By Abdulraheem Jameel Ango
The last mile may be the longest, but many stories never survive the first mile. This isn’t always because the writer lacks effort or the ideas are weak. Sometimes, it’s due to the spark of motivation dying out too early.
Finishing the first mile determines whether we’ll ever reach the end. However, this becomes harder to achieve if we lose our drive before we get the chance to build much momentum.
So, how do we sustain our drive through the beginning of a project and build the momentum necessary to reach the finish line? Here are a few strategies:
Adjust your approach
How we approach our writing is just as important as what we write. How do you face a draft that no longer feels inviting? How do you approach the page when the initial magic vanishes and writing starts to feel like plodding through mud?
Even after three determined attempts I couldn’t get past the opening chapters of my novel. This changed when I read The Guest List by Lucy Foley and fell in love with the opening chapters and the narrative structure of the novel. While the novel’s in media res opening and shifting POV structure aren’t exactly new techniques, I was most inspired by how Foley used them remarkably well to build suspense and intensifying tension. I adopted the same structure for my novel, and this time the momentum hasn’t stalled.
This made me realize my current approach had become a chore. I had always felt the boredom lurking, but I ignored it because I believed being consistent would get me through. Adopting Foley’s structure made my manuscript glimmer again by giving me something to look forward to in every session: whether it was a new POV to inhabit or a new cliffhanger to craft. If you get stuck early on, don’t just “write harder”. Find a book or even a movie you love – ideally something new, since the stories you’ve read have most likely become part of your subconscious – dissect its structure and apply it to your writing. A change in approach can quickly restore fading momentum.
Here are some more ways you can apply this:
- Open a new document: Stop fighting your messy draft. Open a fresh document and start a new chapter. Similar to how an empty document at the start of a new project oozes optimism and excitement, returning to a blank screen or paper later on can revive that energy and enable you to work without the burden of previous mistakes or the dread of a stagnant file. You’ll be surprised by how fast you get back on track when you aren’t wading through a cluttered manuscript.
- Narrow your focus: Instead of looking at the daunting task of finishing a book, shorten your gaze. Focus on what you can achieve right now, this might be a single beat of dialogue, a room description, or a single scene. Despite how prepared you may be, looking at the entire project at once will always feel overwhelming. Ignore the finish line for a moment and focus on finishing the page in front of you.
Do a mental warm-up
When we hit a wall, our response might be to adjust our schedule or environment. We might swap morning sessions for evening ones or move from the solitude of our bedroom to the hum of a local cafe. But adjustments won’t be much help if you’ve lost the conviction to show up. This is especially true at the beginning, when you haven’t invested enough effort to feel the weight of walking away.
When my motivation dips too early, I use what I call a “mental warm-up” to shift into a more engaged mental state. This is a simple task that involves finding something that’s easy to start but requires me to focus. I try to avoid literary tasks (such as reading or researching) because they often carry the same paralyzing dread as the manuscript I’m avoiding. As a web developer, I find coding easy to slip into because the objectives are crystal clear and easily achievable like building a sign-up form.
Once I finish a small coding task, I then move immediately to my manuscript. By then, my brain is already in a state of deep focus, so the transition to writing feels natural and not forced. My warm-up ensures that I’m not starting from scratch, since I’m utilizing energy I’ve already generated.
If you’re struggling to keep going, do a little mental warm up before you face your draft. Whether it’s solving puzzles, sketching or knitting – find something accessible and just challenging enough to get your brain moving and your mind immersed. Reach that state of focus and rhythm, then move to the page before that momentum fades.
Utilize the power of flash
Your motivation can quickly fade when you’re facing a long road of unwritten pages. A 200-word micro story, however, is very approachable. This is a low-effort exercise that can help you escape the dread of your usual writing session while keeping your momentum alive.
In moments like this, switching to flash writing can help you isolate and better understand the core of your writing more easily. This also often leads to small breakthroughs that can reignite your enthusiasm for the manuscript.
Try writing a flash version of the chapter, scene or the complex description you’re struggling with. The strength of flash writing is that each story can stand on its own. This gives you insight into your work and its structure in a short period of time with minimal effort.
Here are some ways you can use this:
- Write multiple flash versions of the same story element. This makes it easier to identify the most compelling path for your novel.
- Experiment. Change the point of view, character traits or explore different plot threads. Maybe you’re writing a mystery novel about a private detective who gets murdered by his client. What will it look like if the client was the one who got murdered and the story is told from the detective’s POV? A micro story lets you take a quick trip into that alternate version.
- If you’re stuck on the second chapter, write a flash version of Chapter 3. This provides you with a narrative destination to look forward to and proof that the story still has a pulse.
Leave enough juice in the tank
Hemingway’s advice to stop writing when you still know what happens next is well-known. I use this regularly to get back on track. To follow this advice, it’s clear we need to leave some “juice” for our next session, but the question I ask myself is how much should I leave in the tank?.
My answer to this is a simple rule – if I can write at full intensity for only 30 minutes, I try to stop at 20. This helps me balance my routine and creative output so I’m not drained by the time I stop writing.
Instead of writing until you reach your usual stopping point, stopping early while the momentum is still strong ensures you have something sufficient in reserve for next time. I also find that this makes it easier for the work to develop subconsciously while also easing my return.
The next time you find yourself trudging through the first mile of your writing, I hope you find the above strategies helpful in sustaining your rhythm and momentum until the very last page.
Bio: Abdulraheem Jameel has an incurable obsession with mystery and an undying fascination with beautiful sunsets. He is currently working on the crime thriller he has always dreamed of writing.
