How do you keep writing?

When I get board with writing or frustrated, I switch to looking over the outline, looking ahead to see if everything's on track, or working on the outlines of other books I have in the planning stages. That way, I'm still being effective, but get to clear my head a bit. Then, I go back to it for a few more hours.

First, don't put so much pressure on yourself. It took me a long time to learn that lesson. I thought that if I wasn't pounding out 2,500 words every time I sat down, it meant I was undisciplined and doomed to never finish the manuscript. And that ain't true. Sure, it's taking me a little longer than I expected, but it's coming along just fine.

What helped me fight writing lethargy was that I paid attention to my sluggish days and looked for a pattern. After a while, I saw that my output dropped when I reached points in the story that were flabby in my outline. I hadn't done enough planning, and so when I put fingers to keyboard, I got stuck. I wasn't excited about what I was writing because I wasn't developing a moment in the story that was exciting, nor was I writing toward an exciting moment in the story. I was just writing to fill a blank space and needed to give the scene more thought. Of course, if you're not an outliner this may not resonate with you at all. But for me, if I'm passionate about a scene, I'm passionate when it comes to writing it.

I've also found that writing linearly (writing chapter 1, then 2, then 3, and so on) can put a damper on things, so if my outline is fleshed out enough, I allow myself to jump around in the story and write the scenes that I can't stop thinking about, then return to the not-so-thrilling stuff later. It helps a lot.

For me too, it's common to get bored, or even worse, to doubt why I thought this story idea was good to begin with, when I'm just in the first few chapters or so. What helps me to keep going is to remind myself why I was excited about this story to begin with. Specifically, that usually means thinking about some of the cool or important scenes I have planned for later on. (Even if you're a pantser, there are usually some later scenes you'll envisioned, and it's usually the really cool or important ones.) If I've thought at all about theme or character arc and why I think it's important or personal to me, then I'll try to dwell on that too. (And if I haven't thought about any of that yet, then I start thinking about it then.)

I work on multiple projects so I can go back and forth when one of them isn't holding my attention.

How old are you? How long have you been writing? Do you write for fun? If so, don't fret about it - and write when you feel like it. Writing is meant to be fun - like reading stories similar to those you wish to write.

I think that compelling oneself to write would be the worst thing to do. If you cease to enjoy writing then take a break and return after few hours/days with new fresh ideas. If you are tired the only thing you are able to do are some technical issues as for instance auto-proofreading. (If you are at certain stage of your MS development). Don't worry about late finish. Late finish is far better than pre-mature finish

(Not a professional writer, so take this post with a grain of salt.)

Are you striving to be a professional writer some day? If so, do you have daily word count goals? If you're on-task and meeting your goals, and you still get bored at the end of a chapter, then just find another constructive task while waiting for the creative lethargy to pass (story planning, start on another story, etc.).

Stephen King has a good quote about this:

Sometimes you have to go on when you don't feel like it, and sometimes you're doing good work when it feels like all you're managing is to shovel shit from a seated position.

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If you're writing for the fun of it, then no worries! Just take a break and write when you feel like it.

I'm going to pass this along. Got it back in ninth grade, after one of those boring career/motivation talks in Home Ec class. For the longest time, I wanted to believe it wasn't true - that this stupid keychain didn't contain a fundamental truth about how to succeed in anything, but time and again it seems to come back to this:



Yes, the Key to Success is indeed, to a very great degree, Self-Discipline. The discipline to select a target and keep shooting arrows until you hit it. The discipline to sit down regularly and apply yourself, even when it isn't necessarily fun or stimulating, even when it's frustrating. The discipline to seek out help for things you need to work at... and the discipline to own what you are good at and work and making even better. The discipline to see a project through to the end - or at least as far as you possibly can before accepting defeat, then taking everything you learned and applying it to the next project, and the next.

We can give you advice. We can suggest a basic writing schedule (say, an hour or half an hour, five days a week - even if you're just writing "I don't know what to write" over and over again, developing the habit of facing the page and putting words down), or writing outlines (even a simple "sketch", not so much a formal outline - "A mail mixup gives Bob a postcard that should've gone to his neighbor, but it's for a place that doesn't exist, then his neighbor goes missing and Bob follows him into an alternate America that evolved along medieval lines, and he finds out the neighbor was an evil king in exile and his minions are calling him home to head a coup..."), we can tell you "hey, if it's just a hobby, don't worry about it." But I'm guessing that writing may not be the only area where this is a Thing for you - because there is no goal or job or anything on this planet that I know of that is 100% fun and easy 100% of the time. (See also: How to be Perfectly Unhappy by The Oatmeal - a bit long, but a very good summary of most any pursuit.)

I'd be lying if I said I was a perfect example of self-discipline, myself. It's a lesson I put off learning myself for far too long, which makes it that much harder to apply it to a life that could've gone much better. But danged if it isn't doing a far better job getting me where I want to go than half-arsing things and haphazard poking about and giving up at the smallest frustration, real or imagined.

So take your virtual keychain. Wear it in your mind. And ignore the dorky over-clever shape (a key for a keychain? really?) and remember the message.

Good luck!

Carrie in PA said:

I work on multiple projects so I can go back and forth when one of them isn't holding my attention.

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Me too. Plus, it gives every piece time to rest. And when you go back you can be more objective than if you force yourself to stick with one thing all the time.

It took me forever to find the "right" idea, so maybe that idea isn't for you? I always like to write out a summary of what I think the book will be. I used to be very against outlines because after I wrote them I would get bored, so I stopped. But now that I've finished the first book in a series, I have to outline the rest. Anyways, it took the right speck of inspiration to open up this whole world and I am forever grateful for binge watching Big Brother in 2013. Like Lakey said, maybe a novel length work isn't for you at the moment? I highly suggest looking through pinterest for sparks of inspiration. That website keeps me going for days!

What works for me is giving myself a daily word count goal that's easily attainable. That way, I make myself write every day, but I don't feel the pressure to write a lot every day. More often than not, I exceed my word count goal by a lot. Every once in a while, I have a day that life gets too busy, and I don't beat myself up if I don't hit my goal on these days.

borogove said:

First, don't put so much pressure on yourself. It took me a long time to learn that lesson. I thought that if I wasn't pounding out 2,500 words every time I sat down, it meant I was undisciplined and doomed to never finish the manuscript. And that ain't true. Sure, it's taking me a little longer than I expected, but it's coming along just fine.

What helped me fight writing lethargy was that I paid attention to my sluggish days and looked for a pattern.

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I found both these things to be true.

Carrie in PA said:

I work on multiple projects so I can go back and forth when one of them isn't holding my attention.

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I work on multiple projects. I have a tendency to get stuck, and this lets me keep writing *something*.

Bradley Shiner said:

I think that compelling oneself to write would be the worst thing to do.

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+1. (learned it the hard way.)

Brightdreamer said:

... to select a target and keep shooting arrows until you hit it. ... sit down regularly and apply yourself, even when it isn't necessarily fun or stimulating, even when it's frustrating. ... out help for things you need to work at... and the discipline to own what you are good at and work and making even better. The discipline to see a project through to the end - or at least as far as you possibly can before accepting defeat, then taking everything you learned and applying it to the next project, and the next.

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In the past I used to think, when I saw phrases like 'the discipline to write' meant you need to force yourself to do things. I think the key to having 'discipline' is find the way for you to do it so that you can love it.

Yes, I agree with goal setting with either word count or time put in. But I know I also need breaks and time away. You have to find the balance that works for you.

This will be different for everyone. As everyone will offer a different answer or viewpoint, every person will find certain methods easier, and use different tactics to write.

(1) Music - My primary issue is focus. If I can't focus, I won't get anything done. Music helps. Some people prefer non-lyrical, and others lyrical. My choice is non-lyrical. I find it, personally, easier to reflect on. I won't focus on the lyrics, but instead the raw emotion the song is trying to convey. Then, I can tune into my imagination, and scribble away on a piece of paper.

(2) I don't write everyday - I can't do this yet. And i'm not pressuring myself to do this. Sure, it's frustrating when a project sits on the computer and doesn't make progress for a few weeks...or months. But stories can't be rushed. Sometimes I can get out of my lack of motivation phase by throwing on some non-lyrical music, and allowing myself at least half a hour to soak in all that raw emotion. It's a slow process.

(3) I don't use a computer - I find paper satisfying. True, computers are faster. But I prefer paper. There's nothing like filling up all those blank lines with words.

(4) "This isn't my final draft." - This isn't the final piece of work, and because i haven't stupidly posted anything online (As I find I do this with fan fiction which in turn adds pressure to post as soon as possible. This adds stress, and eventually I move on.) breathing is easier. I can take my sweet time without added stress. The final draft will come, but it's far away.

(5) Don't read your first draft - This is debatable. If you find yourself discouraged and lacking motivation because you think your first draft is terrible, stop reading it. Don't read it! Continue writing. I read mine to spot mistakes, make notes on possible improvements and continue on. I'm motivated by my mistakes. If you're discouraged, don't read what you've written! Keep going!

p.s Remember all writers first drafts are terrible.

(6) Finally, this picture - I've posted a picture below for you:



(THIS VERSION is larger and easier to read)

This is a beginners phase. Something all of us go through. The only way you get out is by persevering, and writing.

Hope I helped!

ajwinter said:

It took me forever to find the "right" idea, so maybe that idea isn't for you?

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This is what I was thinking. I've started lots of stories that I stop after a chapter because they're just not holding my interest. I think once you find the characters and story you fall in love with, you'll keep writing.

Hope it works out.

CJ

Refocusing attention from "story" to "delight with messing about with prose and character nuances" can do wonders in the motivation department. King and Rothfuss, for example, appear to be doing this much of the time, and it definitely helps them roll along.

I will second both the self-discipline thing and the outline suggestion.

Self-discipline is required to finish any larger project (anything larger than "get ice cream"). But it doesn't mean you're in a forced labour camp. Taking time off can be beneficial. You're not expected to be perfect.

Having a skeleton outline allows one to pick and choose: If you're fed up with Chapter 2, work on Chapter 5. No ideas for the car chase? Write the romantic encounter. That way, you still work on the project, just on a different part of it. Sometimes you will need to slog through it in a linear fashion though, such as when rewriting large stretches of the project. In that case you just need to rough it out.

It's also true that a story might just not hold your own interest, in which case, either ditch it or start flogging it until it comes back alive... your choice.

Recently, when I had problems with my protagonist, I did a Myers-Briggs test while putting myself in her mindset. How would Protag answer this question? This can give you some insight and help you improve your characters. And story has a lot to do with characters. You need some good ones.

it seems to vary for every person--I feel compelled to write, or at least work on the stories throughout the day.

I'm not good at being disciplined though so I guess I need that.

kneedeepinthedoomed said:

I will second both the self-discipline thing and the outline suggestion.

Self-discipline is required to finish any larger project (anything larger than "get ice cream"). But it doesn't mean you're in a forced labour camp. Taking time off can be beneficial. You're not expected to be perfect.

Having a skeleton outline allows one to pick and choose: If you're fed up with Chapter 2, work on Chapter 5. No ideas for the car chase? Write the romantic encounter. That way, you still work on the project, just on a different part of it. Sometimes you will need to slog through it in a linear fashion though, such as when rewriting large stretches of the project. In that case you just need to rough it out.

It's also true that a story might just not hold your own interest, in which case, either ditch it or start flogging it until it comes back alive... your choice.

Recently, when I had problems with my protagonist, I did a Myers-Briggs test while putting myself in her mindset. How would Protag answer this question? This can give you some insight and help you improve your characters. And story has a lot to do with characters. You need some good ones.

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Good post, kneedeepinthedoomed. Just be careful mentioning the Myers-Briggs test, lol.

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?326591-What-s-your-character-s-Myers-Briggs-type

I usually threaten myself, that if I'm not writing every day I won't be able to be a full-time writer and ended up starving.

1) Not every story has to be finished. There's value in these one-off chapters that you do, that never grow into anything more: you're writing, you're practicing, you're learning. Maybe think of it more as learning the craft than on producing something finished. At some point an idea will latch on to you, and you'll write more of it.

2) Don't wait for the muse. As Roger Ebert said: The Muse visits while you are writing, not before. If you only write when inspiration strikes, you're more likely to have long dry spells.

3) If you want to do it seriously, at some point you're going to have to treat is as a job, which means a schedule that you prioritize just like work you get paid for. For some of us this means daily (or weekly, or monthly) word counts; for others it means writing for a specific amount of time (x hours a day/week).

Gabriela Jessica said:

I usually threaten myself, that if I'm not writing every day I won't be able to be a full-time writer and ended up starving.

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If you're feeding yourself as a full-time writer - at least a fiction writer - you're in rare company.

I ran into this problem with the novel I'm writing now. In my case, the issue was that my story wasn't fleshed out well enough.

Specifically, I hadn't worked out my magic system. That is a humongous part of the story and once I got it worked out, everything seemed to fall into place. Not having a concrete magic system meant I didn't know how my protagonist was supposed to proceed.

Aside from that, music. For whatever reason, music always puts me in a writing mood.

I don't know. I really don't know. I've pretty much given up on the aspiration to get anything accepted for publication, owing to track record at submissions. But, still, I did write something on a budding novel today. Why? I don't know.

caw