Even the King of Just-Do-It,
Tony Robbins, must have days where he feels unmotivated. It’s only natural to
find yourself in a slump, every now and then—suffering through days where you
just don’t feel like doing anything productive. If you find yourself feeling
this way, take heart. You’re not alone. I’ve felt the same way. I have found
that, if I allow one day to pass where I don’t write, it easily turns into two,
and then three. But I have found a few ways to kick-start my motivation. I hope
these suggestions help you get off your duff and get moving in the right
direction.
1.
Stir Your Inspiration – The best way I have found to find inspiration as a
writer is to read good books. When I get lost in a great story, I always find
myself wanting to create stories and characters of my own. Reading good books
is never a waste of time for writers.
2.
Daydream –
As a writer, I spend a lot of time in my head, visiting my characters, my plot,
my story location. Daydreaming about your book is a wonderful way to churn up
the kind of excitement you need to finish that first draft.
3.
Make Lists –
I don’t know about you, but I am always more productive when I make a To-Do
List and check off the items as I accomplish each goal.
4.
Find Support
– Finding a group of like-minded authors that you trust is important when
you’re in need of motivation. Challenge each other to reach the day’s goals and
hold each other accountable. Taking a razzing from your author friends might be
the push you need to get those pages written.
5.
Keep Your Duff in the Chair – I have found this is half the battle. If I force
myself to sit at my desk, even if I’m not feeling motivated, I will eventually
begin to write. Persistence really is key being productive.
6.
Eat the Elephant One Bite at a Time – Break any chore down into small jobs. Don’t say,
“I’m going to write a chapter.” Don’t even say, “I’m going to write a scene.”
Do say, “I’m going to write one page.” Once you write that one page, you can
build on that small success and confidently dive into the second.
7.
Focus on the Goal, not the Difficulty – Become very aware of your thoughts. Do not allow
yourself to think negatively. This is so
hard! I’ll never finish this book! These thoughts will only further squash
your creativity and your motivation. Instead, ponder how good you’ll feel when
you finish that one page, that one scene, that one chapter. Think about how
wonderful it will be when you complete that book, when you upload it for
Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iBooks. Think about how great it will be to read those
5-star reviews.
8.
Celebrate Your Creativity – Writing is hard work, there’s no doubt about it.
Give yourself a pat on the back when you reach a goal. You’ve earned the right
to feel good about what you’ve accomplished. But don’t party too hard or too
long. Remember, there are always more pages to be written.
Motivation is like the great
ocean tide; it swells and ebbs. Take full advantage of those times when your
excitement to work is strong. Get those pages written! But when the inclination
to create seems nowhere to be found, I hope you’ll re-read the list above, get
off your duff, and kick-start your motivation!
This post first appeared on Indies Unlimited.
~ ~ ~
I'm a USA Today
Bestselling Author of over 30 romance and women’s fiction titles. Learn more about me on my blog. Or connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. I love to hear from readers. My latest project is a 10-book, multi-author bundle entitled
Ten Brides for Ten Heroes available for Kindle,
Nook,
Kobo,
and iBooks.
It’s also available on Smashwords.
Look for the Ten Brides for Ten Heroes Cookbook, offered FREE at the same venues.
