Writing is about sticking to it. You have to continue to type away until you are done with the story, until the first 80.000 words are written. Because if you stop before that mark, you will never finish it.
I often lose motivation as soon as a new shiny idea appears in my head. So how does one stay motivated and continue to work on a project until it is finished?
Good question. I yet have to figure it out myself. Something that really worked for me this month is the word count. I kept my daily dose of words very small. I can reach it within 10 minutes of concentrated work. That means if I have a good day I can write more than the goal intends for me and be happy and proud afterwards. If a day isn't that good I can try to at least reach that small goal and am not discouraged at day's end. Every word brings me closer to that final number.
Having three different projects in three different stages does help in some way, too. If I do not feel like researching for one of the projects or spending hours trying to figure out a problem with the plot I can take a free day from that one project that bothers me and concentrate on one of the other two. That way I can stay productive and clear my head to start working on the first project with more concentration and energy.
Early this month, on the 4th to be more precisely, I started working at a new place and that was a huge step for me because now school is over and adult life with all its responsibilities begins. That caused some changes in my daily chores. I leave the house at 6.15 am and get back at 7.15 am, even later when I have swimming practice, and I am exhausted. Always so exhausted. That of course left me with no time to write at all. My brain just felt empty in the evenings and the first week left me without a single word written. So what did I do?
I went back to the word count. 200 words a day. Ten minutes. Nothing more. I asked myself why I can't write, because I am exhausted in the evening. But I am awake during the first half of the day and can still power through things. Naturally I cannot write during work. So I got up ten minutes earlier each day. 4.45 am. And I used those ten minutes to write. I wrote more than 200 words after a day and I found that two things happened because of that simple change in my habits.
Firstly: I manage to get my wordcount done. I am on a seven day streak now and the week felt a lot more productive through adding this ten minutes of writing. I am closer to my goal of finishing this book then I ever was to finishing something different to a short story then ever before.
Secondly: I feel better. I am more motivated when I can head out of the house already marking something off of my to do list. I did something. I achieved something. And the day has only just begun! Who knows what else will happen? I am happier. I feel better. Writing is my cure once again, and this time because I am disciplined enough to go through with it each and every day of the week.
"If I waited till I felt like writing, I'd never write at all." - Anne Tyler
How do you keep yourself motivated? Any tricks or treats after you hit a certain goal?
Love what you do, promote what you love!
M
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