WrIting motivation

I find it very easy to stay motivated to write.  I love writing.  I was doing it daily for years before I became a novelist.  That’s one of many reasons it isn’t hard for me to be motivated to write.  

Now, I can be sitting there and staring at the blinking curser as I try to figure out what goes between the two scenes, so I do know what it’s like to be out of ideas.  However, I also know that getting anything down is better than sitting there, and I can change it completely any time I want.  So, I set a timer and go for it.  The timer inspires me to write, especially if I only have 10 minutes to get an idea down.  I know I can keep going longer, but it’s a trick I learned early on.

However, outside of my writing time I also do things that keep me motivated.  One thing I enjoy is when I spend time on Pinterest.  I have one profile just for my writing, where I have tips, inspirational writing quotes by famous authors, and most fun of all, writing prompts.  Even if I’m working on a story already, there’s something fun about writing prompts.  There are some really interesting ones out there, easily searchable on Pinterest.  Just looking at them can keep me feeling that burning urge to write.

I also love diving into other people’s stories, especially stories that inspire me.  I actually have one of my favourite books by one of my favourite authors right there on my writing desk.  I can just glance at it and feel like telling my own story.

Simply getting up early to write is also motivating, as it means I want to write badly enough to have adjusted my daily schedule just for me to write.  Every little thing keeps me reminded of my love of sharing the written word.

You’ll need to find your own ways of staying motivated when you feel that slump coming.  There’s actually something very fulfilling about finishing the various stages of writing.  Simply reaching the next milestone of so many thousand words can be one of those moments.  Yay, I reached novel length, and now I can finish my story, even though I still may have a few tens of thousands of words to go, for instance.

Maybe that one novel is supposed to be shorter, but there’s a sequel in mind.  Ebooks let us make shorter books if the story is done after about 50 000 words.  That’s a very short novel, but two of those put together, especially if they’re related, they can also be combined into a two story print book.  Or, maybe the two stories really are a single story that should be longer.  That just gave me an idea and a hint.

Anyways, find what motivates you, of you really want to be a writer.  If it’s just a pass-time you enjoy and you have another occupation, then maybe this doesn’t apply to you.  If, on the other hand, writing is what you feel you should be doing, then hang onto that drive and go write!