How do you maintain your writing motivation/ability?

[Sid87]

I used to write all the time. Almost every waking hour I was home, I was writing something. But as of late, and a lot of this I blame on growing up and living circumstances, I just never find the time or motivation to do so.

What's odd is that when I am doing things where I CAN'T write--sitting at work, driving, or lying in bed--I do very little else other than think of my stories. I plot out new ideas, bits of dialogue I want to use, or new characters. But the moment I have free time and I sit in front of my computer...I have no desire to write whatsoever. I quickly end up distracted either visiting waste-of-time websites, playing Pokemon, or entertaining my fiancee. It's this weird situation where when I can't write, I can think of nothing but; yet when I can write as much as want, it's the furthest thing from my mind. Does this happen to anyone else? How do you overcome it? I find, obviously, when I try to force myself to write, it's a 50/50 proposition. It either works for a bit, or I just despise the forced nature of everything I come out with.

Also, I've always been a very particular writer. I have annoying little writing habits. I enjoy writing while standing up much more than while sitting down, and I ideally will write a few lines, then wander away to talk the story out aloud to myself. I can't have any music or TV on. This has been badly hindered for the past 3 years since I've been living with my fiancee. Our apartment is big enough that I have my own "spare room" if I want to write, but then she tends to feel like I'm "ignoring her". Also, wandering about the house, talking out dialogue and pantomiming actions is going to make her think I am crazy. Heh. But when I was younger and in school and had more free time, these were the habits I fell into. So...any additional advice on breaking these mental crutches?

 

[Kutie Pie]

Ugh, I'm in the middle of this right now, I have been for a few months. I really, really, really wanna write (especially since I'm so close to the end), but college has been mean to me. I tend to feel exhausted whenever I open up the Word document, and I never do anything but sit there and read what I have. Which isn't really a bad idea, to look back at your work and hopefully get into the writing spirit. But to do that, you have to write.

So what I've been doing recently is writing some one-shots. They're shorter than what I normally write, but I'm writing nevertheless. The feeling of your fingers typing away a story inside your head is what helps you get into the spirit of it. If that's what it takes is to just write away what comes to mind, then do it. But you get distracted, you say. Shucks, I get distracted a lot, too. *stares at Serebii*

If it distracts you so much, then for a certain period of the day, turn off your wireless/modem/whatever you use, unless you know you need to do some research. In that case, you need to monitor yourself. You need to open up that document, keep your fingers at the keyboard, read what you have, and just start adding whatever comes to mind. You can go back and fix it where needed. If you use music as inspiration, make sure you have the appropriate soundtrack on. Instrumental and classical music are the best options so lyrics don't distract you. If that doesn't work for you...

Well, your muse will come back to bother you eventually... outside of work (because muses are evil like that). Writing moods are kinda like a wave, they go up and they go down. When inspiration hits you, you need to write it down fast. If you're at work and you have a piece of paper, write down the ideas and get to the computer when you get off with your outline out there in front of you.

That's all I can think of right now. I may have forgotten something, but I'm already in a rush ^^;, so yeah. Good luck!

 

[Sid87]

Ugh, I'm in the middle of this right now, I have been for a few months. I really, really, really wanna write (especially since I'm so close to the end), but college has been mean to me. I tend to feel exhausted whenever I open up the Word document, and I never do anything but sit there and read what I have. Which isn't really a bad idea, to look back at your work and hopefully get into the writing spirit. But to do that, you have to write.

I was actually talking to JX Valentine about this lately. Not to come across as an old man going "you kids don't know how good you have it!", but I'd KILL to have the free time/writing time I had when all I had was college classes and a job. I always thought "When I am done with school, I'll have more time to write!", but now I seem to have less than ever. Full-time 40-hour per week job that is an hour commute each way from my home+ a pending marriage + maintaining a household + going to the gym + various weekly activities (ultimate frisbee with friends/dance classes)...I just feel overwhelmed most of the time. So what I'm saying is...enjoy the time you have. Like me, you probably think it will get better, but (for me, at least), it did NOT.

Beyond that, though, I do love reading what I previously wrote; I need to use that as motivation more often.

So what I've been doing recently is writing some one-shots. They're shorter than what I normally write, but I'm writing nevertheless. The feeling of your fingers typing away a story inside your head is what helps you get into the spirit of it. If that's what it takes is to just write away what comes to mind, then do it. But you get distracted, you say. Shucks, I get distracted a lot, too. *stares at Serebii*

Yeah, the Internet is terrible; it's a blessing for research and ideas, but a pain for distracting me. I've tried the whole "write something short" thing (which is really the only time I do fan-fic is when I'm using it as pure practice and motivation), but the same thing happens to me: I get 7-10 pages in, and then get distracted by 800 other things or just flat-out lose my motivation (I've ever Come to calling to my Seven-Page Ditch because I usually do it right around page 7).

If it distracts you so much, then for a certain period of the day, turn off your wireless/modem/whatever you use, unless you know you need to do some research. In that case, you need to monitor yourself. You need to open up that document, keep your fingers at the keyboard, read what you have, and just start adding whatever comes to mind. You can go back and fix it where needed. If you use music as inspiration, make sure you have the appropriate soundtrack on. Instrumental and classical music are the best options so lyrics don't distract you. If that doesn't work for you...

I wish I could turn the modem off, but I do mild amounts of research while writing, so I'd just constantly flipping the Wireless on-and-off. I'm afraid my laptop would revolt if I did that. Heh. And I'm not much of a music person...like I said in my OP, pretty much any extraneous sound bugs the heck out of me. It conflicts with the noise in my head!

Well, your muse will come back to bother you eventually... outside of work (because muses are evil like that). Writing moods are kinda like a wave, they go up and they go down. When inspiration hits you, you need to write it down fast. If you're at work and you have a piece of paper, write down the ideas and get to the computer when you get off with your outline out there in front of you.

That's all I can think of right now. I may have forgotten something, but I'm already in a rush ^^;, so yeah. Good luck!

Yeah, I really want to do that. It's just hard because most of my ideas come either when I am driving or about to fall asleep. It's not a particularly great idea to be jotting stuff down then. I had an audio recorder once, but I lost that a while ago. Though I guess most cell phones have the same feature now; I should probably take advantage of that.

Thanks for the reply and all your help!

 

[lovetheangelshadow]

Kinda the reason I comandeer a Study Room in the library at school. That room is practically soundproof. I usually keep a mini sketchbook and a composition notebook in my bag just in case. By the way I typically hang about in author chat rooms and bounce ideas. It usually helps

 

[Pkmn Breeder Jack]

Something new I've started to use is a mini notebook. It's a little pocket-sized composition book that I carry around to write down ideas whenever I think of them. If you have a smart phone, you could write down things in that. It's good to have a place to put down random ideas immediately so you can come back to them and expand on them. I also have notebooks full of stuff in my room that I dump everything in to. I just write as much as I can about the characters, setting, plot, etc., and get it on paper. That way, when I sit down, all the ideas are there and easy to recall.

This doesn't always work, and sometimes you'll just go through dry spells and not be able to get anything out. Trust me, I was there for around two years with only brief moments of inspiration. But now I'm back to normal and writing a lot. It's just the nature of the work.

 

[diamondpearl876]

I used to write all the time. Almost every waking hour I was home, I was writing something. But as of late, and a lot of this I blame on growing up and living circumstances, I just never find the time or motivation to do so.

What's odd is that when I am doing things where I CAN'T write--sitting at work, driving, or lying in bed--I do very little else other than think of my stories. I plot out new ideas, bits of dialogue I want to use, or new characters. But the moment I have free time and I sit in front of my computer...I have no desire to write whatsoever. I quickly end up distracted either visiting waste-of-time websites, playing Pokemon, or entertaining my fiancee. It's this weird situation where when I can't write, I can think of nothing but; yet when I can write as much as want, it's the furthest thing from my mind. Does this happen to anyone else? How do you overcome it? I find, obviously, when I try to force myself to write, it's a 50/50 proposition. It either works for a bit, or I just despise the forced nature of everything I come out with.

Also, I've always been a very particular writer. I have annoying little writing habits. I enjoy writing while standing up much more than while sitting down, and I ideally will write a few lines, then wander away to talk the story out aloud to myself. I can't have any music or TV on. This has been badly hindered for the past 3 years since I've been living with my fiancee. Our apartment is big enough that I have my own "spare room" if I want to write, but then she tends to feel like I'm "ignoring her". Also, wandering about the house, talking out dialogue and pantomiming actions is going to make her think I am crazy. Heh. But when I was younger and in school and had more free time, these were the habits I fell into. So...any additional advice on breaking these mental crutches?

Try to write when your fiancee is out of the house? Or try to explain that you're not ignoring her, just that it's very easy for you to get distracted from writing? The thing about not finding the motivation to write seems normal, but trying to get rid of as many obstacles in the way should be helpful, along with trying everything else people have mentioned. I write notes all the time, think constantly about what I want to write for 1-2 weeks but never actually get anything done due to distractions and lack of motivation, then set aside an entire day here and there where all I do is write, no matter what. I usually get 6,000 words in a day like this. On those days, though, I usually have to still force myself to start. Sometimes you just have to take that 50/50 chance.

 

[Crystal]

I understand your feelings. I'm almost always in such situation.

I am a final year university student, where I'll need to find myself a job after receiving my degree, and not yet to mention I'm in the middle of applying for driver's licence. Also my family running a family business, where I always (5 days out of a week) need to go help them, so I seldomly have free time to write. The time I could get is always only after dinner, where I'm quite tired after the day's work, and that is the time where I can be so easily distracted. The real free time is only limited to Saturday and Sunday.

When I'm writing, I need a complete silent environment, and additionally there must be no other people within my 3m radius. Any noise and existence of life will distract me easily, including my pets, the flies and mosquitoes as well. So I allow no one to enter my room during the weekend. Yeah, I can give up to write very easily even I'm sitting in front of my computer with my fic right in the screen.

I get so easily distracted during writing, but strangely I can become enthusiastic quite easily if I'm not writing the fic itself, but planning some of the future story. When I'm planning, all I need to do is make myself "isolated" from the outside world, which can be done by locking myself in my room; or even simply plugging my mp3 player into my ears, playing the music of the canon I'm writing in, such that other unwanted noise doesn't reach my ears. The idea will then slowing flowing into my head, makes me want to plan further, and hence want to write again.
When I'm uninterested to write, I'll go do the planning work, which then will fuse up my writing interest again. However, my planning speed is faster than the writing speed, so I often plan too much, and it makes me less interested to write the old chapters that I didn't finish. I had already planned the plot for my current fanfic up to chapter 12, but I'm still writing chapter 2... So I don't think my method works for you.

Oh, and one more thing. When I'm writing, I always turn off my internet connection, so I won't let myself go surf other webs. When I need to search for information, I always download the webpage into my computer, so I don't need to go online for the same information again. Believe it or not, my computer had stored all the webpages of all the Pokemon's data and other miscellaneous informations from Serebii.net, Bulbapedia, and some other websites. My database had already reached 3GB.

 

[Shadow Lucario]

When I sit down and write I take my first idea and run with it. I don't stop until that idea resolves itself. I also tell myself I need to get it done. Even then I may take a break in between to rest my eyes. Then I may tell myself that after I will watch a certain show or do something I've been looking forward to. I used to procrastinate a lot. My chapters would sometimes be separated by months, but now the longest wait for one of my chapters has been around twenty days.