Writing is a psychological exercise, especially now that most of us use the computer to create our manuscripts. We are envisioning our world, scrolling through our mental catalogue of synonyms, and self-assessing during the process to identify what might not be working.

With so much hidden tabulation going on, it’s no wonder that a lot of writers are into “woo” things like manifestation, rituals, prayers, and vision boards.

Let me preface by saying there’s nothing wrong with you if you aren’t into that. At the same time, you cannot rely on good vibes alone to get you through the difficult parts of writing (aka marketing).

Still, there are many benefits to analyzing and refining your attitude. Positive thoughts may not make books sell, but they give you the motivation necessary to keep going when things are hard.

I do not believe that you can just pray for positive action without doing anything. That simply does not work. However, prayer in conjunction with positive actions can make a world of difference in how you approach your writing and life at large.

We as humans feel energy.

I can sense when someone doesn’t like me, when they have bad intentions, when they’re upset or distracted. We can also feel when someone has a great mindset and is a positive person; it makes them glow and attracts others.

The same thing happens with dogs. I swear it’s true.

And you can even feel that energy through the internet. No matter if you recognize it or not, tiny things like word choice, grammar, and emojis tell people exactly how you feel. Sometimes people are wrong, of course, but a lot of the time, they’re right on the mark.

The energy you bring to your writing projects and your marketing as a whole can make a huge difference in how you are received. The more good energy you put into the world and the more cheerfully you engage with your audience, the better reception you will have.

So, let’s go through some exercises you may use to keep that positive energy flowing if you’re dealing with writer’s block or general discouragement.

Positive Self-Review

There’s a bit of a schism when it comes to writers. We tend to fall into two extremes: the total downer and the egotist. And sometimes we oscillate between those two, as I do.

The total downer is very critical of themselves and struggles to accept praise. They pick themselves apart constantly, complain about how hard writing is, and are often very jealous of other writers. Critique will send them into a meltdown because it confirms what they already believe: that they’re the shittiest writer ever and shouldn’t bother.

On the other hand, the egotist cannot accept that they’re not perfect and will be very defensive if ever told someone did not like their work. They will crow about how great they are, look down on others, and cannot accept critique. You’ll see them self-aggrandizing about how great they are, blowing even the slightest praise way out of proportion.

Neither of these are helpful mindsets. In fact, it might surprise you to realize that both extremes often come from the same place: low self-esteem. They just handle the problem differently, either openly admitting they suck or refusing to admit they’re not perfect.

We want to be in balance, knowing what we do well and accepting that we still have things to work on. Good self-esteem that can process a few knocks will take you much further than either ripping yourself to pieces or acting like you’re god’s gift to writing.

So we want a positive self-review. If you’ve been told that you’re too critical of yourself, this may help you more, but it can also be helpful if you have been told that you’re kind of full of yourself. Here, you will note down all the things you do well, and then also discuss the things you do not do well, either based on your own self-knowledge or critiques you have gotten before.

Here would be mine:

Things I do well

• Environmental descriptions
• Characterization
• Poetic prose
• Psychological analysis
• Sense of realism
• Established relationships
• Emotional resonance
• Consistent tone
• Subtle descriptions

Things I need to work on

• Maintaining a compelling pace
• Avoiding infodumps
• Raising the stakes/energy
• Worldbuilding
• Avoiding repetitive situations/phrases
• Avoiding purple prose
• Putting in more twists and surprises
• Developing more complicated plots
• Weaving in background information

Notice that I have exactly as many things I do well as things I need to work on. This ensures that I’m not getting too full of myself or downplaying my strengths.

If you have really low self-esteem, then focus more on the positives, but if you struggle to accept critique, then you should look more at the things you need to work on.

I did this off the top of my head based on my own self-assessment about writing my four books. If that’s hard, then look back at previous critiques you’ve received or ask a beta reader to work with you on this.

Manifestation Narrative

In this exercise, you write down your greatest dream as a writer in present tense as if you have already achieved it. Be as specific or vague as you want; consider the overall circumstances that you want in your life. After all, our life greatly impacts our writing, so we want to think about how where we want to be as a person in addition to our writing.

This is my manifestation narrative that I would like to come true.

I have completed all ten books in the Eirenic Verses and have now moved on to writing other stories set in Eirenen. While my day job funds my bills, like my mortgage, car payment, groceries, insurance, taxes, and utilities, my book sales can be used to save for retirement, build a rainy day fund, and cover my favorite expenses: my dogs and horse.

My book sales cover everything I need for my horse, which includes stable fees, food, supplements, vets, farriers, equipment, and extras like professional groomers. They also cover the same costs for my dogs, and I have enough savings to immediately pay any medical expenses. My animals get the best possible medical care and have the highest-quality enrichment.

I am able to spoil my animals and ensure that they have everything they need to be happy. Because I make enough royalties for these, I am never stressed about money.

This is a long way off still, of course, but knowing what I want to achieve – owning a horse and a home – keeps me going when things are hard.

While I have considered getting a Quarter Horse palomino like Erix, I’m also open to just about any horse who will love me. The important part is affording them!

Writing-Related Mantras

Mantras are typically associated with spiritual practices, which is a fair assessment. They are an indispensible element of many religions, including Buddhism and Hinduism, and are used to focus your attention during meditative practices.

But in reality, a mantra is just something you repeat, over and over again, to crowd out other thoughts. I use them both in a spiritual and secular way all the time; sometimes I even use spiritual mantras (namely “nam-myoho-renge-kyo”) to keep my attention when I’m doing a really hard climbing route or am in a lot of pain.

For a while, I was constantly using the mantra “knees, knees, knees,” while horseback riding. Why? Because I have a big issue with pinching my knees against the saddle. Thinking this, especially at the trot, keeps me from squeezing with my knees instead of my calves.

After using it for a while, I stopped having that problem, and now I keep my knees loose, relying on pressure through the ankle to keep me upright. This has done wonders for my riding; I probably wouldn’t be able to use a bareback pad so well if I hadn’t used the mantra.

So, you can start to use writing-related mantras to keep yourself focused or to crowd out despair when you’re getting frustrated. Here are some suggestions of what you can use, depending on your needs.

• “It doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to be done.” For use when you’re writing your first draft.
• “Bird by bird.” When you find yourself tempted to start a new WIP (see here why that’s a bad idea) or when you want to start editing while writing.
• “I am good enough.” That’s self-explanatory, right?
• “Good things take time.” For use when you’re getting discouraged about your progress or book sales.
• “I am the writer of my own life.” If you’re feeling frustrated or helpless about external events.

Personally, I think the most effective mantras are personal, built over our experiences. If there’s a particular line in a book or poem that has struck you over time, why not make that your specific mantra?

I will be completely honest and say that all the good thoughts in the world have not sent my books flying off the shelves – and I have a lot of good thoughts. But that’s perfectly okay. I write because I love it, and while every sale is a great honor, it’s not my primary motivation. If becoming a multi-millionaire is your primary motivation, you will probably be disappointed.

Check these out and try them on for size. See how you feel afterward. You can create more rituals, too. After a time, you’ll find yourself better able to express yourself – and market yourself.