The writing struggle is real: how to beat procrastination and get the words down

Revising this latest book has been tough – and that’s with an outline. The story is there, the chapters mapped out, but the act of sitting down and actually doing it? That’s the hard part.

I’ve always found that writing doesn’t get easier just because you know what comes next. 

Why it’s hard – even when you know what you’re doing

The motivation and energy to keep going can evaporate even with a plan. Procrastination creeps in. 

Laundry suddenly becomes urgent. Emails must be replied to. The desk becomes the last place you want to be. Agatha Christie once said, "The secret of getting ahead is getting started." And that’s the hardest part.

My unexpected hack: writing on my phone

But lately I’ve found something that’s helped: writing on my phone.

I’ve dabbled in this before – the odd paragraph here and there – but this time, I’ve properly committed to it. Over the past two days, I’ve written almost 1,000 words on my phone alone. Sometimes typing, sometimes dictating with voice-to-text, but always moving the draft forward. It works.

And the best part? It makes use of moments that would otherwise disappear. Waiting in the car, standing in a queue, or even walking (with dictation) becomes time reclaimed. There is no need to open the laptop or rituals or perfect writing environment required. Just a pocket-sized nudge forward.

Progress, not perfection

It’s reminded me that writing doesn’t have to be sacred or precious. You don’t have to wait for the perfect time or the clean desk. You just have to find what works and do it.

Here are three quotes I always come back to when procrastination threatens to win:

"A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit." – Richard Bach

"Start before you’re ready." – Steven Pressfield, The War of Art

"Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere." – Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird

Write when and where you can

So, if you’re stuck, try something new. Write in bursts. Write in your Notes app. Speak your story into your phone. Whatever breaks the block, use it.

What matters isn’t where or how you write. It’s that you do.

And if you wrote 100 words today – even on your phone – that’s still 100 more than you had yesterday.