You’re here today, I assume, because you’re a writer and you’re anxious.

I understand!!

First of all, you’re not alone in your anxiety. I’m rooting for you, and you’ll get past it! Don’t throw away your project! You’re going to be fine.

And I have some practical tips to help you. Some of these are even good for just general anxiety, too, so that’s a bonus!

1) Discover the source of your anxiety

Life is crazy—don’t even get me started on how crazy it is. As such, there are a billion reasons you might be anxious right now.

Maybe you have writers block.
Or you’ve fallen out of love with your novel.
Maybe it’s tricky to find the time to write at all.
Or maybe you’re in the middle of editing and AHH IT’S SO OVERWHELMING WHAT DO I DOOO????

If you know what’s making you anxious, it will be easier to put it all into perspective and get past it.

If you have writer’s block, you can move on to a different part of the book and come back to this one. You can chat with others about it and see if they have any ideas for you. You can take a step back and give the novel some space.

If you’re finding it difficult to have time to write, it just takes some readjusting of your schedule. MAKE time and guard it fiercely.

If you’re in the middle of editing, I’m cheering you on over here! Congrats on getting so far into this journey!! You can do it! And I’m always here to chat if you need someone to remind you of how great your writing is and to give you constructive critcism. :)

And if you’ve fallen out of love with your novel…well, maybe I won’t get so ahead of myself.

Define the thing that is making you anxious and work out a game plan!

2) Get in touch with another writer friend you trust

You can rant to them, you can work together on finding a solution to whatever is being problematic for you…. Whatever it is, you’ll walk away from the conversation feeling less lonely, and that’s such an important thing.

3) Step away

Yep. Take a break. Not permanently. But that creative mind of yours might just need some recharging. Give yourself some time away from that manuscript. You’ll be able to get back to it with fresh eyes and more inspiration.

4) Write about it

Maybe the last thing you want to do right now is write. But if you’re feeling anxious, do some journaling. It can be incredibly cathartic to write those feelings down—recognize them for what they are—and then throw them away! Get rid of them.

5) Remember why you wanted to write this to begin with!

I have an inspiration log in the Lavender Library just for this reason! What inspired you to write this story? How did you feel when you first had the idea? Is there something that you can do to find that excitement again?
This is another reason that I love aesthetic boards so much. I make them when the idea is still new in my mind, and going back to them reminds me of the vision I had to begin with and all of the excitement that there was wrapped up in the story.

6) Take care of yourself

Do something that you love. Listen to a song that always makes you smile. Go for a walk. Read a great book. Watch a favorite movie.

Remember what I said earlier, about your creative mind needing a break? Recharge, friends, and you’ll feel much better for it.
(I’ve made a cute self-care chart for you and it’s in the Lavender Library right now!)

Take a deep breath.

The anxiety won’t stick around forever. And whether you work in spite of it or after it’s passed, finishing that novel of yours will all be worth it!