any tips on increasing motivation?

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SometimesBored

I had some trouble finding the right forum for this post... I hope this was a good choice.... and since I'm only able to write short stories/novellas at the moment I put it here. Currently, I'm suffering from a lack of motivation. I think it's because I haven't really gotten anything in return for all that I've written, except for a few replies to Misplaced Ethics here and on another board. At another board where I post my stories, less and less people are reading them, and I've only gotten one reply out of the like six or seven of them I've posted. Maybe I suck or something, I don't know. Maybe I'm not cut out for this and something else is meant for me. It's a very depressing state I'm in. I hope I didn't ruin anyone's day with this post. I just wish there was some way to get more attention with the stuff I write.. I'd like to submit something to a certain magazine but I'm not certain if I'm at the right level yet. :(

bah! i'll never be a famous author! *bashes head against laptop violently* :head :head :head
 

Lori Basiewicz

Okay, that's it. Stop abusing your laptop. You're going to need it.

Don't look for validation for your writing from your fellow writers. You won't get it. Oh, sure, you may get the occassional critique or some comments, but validation? No way.

Pick your favorite story and send it out into the world. Is it perfect? No. And it never will be. You never will write the perfect story. Period.

Is it right for the publication you have in mind? I don't know. And you won't know for sure either until you send it to them. Will it get rejected? Possibly. And, if it does, come right back to the Water Cooler. You'll find sympathy and compassion go hand-in-hand with the tough love.
 

Sailor Kenshin

If you find some, tell me.

I crashed and burned October '02. I had been writing a story a week, and then, nothing.

Don't know why. Don't know how. Attempts to get back into it have failed so far. All I seem to be able to do is edit old stories that never got circulated.
 

Arisa81

Motivation? Well, first off enjoying what you are writing. If you try to write things that you don't have any interest in, it won't work.

So find an area of writing that you do love: poetry, greetings, articles, long-fiction, short-fiction, non-fiction. Next you'd have to narrow down your topics, I suggest not being all over the map (this is mainly for non-fiction).

I just recently decided that I had to stop trying to write everything and decide on a couple areas I really love. The less interested I am in what I try to write, the less I want to write of anything.

Sailor: How about editing those already pieces and getting them into circulation ? That might get your mind into it again. that's what I do when I'm not writing new stuff. :coffee

Good Luck

April:star
 

toto1958

Depression can bring on a lack of motivation. People who are severly ill have a terrible time with motivation. But a peson doesn't have to be mentally ill to suffer from depresion. Depression can stop a person dead in their tracks and kill motivation right along with it.
 

Arisa81

You are right Toto, I have been there.

But if the person is depressed over the fact that writing is not coming to them, that's different, and that's where motivation to write comes in :grin

I was at one time extremely depressed and could not do anything. Had no ideas, no motivation. Nothing. That was a horrid time. I hope no one else has to go through that for as long as I did. I feel like I wasted so much time...

Okay I'm young still, 23 next month, hehe, but I can barely remember that year or so that I did nothing but sleep.

And now write like....like...well, like a writer hehe.

April:star
 

Flawed Creation

sometimesbored: i can't give you too much advice, being pretty new at this myself.

first, a nitpicky comment: "less and less people are commenting" is wrong. "fewer and fewer" is correct.

incidentally, i commented on misplaced Ethics.

well, tell you what clean up a piece a bit and submit. tell yourself oyu WILL submit something by such-and-such. even if you aren't certain you're at a mag's level yet, i'd give it a shot once you've polished a ice a bit more. as long as your writing isn't turly awful it shouldn't hurt your future wiht them too muhc. if it's pretty good but not quite good enough, i imagine that, if anything, they'll look forward to your next submission, hoping it'll be even better.

and maybe you'll get an inspiring rejection.
 

Sailor Kenshin

I'm still trying!

I got out some writing how-tos that had been published in a newsletter, and sent some to some online markets that took reprints.

One was accepted this week. I'm pretty pleased over that. Now if I can only start writing new stuff again.
 

Arisa81

Sailor,

Congrats on the sale !

As for writing new stuff, the only advice I can give you is to think about what really interests you and try writing about that. Try making a list of all the topis that can come out of that one area.

ie. Parenting...feedings, activities, education, crafts, naming babies, teaching manners etc. You get the idea.

Hope that helps a little
 

Arisa81

Go for it !

I mean once you start writing something, anything, bad or good, or nonsense even, you might end up coming up with tons of ideas for writing.

Do you write in a journal or anything? Or are you blocked all around?
 

Sailor Kenshin

I used to write in a journal (3 pp/day of whatever nonsense flowed, like Cameron suggests in The Artist's Way) AND a dream journal.

And I was writing a story a week. Well, a draft, anyway.

Now I'm struggling to edit older drafts that never made it out of the folder. Writing new stuff? Not quite yet.

Unless you count this ezboard addiction...
 

Yeshanu

Currently, I'm suffering from a lack of motivation. I think it's because I haven't really gotten anything in return for all that I've written, except for a few replies to Misplaced Ethics here and on another board. At another board where I post my stories, less and less people are reading them, and I've only gotten one reply out of the like six or seven of them I've posted.

SometimesBored, I'll give you the same advice I gave another person who had this very complaint on the Share Your Work forum...

People who go into Share Your Work and actually read and crit work (as opposed to just posting it) are those who spend a fair amount of time on the board and read and post on many forums. I can only speak for myself, but I tend to read and crit the work of people I've seen around on other forums (Poetry, if you're into that, Novel or Short Story Writing, etc.) I don't avoid newbies, but if I'm pressed for time, it's my friends who get the dubious benefit of my crit first.

So, if you want more responses from posting your work (and I think this is what you're trying for), then take some time to have fun on the other threads. Read the "Uncle Jim" thread in novel writing. Post a question on the "Take it Outside" Board. Read some of the posts on the "Humor Writing" thread... There's no limit.

Post. Ask questions. Give answers. Crit other people's work. Then, when you post something on the Share Your Work forum, you can also post a link at the appropriate forum telling people it's there. If what you're writing isn't totally off-the-wall (and I don't think that's the problem) your friends from the other threads will follow that link and read your stuff.

Hanging around here will also help with the motivation factor. At least it has for me. Hearing other writers say, week after week, that they've been writing and submitting work keeps me going...

I'd especially like to point out Barb's "Weekend Report" thread on the Humor board. Read through the last couple of pages to get an idea of what we do there, and then join us!

Hope to see you there soon.

Ruth
 

LiamJackson

Lots of well-intentioned and solid advice. And why do you suppose that is? The likely answer is that we've all been there, done that, and got the black-and-blue writer egos to prove it.

It really sounds like you could really use a good dose of validation, i.e, someone to look at your work and tell you it has merit. That's not a bad thing. We all need a little validation from time to time. Some of us need a lot. If we're not touching our intended audience, why write, eh?

Figure out who you're writing to/for. Then, write, write, write, polish, polish, polish, submit, submit, submit.

There's a host of other suggestions for finding motivation. They'll come to you in time. For now, be assured that you're not alone and like most other problems in life, this too, shall pass.
 

veingloree

I find one thing works like a charm. Get together with other writers (actually or online, just one other writer is enough) and set personal weekly goals. Harrass each other to pick realistic goals and acheive them. If you don't acheive them you can even build in incentives (next time we meet whoever has failed their goal buys the drinks). It is much easier to control your own behaviour by way of the outer world, rather than just inside your own thoughts -- and a lot more fun too.
 

teresa20

That is just their opion. just like a singer someone going to say you terrible but someone might give you a record deal. it not actacly the same. you may can write you just that one to love your work.maybe now nobody does. but oneday you might say how can I have listen to them!
I don't show my script on the board for one
I don't my ideas to get taken
or someone to tell me what I can't do
when they not a big writer themselves!
 

Melina

I'd love to talk about this some more...

So, how about it people--Do you ever have days when the baby's crying, the vacuum cleaner belt broke, the dishwasher leaks, and the espresso machine has a major meltdown? Do you find it tough to get motivated to write when there is just sooooo much going on in your life? Aren't there times when you could very easily rationalize your lack of computer time with a, "I am just too busy right now"? I have days like that a lot, and I really have to struggle to get my old, tired butt to sit down and pound on the keyboard.

Do you have a special trick for overcoming those motivationally challenging days? Share, won't you? :hug
 

MrAngelwithnowings

you're biggest enemy is...you!

Sup all,

Concerning motivation, depression, etc

There was a time I look at as one of my darkest hours in my life....

It was shortly after being shot several times, rehab for a year then returning home to see..all my friends had gone...

It was too hard to take for them. they were just starting to pursue their dreams yet mine looked as if it was ending....

I ended up alone by myself and feeling down bigtime. My mind shut down. I didnt want to dream anymore. The lonliness was HUGE.

I just started praying. I needed strength within. I slowly began reading junk, magazines, anything to do with the outside world. I began to write...

Reading my work, I soon realized I was letting myself think and feel negative.

I also realized there was a HUGE world out there that was passing me by. I was missing alot every day outside because my mind was keeping me down and full of doubt inside.

I NEEDED TO LIVE. I needed to break free and stop thinking about my insecurities, failures, and disadvantages I had compared to other people and society. I also had to stay away and avoid anyone that made me feel negative.

I had to think about what I COULD do. I focused on anything positive in my life and outside my life.

So just write. Who cares if people in one area may not like what you write. Not everyone in this world will no matter how good it is. Its life. I could care less if no one here likes what I write,,,i write for me. If it gets accepted somewhere then its a bonus.

Someone out there will eventually like your stuff...

Dont let your mind keep you down...

OK im done.

If this doesnt help you or anyone else reading this..at least it helped me

:rofl
 

Melina

Your biggest enemy...

MrAngel--

Thank you so much for your story, and for trusting us enough to share your pain. I have been in the abyss myself (more than once), and I know it's hard enough to even breathe, let alone write. So tell us--How did you pull yourself out? What did you do to make yourself think about the positive? I'd love to know what strategy you used. Basically, that's what I'm getting at here--not just our stories of pain, but tricks, strategies, steps to take to make ourselves get out of bed and WRITE!

Thanks again for your input! :clap
 

Sailor Kenshin

Re: Your biggest enemy...

Sometimes it's difficult even to get out of bed, when you're not feeling well. As Melina stated; it's true.

Then I think it's not so much a matter of "motivation" but getting well again, which sometimes means doctor visits. I know we all love those! But if you don't have enough energy to get out of bed, you're not going to have energy to write.
 
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