12 Reflection Questions for Writers
If you want to improve your writing craft, it's important to pause at the end of the year or a project to reflect on and analyze your work. This will help you move forward better informed of your strengths and weaknesses and with more motivation and inspiration.
Why Reflect on Your Writing?
This writing reflection practice will also help you:
Strengthen your writing. Reflecting on your writing can help you improve your writing skills. You can analyze what worked and what didn’t and then apply that knowledge to your next piece.
Reflect on your growth. Reviewing your past writing can show you the ways you've become a more skillful writer.
Rediscover your passions. It may give you a chance to focus on a particular writing topic you haven’t looked at in a while, allowing you to get a fresh perspective and renew your interest.
Celebrate your successes. It’s a chance to recognize and appreciate your achievements—because you deserve it!
Find new motivation. Seeing how far you've come and identifying your path forward can give you the push you need to continue writing and creating.
12 Writing Reflection Questions
Be sure to sign up for your free workbook with these reflection questions.
1. What did you enjoy writing most? Why?
This could be a whole piece of writing or part of a piece, such as a scene, a character, or a technique.
2. What did you enjoy writing least? Why?
Again, this could be an entire piece or a particular element.
3. What writing lessons are essential for you to take into the next year/next project?
Think of everything you learned about writing this year/this project and determine what was the most important to you.
4. What writing lessons or "rules" do you want to leave behind? Why did they not serve you?
It's okay to break rules!
5. When did you have your best or most productive writing sessions?
Think about the time of day, day of the week, or even week of the month, if your schedule fluctuates.
6. In what environment did you have your best or most productive writing sessions?
For example, did you thrive in a busy coffee shop or alone in your quiet office?
7. What strategies worked for you to sit down and get the words in?
When you had a solid writing routine, think about what you did that helped.
8. What strategies helped you to keep going when you got stuck?
When you encountered writer's block, what helped you to feel focused and flowing again?
9. What situations caused you to procrastinate most?
Think about the chain of thoughts, feelings, and actions that led you to decide not to write. Once you identify your procrastination triggers, you can figure out a solution.
10. What successes do you want to remember?
As you look back over this year or this project, what accomplishments (big and small) can you identify?
11. How have you changed as a writer over the course of this year/this project?
Think of how you have evolved and improved in your writing, in the process of writing, and in your life as a writer.
12. What strategies do you most want to strengthen? How will you do this?
As you figure out your strengths and weaknesses, you can see where to focus in the next year/next project.
BONUS: What is one goal you will commit to for your next project/next year that will help you improve as a writer?
Let me know what you learned from this exercise. Email me at Erin@dotanddashllc.com.
Erin Servais is the founder and managing editor of Dot & Dash, where she and the team provide author coaching, book editing, and sensitivity reading services to women authors.
Dot & Dash empowers writers through positive-minded and collaborative author services, giving you the trusted guidance to go from outlines and ideas to polished and published.
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