Writing what you don't love

When it comes to fiction, I adore what I write. I mean, I have to in order to put that much into it, right?

On the other hand, there are times I'm writing for work and my heart is not fully in it. It's kind of inevitable when you're writing for clients instead of for yourself. You're not going to be excited about every piece you write, and that's okay.

So how do you slog through content you're not passionate about?

One of the overwhelming aspects of projects I'm not excited about is the size. If it's a bigger project, it can seem to go on forever. Breaking it into smaller sections helps. Instead of knowing I have to push my way through a big project, I can focus on pushing through just this section of it, take a break, and move on to the next section.

Breaking it into smaller pieces also helps give yourself breaks to work on other things. I know that if I take a break in the middle of a project I'm not excited about to work on something I like, it's easier to come back to the other project. I know I don't have to spend all day on a project I'm dreading.

Finding the best time to work on those projects, as well. I used to be a night-writer. And while I still do a lot of writing at night, I find that I do better on projects I don't like if I tackle them first thing in the morning. My mind is sharper, and I make better progress. Then, if I end my day on "fun" projects (or fiction), I end my day better. It's easier to make my tired brain work on something I'm excited about than something I'm dreading.

You're not going to be ecstatic about everything you write if writing is your day job (unless you're a full-time novelist, in which case I'm incredibly jealous of you right now). But you can power through those less-than-awesome projects and get back to the fun ones.

When my Inner Writer is stomping her foot in protest....

I love writing. I really do. Editing, not so much. Background info....meh. But I love writing.

And yet, there are days when I sit at my computer and open my WIP*, and all I can think is, "Okay....now what?" Yes, as much as I love writing, there are days I don't really feel like writing.

There are generally two camps in writing that address motivation: write every day and write when you're inspired.

Write every day


The first camp is one that says you should write every day, no matter what. Even if you don't feel like it or don't have anything to say, or know as you're writing that you're going to have to delete everything the next day. The point is to get words on the page.

Those who have participated in NaNoWriMo often see the value in this camp. Those who have read Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way may also see the benefits from this approach.

Of course, this camp says that even if you don't feel like writing, do it. If it's on your schedule, do it. You can fix it later.

Write when you're inspired


The other camp is more forgiving when it comes to motivation. If you're not inspired to write, if you don't know what to say, no worries. You can write later when you're motivated to write.

This camp doesn't necessarily write every day, but when you are inspired to write, you keep going as long as you can. So your schedule may say to write for an hour, but if you're on a roll, you keep going for two or three or more hours because you're inspired to write.

Both sides have their advantages and disadvantages.

The write every day camp is good because you, yanno, write every day. But if you know you're writing something that flat-out won't work, is it worth it to take the time to put down on paper?

The write when you're inspired camp is good because, when you do write, you're writing something that you're inspired to write, that's more likely to be kept through editing. But if you only write when you're inspired, how long will you go between writing session?

I bring this up because I haven't been entirely motivated to write lately. After Bean being sick, I've had a little trouble getting back into the swing of things, especially since I'm still doing a lot of background writing (that can get a little tedious, to be honest). I think I've managed to come up with a good compromise that puts one foot in each writing camp, and that works for me.

I do try to write during my scheduled writing times, but if I know I'm forcing it, I use that time to be productive in other ways. I might work on some background/outlining, I may do some administrative stuff (filing invoices, catching up on emails, etc.), or I may take the time to read something beneficial instead. That way, I'm still using my writing time to further my writing, but not necessarily by actually writing.

Maybe you find that you really do need to write every day, no matter what. Or you may find that you really do need to let your story be unless you're inspired to work on it. Or some combination of both. Or neither. As always, you have to figure out what works best for you.

How do you handle motivation--or lack thereof--in your writing life?

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*WIP=Work In Progress

Writing motivation

Many on-writers see the writer's life as one full of art, inspiration and beauty.  They see writers' minds as fountains of stories just waiting to be written down.  It's a glamorous vision of writers' lives, but writers know it isn't always like that.  In fact, there are many times that writing feels much less a dream job and much more work.  And when it's work, it's hard to find the motivation to keep at it.


(Continue reading)

Tips for Motivation

As any writer knows, there are times when you sit in front of your computer (or typewriter or notebook) and just...stare. And as badly as you want to write or be productive, nothing happens. You're just not motivated to write. Unfortunately, it can just be a part of the writing life.


I'm finding that since I have much more time to write these days, my motivation wanes more quickly than it did when my writing time was more limited. So I've had to develop tricks to keep myself productive so I don't sit around all afternoon and watch I Love the 80s reruns on VH1.


Editing sometimes gives me the break I need from writing while still maintaining productivity. And many times the process of editing gives me ideas of how to continue the writing or where to take a plot, character, or setting once I've finished editing. and when I'm editing, I don't feel like I'm wasting valuable working time!


As much as I value the time I have to write, sometimes when I'm unmotivated, I just have to do something else for a while. Sometimes the best thing I can do is walk away from what I'm working on, give myself some space from it, then come back to it with a refreshed mind and a new perspective. Even teachers suggest students should take a ten minute break for every hour of studying, so why would writing be any different?


Though it may be cliche for a writer, it can be helpful to take a walk when feeling unmotivated. This goes along with doing something else for a while. It gives you the opportunity to step away from what you're writing to clear your head a bit, then come back to it with renewed energy and motivation.


You should be careful about these next two tips. Each of them can be helpful, but they can also suck you into a black hole of procrastination and feeding into lack of motivation. If you're feeling unmotivated, try calling a friend or catching up on email. As I've said before, writing can be a lonely life, and by reaching out to other humans on a semi-regular basis, you may find that you find stores of creativity and the motivation to keep working. And the added benefit of communication with friends is the possibility of picking up great dialogue for stories!

You'll find your own methods to boost your motivation, and while I encourage you to use them, just remember that every artist, no matter the medium, needs a little bit of down time. A little time away from writing doesn't hurt!

Happy scribbling!

Stare at screen. Bang head on keys. Repeat ad nauseum.

As geared up as I am for the summer, I can't seem to get motivated to write this week. I don't know if it's because I'm burned out from catching up at work, or if I'm just unmotivated, but last night when I sat down to work on the coffee house book, I sat for about twenty minutes and didn't type a single word.

I've been trying to temper my grading/lesson planning/end-of-the-year-ing with preparing for my summer job so as not to burn myself out, but obviously what I'm doing isn't really working.

I keep telling myself I have nothing to complain about, really. With my teacher's schedule, I have ample time to write some afternoons, weekends, and all summer. I've read about writers who had to scribble their novels on the subway every morning and evening, or only had an hour to write each morning before work, and still managed to turn out award-winning work.

However, all the time in the world is meaningless without the motivation to write, and there's just something in this coffee-addles brain of mine that isn't letting me write.

I blame the day gig.

After I've finished my grading for the weekend, my intention is to spend some time cleaning out my desk and thoroughly organizing my writing space for the summer. (I have to do something productive this weekend!)

Only 14 more days until my summer vacation! Woo hoo!