Ways To Find The Motivation To Write
As someone who has been writing for over 15 years and has been a professional journalist for the past six years, one of the most essential parts of the process is staying motivated to write.
Some artists say that writer’s block doesn’t exist while others resort to all sorts of methods or routines to find out how to jump-start their creative brain. This MWL post is a few tips for getting back to writing when the work is hard.
Here are some sure-fire ways to stay motivated to write…
1. Make a music playlist inspired by your writing project.
Many writers use music as a way to engage with the world of their story. Finding a song that reminds you of your character’s heartbreak might make it a lot easier to write that rough scene you’ve been dreading in ACT II or knowing your main character’s mother’s favorite song might be a portal into memory.
To put it simply, music is a powerful vessel for emotion and memory. Use it to your advantage in your writing process and it will surprise you. While working on my debut book, I made numerous playlists that represented different characters or themes in the book. I also have a general Writing Music Playlist.
2. Find videos/resources to serve as writing inspiration or as a way to get into the world of your writing.
In the depths of working on my current novel-in-progress, I had to do a lot of research to put myself in the world of the book, which is set in the mid-1980s. Although this book is set in the past, I believe any novel involves some notion of world-building to make the setting and environment of your story believable.
In other words… How can you give your setting texture? What does your character notice, love, or loath in their environment? And what does this say about them? How do they react to the cultural, political, and social conditions around them?
Finding Youtube videos that explore a topic your character may be well-versed in or a political event relevant to them can give your story depth, and allow you to live in your characters’ shoes in a more meaningful way.
For example, I watched a lot of IntelextualMedia’s videos to understand the social and political conditions of the 1980s. One of her most helpful videos was on youth culture in the 1980s.
3. Seek out a writing confidant or collaborator.
This is one of my favorite tips because I tend to be a writer that loves to talk through problems or thoughts on my manuscript. Finding a writing confidant or collaborator can be hard, but the basic steps are: (1) be friendly and outgoing in your local community or (2) seek out writing friends/community online via Twitter, etc.
What the latter has looked like for me in the last year especially is the practice of messaging writers that I admire for one reason or another online to give them a genuine compliment and note that I am glad to be in community with them. In this world, a genuine compliment and a bit of gratitude go a long way.
Another tip - find local or online writing workshops as a way to both get feedback on your work and network with other writers.