5 Ways to Keep Your Writing Relationship Hot

1 - Set The Mood

Treat your writing time like you would treat that special time with your romantic partner. Plan the date, set the mood, remove all distractions, light a candle, pour your favorite drink, and get to work (LOL - sorry, I couldn't resist). I've told you before and I'll say it again (because it is my favorite story about writing rituals) Maya Angelou used to book a hotel room and drink sherry while she wrote. Whatever your preference, find a way to make that time special.

2 - Have Fun

Keep the creative juices flowing by not worrying about what everyone else will think about your work. Nothing blocks writing like worrying about stuff that is outside of your control. Stop ruminating about what your father is going to say, what your ex-husband will think, what your holier-than-thou cousin will think of you now and just write. Stop stressing about the end result and focus on the ideas that are flowing.

3 - Write What You Love

If you try to focus on what others want you to do or what you think will sell, you might quickly get bored with what you are doing and lose motivation. Follow your passion and write what you love.

4- Embrace the Infatuation Stage

This is the time when the sparks are flying and you feel enthusiastic about your fresh project. It's like a new love - you think about them every day and you want to spend all your free time with them. Treat your new writing idea the same way - work on it every day. It doesn't have to be all day, but you could dedicate 25 minutes a day to working on this one project.

5 - Focus on the Good

Let's face it - like any relationship, writing takes work. There's structuring, organizing, developmental editing, rewriting, more editing, proofing, etc. There's no magical wand that will make the writing process perfect or easy, but if you focus on the parts that you enjoy the most, you'll have a better experience.