If you're finding it hard to stay focused when you're writing, it's easy to blame yourself. Perhaps you're convinced that other writers (maybe real writers) don't struggle like this. 

But the truth is, writing can be really hard to concentrate on. It takes a lot of energy and creativity. And you're absolutely not alone. Earlier this year, I surveyed the Aliventures audience and asked about people's biggest challenges. Quite a few mentioned things like:

• "Procrastination"
• "Procrastination (always!)"
• "Staying focused"
• "Concentration to write"
• "Productivity"
• and even "Completing the novel (I'm lazy)"

When you find it hard to concentrate, it can feel like an ingrained fault: something that's just how you are. But you can absolutely build your ability to concentrate on your writing.

Here are some things to try:

#1: Have a Clear Goal in Mind When You Sit Down to Write

It's hard to stay focused when you're not completely clear about what you're trying to achieve.

When you sit down to write, set a goal for your writing session. In Writers' Cafe, we always spend the first five minutes of each live writing hour talking about what we're planning to do during the hour. 

Your goal might be specific ("Write the next 500 words of my novel") or it could be a little more general if you're not sure yet how far you'll be able to get ("Work on the edits to Chapter 9").

Having your goal means it's always clear whether you're on-task or off-task.

#2: Write for Shorter Periods of Time (At Least to Begin With)

It's easy to get into the habit of not concentrating on your writing. You might write a few sentences, feel stuck, check the news headlines, write a bit more, reply to a friend's text ... and so on.

I focus best when I only have a short period of time to write. I don't recommend that you always write in short sessions (it's great to have time to really dig into a piece), but if you're finding it hard to concentrate, you might want to start off with 15 or 20 minutes, try to stay really focused for that length of time, and build from there.

#3: Find Some Kind of Accountability to Other People

When I created Writers' Cafe earlier this year, I wanted to build in as much (gentle and supportive!) accountability as possible. Writing can be lonely ... and when you're working on a massive project like a novel, it can feel like it really won't matter whether you write or not, because no-one will notice.

In Writers' Cafe, we have weekly check-ins to share our goals for each week, along with the live writing hours that I mentioned earlier. Even if people only take part occasionally, there's a lovely sense of being cheered on and supported by other writers ... and when you've told other people what you're going to write, you'll feel more motivated to actually stick with your plans.

You don't have to join the Cafe to get these benefits, of course (though we'd love to welcome you in there)! You could find a writing buddy, post on Facebook about your writing plans, or even look for a local writers' group.

#4: Listen to the Same Music Every Time You Write

When I'm writing nonfiction (freelance pieces and Aliventures posts & newsletters), I listen to the same music almost every time: Tony Stark's Workshop on YouTube. It's great focus music: upbeat enough to keep me energised, but not distracting.

You might have a song, album, or artist that helps you feel in the writing mood. Listen to the same thing each time you write ... and it'll become a great cue for you to focus.

Your ability to concentrate isn't fixed. You can absolutely get better at concentrating on your writing (and you might well find you enjoy it more as a result).

Happy writing,

Ali

P.S. If you missed last week's blog post, here it is:

Three Act Story Structure (Including the Seven Key Plot Points Your Novel Needs)