by Marina Stein

Created on: March 29, 2010   Last Updated: March 31, 2010

It is a dream occupation: sitting in your pajamas with the fresh cup of coffee in front of your computer and just writing to a topic of your interest. However, you are smart enough not to quit your day job yet. You just hope that the new found freelance career will eventually allow you to make a living.

So, you are excited and enjoy writing very much. You write every day after work and more on the weekends. You sign up for quite a few websites and submit your articles. You even made some money doing that. You are determined to continue and make freelance writing your full-time career. But then suddenly something happens: you go on vacation, or your other workload increases, or you have some family trouble. You spent couple of days without writing, then another couple of days, and before you know it, you are just out of habit. The worse part: you can't start again.

How to overcome that urge not to write?

~ Get achievable goals.

Unfortunately, you are almost at square one. You need to get into that habit again, and it means that you need to start all over. Make your goals, for example, to write one article a day or (in case of Helium) to rate 5 articles a day.

~ Get organized.

Designate some time to writing only: no Internet surfing, no playing games, no paying bills. That hour should be spent looking for topics and writing. Who knows, you might even get so excited - again - that you will spend more that a designated hour on the task.

~ Get rewards.

Make a deal with yourself: after an hour of writing allow yourself to play that game or to read that celebrity gossip. Spend some of your hard earned money on a long wanted item of your choice. Positive reinforcement will make you feel better.

~ Get support.

Use the networks on the writing sites to your advantage. Almost everyone of your fellow writers was in the same position at some time. You can use their advice and expertise in dealing with that sudden block.

When you find yourself with that urge not to write, remember your dream of becoming a freelance writer and working for yourself. With proper goals, organization, good reward system and support of people who were in the situation like that you will be able to get out of that rut and start writing again.

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