trouble getting motivated

How long has it been since you took yourself on a little holiday away from your work? Even if it's simply staying away from your computer for several days?

I will often just start working on a new project and get away from the old one. I will also start writing on paper instead of on the computer and get away from where I normally write. Go to the park, get outside. I have serious block sometimes and just doing new stuff helps but I think its diffent for everyone.

It happens to the best of us

Personally, I think it might help to sit back and reexamine your reasons for writing. Are you writing as a hobby? Do you have any professional goals? What do you hope to accomplish by completing your WIP? By reminding yourself of such things, you may find your gusto renewed. It helps me at times, anyway.

It may not be a bad idea altogether to step away from your work for a few days. Don't step away for too long, otherwise you risk losing your perspective on things, however. Just step away long enough to clear your head. Use this time to do some exercise, hang out with friends, indulge in movies or music and, most importantly, read!

If you are lacking inspiration, watch the news. One project I am working on is set in the backdrop of a very current (and ongoing) event.

I get a ton of inspiration from the news, but it can be anything, really... Life experiences, other books, etc.

I had another thought. I belong to a writing group that meets once a month. We all get together and brainstorm and talk about out WIP's it is super fun and helps keep me motivated.

When I get stuck or feel less motivated than usual to write, I walk away from my computer. I will take a walk, read a book or try something new. This usually works for me.

If I am still stuck when I sit back down, I do what I call free writing. I open a blank .doc file and just start typing. I might type out a grocery list, then conversationally write out all the things I need to do in the next few days, before easing into my worries, thoughts or ideas for my WIP. I will often get some great ideas and can jump right into my WIP again.

Every writer is different, so you just have to find the thing/things that work for you.

Good luck.

rosebud84 said:

I am in between two novels right now and suddenly I have come to a standstill. As I read over the current chapters, I don't know where to go from here. I am losing motivation and am feeling discouraged.

Does anyone know the best way to deal with writer's block? What do you other writers do to stay motivated and get back on track?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am a new writer and know writing a book is a process, so I will accept any suggestions you have.

Thanks.

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All you can do to deal with writer's block is to keep writing.

For motivation, if I get in a pinch I'll just hit the books. I'll return to stuff I loved, or just read stuff completely different to what I'm writing. It always works for me.
Good luck.

I agree with everyone. If you know anything that happens later, write it up.

I also get new ideas just by reading great fiction. Read something cool. Sometimes I read craft books, too, but it depends on the kind of block I have.

Watch a few movies and notice how the story was constructed.

I really do suggest reading stuff similar to what you are writing if you don't have the tendency to take on someone else's voice or plot ideas. I think of how I would have written it differently, and that gets the wheels turning about my own story.

I keep a daily writing journal, even when I don't feel like writing. I jot down how the work is going or say I don't feel like writing. Often I end up working out problems there. This can help.

Most often, though, when I feel as you do, it's because of one thing: I'm trying to force something - a scene, a particular bit of dialogue, a plot point, the existence of a character - that really shouldn't be there.

Give yourself a couple of days then go back over what you've done. If there's something there that doesn't fit (and you may have to go back over your plot and character motivations to spot it) remove it.

You may find your writing flows much better.

Just take some time off. It doesn't matter what you do. No need to go out on some romantic cruise or bungie jumping. Just march to your own beat and go to another hobby at the moment. Whether that's reading a book, scrapbooking, playing a sport...there will come a time where something will just click and you'll sit back down at your desk again.

rosebud84 said:

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am a new writer and know writing a book is a process, so I will accept any suggestions you have.

Thanks.

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Everyone is different. In my case, when I finish a story, I take time off, maybe two or three weeks. I can do that because I don't depend on my writing for a living.

While I'm loafing, I read, distract myself, get outdoors, and soon the next novel will start to form in my head, all by itself. This happens so reliably that I recognize it as part of my process. Your mileage may differ.

There's also something I've heard called 'first novel syndrome'. Some folks write that first novel and then never write again. It's as if they have it out of their system now, and don't need to write any more. Let's hope you're not in that group.

[SLAPPPP!]

Did that help?

Sorry, I have lost my mind today. One of the things I do to kick my self in my pants is crit someone elses work. Another site I frequent allows you to post up intros, and so I will bang a few out, and that will generally get me back into my writing.

dpaterso said:

Have you got your big dramatic blockbuster climax/ending figured out yet? Wherever your characters are, whatever they're doing, push them toward this (snip)

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Another possibility that I am exploring is writing out of order. If you know your climax, ending, or other major turning points, try writing them now instead of waiting till later. Now this might backfire by making you feel complete on the novel. But on the other hand, it might encourage you to work on the most fun and exciting scenes first and then work on the less fun but still important scenes later. I started doing this because I'm an inherently lazy person with a short attention span. After I read a book about writing out of order, I adapted it and I love it so far.

Another idea good to use in tandem with this is to set a date. Say one week from today, you get to write this scene you can't wait to write. But you absolutely cannot write it before then. You start to look forward to writing that scene. You build up your own interest that spills over onto the writing then.

Just a couple ideas.

Jodi

Writer's block is deciding not to write. Beating writer's block means deciding to write.

I remind myself, "It's not going to write itself."

It sucks being stuck and not knowing how to move forward, and it sucks to know that you might write some kind of place-holder scene that will be total crap and that you'll hate. But keep in mind that you can change it later to make it better. However, you can't change or fix what isn't there in the first place. So you've got to just WRITE SOMETHING, even if you know you'll toss it later on during revisions. The only purpose it needs to serve right now is to get you writing again so you can move forward to a better scene.

Ugh! That's where I am now. I'm tying to write an action scene. I'm not satisfied with it...at all. I know I'm going to have to make lots of changes, which makes it discouraging to press on, but I suppose writing crap that can be revised later is better than writing nothing whatsoever. I've been getting distracted more easily lately because of this, but I have no excuse not to write because I have all the time I need. I know, I know...I just need to sit down and do it. Unfortunately, it's often easier said than done. I need more willpower!

For writer's block: http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=50
Anyway, it's a fine line you are walking on between writer's block and failing motivation... and you can stumble back and forth across that line. But, if your motivation is high enough, you'll smash through writer's block.

Speaking of which, I wrote an article for epinions.com that is a permanent solution to writer's block. You can't lose with this method... not if you actually put the effort in. Here that is: http://www99.epinions.com/content_5198422148

Splendad said:

For writer's block: http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=50
Anyway, it's a fine line you are walking on between writer's block and failing motivation... and you can stumble back and forth across that line. But, if your motivation is high enough, you'll smash through writer's block.

Speaking of which, I wrote an article for epinions.com that is a permanent solution to writer's block. You can't lose with this method... not if you actually put the effort in. Here that is: http://www99.epinions.com/content_5198422148

Click to expand...

Thanks for posting this link. The advice was extremely helpful.

I like to take a walk and let my ideas simmer in the back of my mind. I just had my first baby, and, surprisingly, I have felt hugely motivated lately. Towards the end of pregnancy I took a break from writing, because I was reading everything I could about childbirth and how to care for a newborn. I was totally obsessed. Since her birth 7 weeks ago, I feel a new drive to write (of course, she lets me steal only a few moments here or there!).

When I'm really stuck, I stop and read. Every writer loves to read...or why would they write? Sometimes I get new ideas, sometimes it helps get the juices flowing, and sometimes the brain break is enough for me return to my WIP with renewed vigor.