Writers and worldbuilders often have BIG creative goals! After all, we’re inventing entire fictional universes. Also, big events for creators – like Summer Camp, Worldember, and NaNoWriMo – can prompt us to set even more ambitious goals. But what happens when things don’t go as planned? How do you maintain your motivation when life happens?

First of all, it’s important to remember that things rarely go exactly as planned. On a macro level, things like wildfires, pandemics, and widespread social unrest are beyond our control. Even if you’re not directly affected, empathy can make it hard to prioritize your creative goals in the midst of these troubling events.

On a personal level, things like illness, job change, or even something as mundane as a school break can disrupt your daily routine and make it difficult to sit down and focus on your writing or worldbuilding projects. Good creative brainstorming often requires letting yourself get just a little bit bored… which is tough to do when your life feels like it’s in chaos.

Creative worldbuilding projects can provide an essential break from stressful stuff in our regular lives. But if we’re putting too much pressure on ourselves to achieve specific goals, it can make them feel like just one more stressful thing on our to-do list. So here are five simple tips to help you keep writing and worldbuilding – even when life gets a little bit crazy.

Tip 1: Create a Flexible Plan

Set achievable creative goals, but remember to keep them flexible. Life is unpredictable, and it’s okay to adjust your plans when needed. You could set a more modest adjusted goal, but consider your original, more ambitious one a “stretch” goal.

Tip 2: Embrace Imperfection

Don’t let perfection hinder your creativity. Accept that not every article will be a masterpiece, and that’s OK! Let yourself make mistakes and learn from them.

Tip 3: Capture Ideas on the Go

Keep a small notebook or use your smartphone to jot down ideas that pop up during the day. This ensures you don’t lose those flashes of inspiration when busy.

Don’t forget! World Anvil has the Quick Content Creation feature to make it easy to save a simple draft article on mobile.

Tip 4: Break It Down

If your creative goal feels overwhelming, break it down into small, manageable tasks. Celebrate each win, no matter how small. A partial win is better than giving up.

Tip 5: Reward Yourself

Acknowledge your efforts & progress. Treat yourself after completing a significant milestone. For example, you could get some stickers from the World Anvil merch shop. 😉

It’s also worth adding a bonus tip. Find your creative community.

When we discussed this subject on the World Anvil Twitch stream, many folks mentioned connecting with other creatives as a way to keep striving for their goals. The encouragement you get when you find your people is a wonderful source of inspiration and motivation.

If you haven’t already, definitely check out the World Anvil Discord. It’s a great place to meet other writers and worldbuilders! If the Discord community seems a little intimidating, we also have Chapters. These are like more focused small groups within the larger community, with their own dedicated channels.

I hope these tips have been helpful! Life happens – but you can still make something beautiful, and achieve your creative potential, even in the midst of challenges. For now, grab your hammer – AND GO WORLDBUILD!