By DiAnn Mills, @DiAnnMills

Writers must have passion for their writing projects or no one else will. No getting around it. But what happens when we are no longer onboard with the subject matter of our book, blog, article, poem, screenplay, or other types of writing? How do we deal with reality?

• Perhaps we’re under contract.
• Perhaps we’ve been paid.
• Perhaps we’re under obligation for a myriad of reasons to complete the manuscript.
• Perhaps it’s detrimental to our career to back out of a project.
• Perhaps the project has been rejected and a rewrite is essential.
• Perhaps we’re a perfectionist.
• Perhaps we’re jealous of other’s success and can’t seem to eliminate the negativity from our thoughts.
• Perhaps life around us is out of control—family, friends, a day job, faith, health, and circumstances that take up our time.

How can we stoke the flames of creativity to once again have passion for our projects?

Here are 7 steps to help rekindle passion for a writing project.

1. Pray for guidance in our quest to find excitement in our writing again.
2. List our positive writer qualities. Place them in a prominent place where we can review them daily.
3. Be determined to find the enthusiasm that once excited us about the manuscript. Accept the fire has died and choose to light a match to our inspiration.
   1. What originally had us enthused about the project?
   2. What are 3 things that we like about it.
   3. What don’t we like about it.
4. Analyze what happened to cause discouragement.
   1. The idea needs more plot, information, research, or resources.
   2. We learned about a similar writing project and changing ours is depressing.
   3. We are on a deadline and finishing the project is overwhelming.
   4. The writing needs improvement.
5. Determine to make changes.
   1. Schedule time every day to work on the project.
   2. Seek out help if needed.
6. Take a break from the project. Walk away. Do something other than thinking about the project.
   1. Sometimes we become trapped in our own prison where self-doubts keep us chained.
   2. Many times a physical activity (sweat) breaks through to our creativity.
7. Mentor a serious writer. When we put aside our own problems and concentrate on helping another, we are blessed.

Remember when you first fell in love? Every thought about the person filled you with joy. As months and years rolled by, you and your loved one worked harder to keep the flames of love burning hot. The same is true about your writing.

How do you rekindle the passion for your writing?

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. Firewall, the first book in her Houston: FBI series, was listed by Library Journal as one of the best Christian Fiction books of 2014.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Suspense Sister, and International Thriller Writers. She is co-director of The Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference with social media specialist Edie Melson. She teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn is active online and would love to connect with readers on any of the social media platforms listed at http://www.diannmills.com