“Our continued influxes of feeling are modified and directed by our thoughts” – William Wordsworth
Motivation is the pitfall for many writers.
Nothing defeats the feeling of setting out to write up your latest idea.
You have probably thought about it for the last few days or weeks or months, fleshing out your characters and your landscapes, your world, your plot. They are all becoming so tantalisingly real, so interesting in everything you make them do. This, you think, is going to be the next “big thing”.
Motivation is an eager river running through you. Every day becomes a pattern: you wake up, you eat, you drink, you read the newspaper in front of the television, but what you want most is to just sit down at your desk and rap away at the keys. After all, your character needs to defeat that next monster, or leap that next hurdle.
Every writer has had the same feeling. The initial excitement can last for as long as a few weeks, maybe even months. The satisfaction of seeing your characters come to life, your world being lived in, the word count on those pages adding up. Yes, this really is the story that will make your career. You just can’t stop smiling.
But there comes the day when you sit down at that very same desk, staring at that very same screen, adding to that very same character, and it all begins to feel like a chore. The novelty has worn off. You have written out that same scene ten times and it still doesn’t feel right.
You have lost every thread of inspiration.
As the days grow into weeks, you are forever stuck staring at a blank, white screen. Here and there you might type up a few sentences, maybe even an entire scene, but never do they sound as good as you want them to. Or as good as your favourite author.
Instead, in the vain attempt to inspire (or to avoid?) what your character is going to say next, or what situation you don’t want him to get into, you fire up the internet, watch some YouTube videos, check Facebook, do some minesweeper and take your virtual dog out for a walk. None of this works, so you shut down your computer in the hope that tomorrow will be a better day.
But it isn’t. The new pattern has begun, and you can see it happening right in front of you, but there is nothing you can do. Your book has become a raft adrift at sea, floating on the waters of unfinished rubbish.
Before long you are finding reasons to avoid your novel. Procrastination has become a common practice, and you feel lazy for letting it happen, but the motivation to write up that next scene or chapter is just too far beyond your reach. After all, writing is just a hobby; nobody would have published that book anyway. Pfft! It doesn’t matter. It can always wait another day, maybe even another week...
If this is you, then, simply put, you have lost the will and motivation to write.
But don’t be afraid! There is a strong possibility that you are suffering from symptoms of Writer’s Block.
It is never an easy thing to persevere at the same project for longer than a few months. Humans, by nature, find it hard to motivate themselves to do anything that is hard work: going to the gym, committing to a diet, driving to work, renovating the house...none of it is fun.
If you think long and hard, this is probably true for you. It is for most people. But do not be disheartened!
All writers, at some point in their career, have suffered from Writer’s Block. Hell, it took Tolkien three decades to write Lord of the Rings! The sooner you recognise that you have fallen into this pattern, the longer you can spend trying to rectify your motivation problems.
So here are a few tips to help you reach your goals of finishing that novel:
1. Read a lot and Write a lot!
If you want to become a professional writer, you must first become a professional reader. Do not read books because you have to; read them because you love them. Gathering information and facts is important. When reading, try to assimilate as much writing knowledge as you can. Take notes on anything that seems beneficial to your own writing practice.
It is always easier to follow a specific format, or technique, used by your favourite authors. This is fine as long as you do not fall into the trap of plagiarising their work word-for-word.
2. Innovate!
Easier said than done.
Innovation is the act of putting two things together to form a story. This happens all around us on a daily basis. Ever stood at a train station and watched that mischievous kid wander out near the tracks? Put two and two together and you have yourself an accident story.
Always take note of things that are happening around you. If you are serious about writing, chances are you already carry a pen and notebook. Always jot down notes at a presentable opportunity! It is healthy practice. If ever a new idea comes to you, even at the most obscene of times, then write it down!
3. Go on and never look back!
It is always easy to start editing a chapter the moment you finish it. And if you are, like me, one who does this on a regular basis, you will find yourself lost in your own story. You lose the rhythm of the plot, and the coherence and flow of the text. It is better to flesh out the story in one bulk, regardless of word length or the number of plot holes. Much of it can be resolved and mended during the editing phase!
4. Before carving a story, you must first dissect it
While many authors have started a story and not known where in the hell he/she is taking it, it is always best to have some sort of idea or plan on where you are driving the plot. Successful writers such as J.K. Rowling and Tolkien have all had the endings of their stories in mind from the outset. This gives the story a linear pattern in which you can direct it, allowing for much easier planning when wanting to include sub-plots.
5. Take a break!
If you really are stressed out by the level of work and planning that goes into the writing of a book, then it is best you put your health first. The biggest cause of Writer’s Block is the brain’s inability to assimilate new knowledge when under pressure. Everything becomes a desperate hurdle, words slammed onto the page without a care for their meaning or message.
Set your book aside for a few days, even a week or two, and go back to it with a fresh mind, with fresh ideas.
If you really are serious about writing, you will remember that strong discipline and a passionate work ethic will eventually see you through. It may take five years, it may take one, but the whole process needs to be fun in order to succeed. As with anything in life, if you are enjoying yourself, motivation comes naturally.
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