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How to Get Into the Mood to Write Every Single Day

As a writer, you’re well aware of the role that the mood plays in a piece of writing.  

You know how to weave a scene of emotional complexity through your words. You also understand exactly how to evoke an array of feelings in your readers. But what you may not be as well aware of is how to set the mood and tone for your day. 

Here are some suggestions to get in the mood to write every day:: 

Perk up Your Mood 

Although the idea of drinking coffee to improve your mood and kick start your brain into top gear is a default strategy most high-performing people rely on, you may have considered it a bad habit and quit drinking coffee. 

Here’s the thing: coffee is good for you. You’re not injuring your health by drinking coffee but improving it.  

According to Diane Vizthum, M.S., R.D., research nutritionist for the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, “Caffeine is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about coffee. But coffee also contains antioxidants and other active substances that may reduce internal inflammation and protect against disease.” She is referring to studies that have found coffee drinkers are less likely to develop coronary heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and strokes. 

Still, we need to add a few disclaimers. Coffee is excellent for you if you don’t consume it with an excessive amount of cream and sugar. Black coffee is the best. If you do need to add cream, use a healthy nut cream, and if you do need to add sugar, find a healthier sweetener. Also, refrain from drinking too much of it as it can overstimulate you. And, of course, drinking it in the evening could affect the quality of your sleep.  

Incidentally, if you love coffee, but would like to have more choices on what to drink, then a coffee subscription might be perfect for you. 

Get Unstuck 

While it’s understandable that you experience anxiety in these uncertain times, you may be someone who has battled mood disorders for as long as you can remember. These moods prevent you from becoming a far more productive and prosperous writer. 

If you’re frequently plagued by bad moods, you’re not alone. Many famous writers have had serious mental illnesses, affective issues, and personality disorders. Leo Tolstoy suffered from depression. Ernest Hemingway suffered from bipolar disorder and may even have suffered from psychosis during his later years. And psychiatrists diagnosed Ezra Pound with Schizophrenia. 

Sadly many brilliant writers–like Ernest Hemingway, Virginia Woolf, and Sylvia Plath– 

committed suicide.

Of course, there isn’t a causal link between writing and mood disorders. Correlation is not causation. Mood disorders don’t nudge people to become writers and don’t flush out neurosis from the subconscious mind. In truth, a large segment of the population suffers from mood disorders. It’s just more easily noticed if someone becomes famous.

If you have a mood disorder, you must see a psychotherapist. Managing it through suppression or expression will not make it go away. You can’t write your way into a happier life. If you need help to get to a cheerful place, then ask for it. 

Change Your Mood, Change Your Writing Life 

Rather than disciplining yourself to write every single day or procrastinating over it, consider some practical ways to improve your mood. Not only will this make you a happier person, someone who is less of a grouch, but your writing, too, will flourish. You’ll find it easier to come up with interesting ideas and effortlessly tumble into flow states when writing. You’ll probably exceed your own self-imposed daily writing quotas within the same dedicated block of time. 

Sam Roberts
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