. Why even bother?”
Writer: “Because I don’t have anything better to do. Hey, do you hear that? I think someone’s out there calling for you to fuck off.”

And that’s it. You don’t have to drag it out, and you definitely don’t need to reason with any thought trying to put you down. Just tell that voice to go to hell and keep doing what you want to do.

7. Have Faith. And If You Can’t Yet, Just Fake It

That’s right. Sometimes, even in the midst of the biggest crisis, there’s a tiny bit of faith hidden somewhere in your heart. But if you can’t find it, just pretend it’s there.
While your mind bombards you with thoughts that make you feel bad, imagining things that make you feel good offers some protection. And if you manage to put what you imagine down on paper, all the better. Even if it’s just for 5 minutes or a single paragraph…

Conclusion

Each mind is unique. These are the strategies that have been working for me over time. I turned to them a lot while I was writing the Anyones Trilogy, and I don’t think I would’ve gotten to the end of this very long journey without their help.

But if these techniques don’t resonate with you, there are plenty of other tips that may work. Below is a course on Skillshare that you might find helpful:

Writing and Creating During a Crisis – Tasmin Hansmann talks about crises in general, including those of the soul. It’s 40 minutes on why you should keep writing, ways to find hope, turning emotions into art, and not giving up when things get rough.

If you’re not struggling right now or are just beginning, you might like this honest advice for aspiring authors.