We’re All in This Together: Motivation Post #1

How do you keep yourself motivated? We all like to have written, but find it hard to stay motivated to write. 

I posed this question to the “We’re All in This Together” folks. Today and tomorrow I will feature writers’ thoughts.

Sue Heavenrich

Writing about science & nature for children & families

archimedesnotebook.blogspot.com

Sometimes when an idea is just out of reach – I know it’s out there but just can’t figure out how to pin it down – I head out to the garden or go for a walk or split some wood or do something else that’s physical.

A few years ago I wanted to write an article about Pre-Columbian agriculture and just couldn’t figure out a starting point. So I headed out to turn the compost pile. About half-way through I had a flash of inspiration and dug my 2×3 spiral notebook and pencil stub from my overalls pocket and began scribbling. Today I’m heading out to stake the tomatoes…

Carol Munro

 www.carolmunrojustwritewords.wordpress.com

Writing something I love encourages me to try to write something else I love. I want that sense of satisfaction again! I want that lovely feeling again of having created something good! But even with that euphoria, it can be tough to ignore life stuff and sit down to write.

It doesn’t always work to simply make a mental promise to myself that I’ll write.  For me, joining groups – a weekly writing group, a monthly critique group, and online writers’ group such as Julie Hedlund’s 12 x 12 and Alayne Kay Christian’s Sub Six – makes me accountable. Then I take it one step further. I make an appointment with writing, as though writing was an important person who could make or break my writing career. What could be truer than that? After all, unless I write, I am NOT A WRITER and will never have a writing career.

ALWAYS, I have a writing appointment scheduled on my calendar for Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. From September through May, I write with my writing group, River Valley Writers. During our summer break, I write in a meeting room at my public library, sometimes alone, sometimes with other writers. If a client (an important, money-paying client of my freelance writing business) wants to meet with me or a doctor’s appointment needs to be scheduled, of course I say, “Not on Thursday morning. I have another appointment that can’t possible be moved.”

The important thing is to get away from home. Try it. It works for me.

Vivian Kirkfield

Educator – Parenting Speaker – Author

Picture Books Help Kids Soar

Rubbing shoulders with other writers and children’s content creators is a GREAT way to stay motivated – whether in person at local critique groups or online participating in challenges like 12×12 and Sub Six. As I scroll down the comment threads on the various Facebook groups, I am inspired by the successes I read about and encouraged by the mentions of rejections and educated by the information that is so generously shared – it helps me to know I am not the only one who is feeling a particular way. This community support is so very important because writing is usually a solitary occupation.

Marcie Flinchum Atkins

Children’s and Young Adult Writer

https://www.marcieatkins.com

I am very motivated by deadlines. I have three writing groups that I’m a part of. As I’m typing this I have a deadline looming for one of them. Knowing that I’m accountable to these writing friends keeps me working.

But what about when we don’t feel like working? Seth Godin says, “The notion that I do my work here, now, like this, even when I do not feel like it, and especially when I do not feel like it, is very important. Because lots and lots of people are creative when they feel like it, but you are only going to become a professional if you do it when you don’t feel like it. And that emotional waiver is why this is your work and not your hobby.”

The truth is, I never skip out on my day job unless I’m very sick or my kids or husband are very sick. I go to work everyday, even when I don’t feel like it. I do get paid to go, but more than that, I feel an obligation to go. There are young people there who depend on me. And if I don’t go, it’s actually more work that actually going.

So why not push myself to do this in my writing? The fact is, I need to treat this writing gig as important as a job. I have to. Otherwise I’ll talk myself out of working.

Kristen Lamb says, “Showing up is a huge part of success.” We may not write great words, but just showing up to work is half the battle in getting motivated.