What is your Motivation?

[amandagrace24]

I've been writing since elementary school, pretty much. I went to an arts high school and had a concentration in creative writing. Since leaving high school, I have had such a lack of motivation lately! How do you guys stay in the zone and feel inspired to write? What helps you get in the mood and actually put pen to paper, or fingers to keys?

[Eustacia Tan]

When the plot bunnies get to me, I just get so excited about the story that I can't help but want to write

[DATo]

So far I have only written short stories and the occasional poem. I have rarely actually planned the entire story. One example was the last Book and Reading Discussion Forum short story contest. I did not actually submit my story but Scott's premise ("The self-destructive results of jealousy and hate.") became an interesting challenge for me and this led to my story, The Secret Recipe, which managed to get a few positive comments by our members.

Almost all of my short stories end in a twist and I suppose I usually begin with the twist and work backwards. My last submission to the forum's short story section was a piece I called Moment of Truth which was typical of the way I approach this method. The plan was to show how a woman who doubted her husband's love was made to understand that she was wrong but through an ironic misjudgment of the facts before her eyes. This can be fun to do but it is a lot like being given the answer to an algebraic problem and then having to invent the equation to arrive at it *LOL*

[Eustacia Tan]

So far I have only written short stories and the occasional poem. I have rarely actually planned the entire story. One example was the last Book and Reading Discussion Forum short story contest. I did not actually submit my story but Scott's premise ("The self-destructive results of jealousy and hate.") became an interesting challenge for me and this led to my story, The Secret Recipe, which managed to get a few positive comments by our members.

Almost all of my short stories end in a twist and I suppose I usually begin with the twist and work backwards. My last submission to the forum's short story section was a piece I called Moment of Truth which was typical of the way I approach this method. The plan was to show how a woman who doubted her husband's love was made to understand that she was wrong but through an ironic misjudgment of the facts before her eyes. This can be fun to do but it is a lot like being given the answer to an algebraic problem and then having to invent the equation to arrive at it *LOL*

That is actually a really cool writing method! I normally pants my way to the problem, but it would be fun to start from the back and work my way to the start.

[moderntimes]

I've been a writer all my adult life, beginning with of course collegiate assignments, but also writing an underground newsletter (this was the 60s, hey).

As a newswriter (stringer) for a major daily, my motivation was 1- the love of writing, 2- the modest money I made, and 3- seeing my byline in a newspaper article. Seeing your name "by Joe Smith" is a great feeling, believe me.

Some of my writing has been inspirational. I've written essays for my diocesan magazine, for no pay, just for the pleasure of it.

I've also written commercially published articles, some in local magazines, some in national magazines. The money is certainly an incentive (getting a check for $1000 is a pretty good piece of mail to receive, and "pay to the order of..." is keen). But I also wrote those articles because I thought I had something to say that was different. And apparently the editors thought so too, picking up my articles and publishing them.

My most recent writing has been a series of modern American private detective novels. I love mysteries, especially private eye, and so I decided to give it a try. An attempted short story blossomed longer and longer, and became my first novel. I'd never thought that I could write a whole novel, but eventually it became a reality. Now I've sold all three novels to a "real" publisher (not a vanity publisher) and I'm working on my 4th novel.

So modest success fires me up, and yes, a modest amount of money is great, but I'd guess that the total of all the money I've earned over my lifetime is less than $10,000, so that's not a lot of dough and I certainly couldn't live on it. Of course I hope that my private eye novels take off and I make a load of cash, but that's a sidebar advantage.

What stimulates me is to see my books on the shelf of the local bookstore. Nifty.

Now I admit that I'm often taking a few days off from my writing. I've got other things in my life, after all -- my wonderful live-in girlfriend and I have social life, I enjoy reading, watching sports and great movies, and just hanging out at the local Brit pub with pals.

But I'm a writer. Let me urge you to say this about yourself. If you say "I would like to be a writer" or "I would like to write a novel" then this "want to" bleeds energy from you. Instead say "I AM a writer" and "I am writing a novel!" and this will get you started on the right foot.

Sometimes I have to push myself to get back to working on my new novel, but as soon as I get started, the act of reviewing what I wrote earlier energizes me and lets me go forward. So yeah, sometimes I have to recharge myself. But the joy I have in writing is usually sufficient.

[MyBrokeCollegeLife]

I have a small network of close friends that also love to write and discussing story ideas with them always gets me excited. If I am having a really hard time I also sometimes do a quick stream of consciousness to generate a character and get me started.

[moderntimes]

Ideas are something I don't lack, ever. I've got a huge file on my laptop with "ideas" for various stories, articles, essays, and novels. It's just that I don't have 59 hours per day to write all of them out.

As far as motivation, as my previous post indicated, I've got several motivators--- my love of literature and writing paramount, and added to that, my enjoyment of seeing my name in print, and of course making a few bucks here and there, only "beer money" of course but still.

[pjswink]

Enjoyed reading your posts moderntimes....I totally agree to say "I am a writer." Whatever we call ourselves, we become. That is why it is so important to monitor how we talk to Self. I like your advice on this point.

Sometimes I write a great deal. During those times ideas bubble over and I have trouble putting the pen down even to eat or sleep. Other times i write only short notes, but everyday I NEED to write something. I believe Writing is one of the Called professions....and in those professions you just do it whether it is deemed any good, and whether you get rewarded or not. This world is so amazing, so full of life and various perspectives. Someone needs to observe and record these infinite combinations. I am just doing my small part by writing - that is my motivation.

[moderntimes]

For me, although I love writing, I also am encouraged by the process of finding a venue for my work. It doesn't matter if I get paid $5 or $5,000 (well no, of COURSE it matters, ha ha) but the process of moving toward a commercial outlet, selling my writing, provides me more incentive, even if I don't actually sell it.

It's the process of professionalism which I find significant in motivation. Otherwise it's just putting words into a computer file which maybe a pal or two might read. But if I focus on the direction of actually writing for "pay" (professional recognition, really) then I have a tighter focus and a stronger motivation toward making the writing that much better. Writing in a "professional" mindset, even if I don't sell the story or book or whatever, is a mode of intensity which is a way that, for me, provides better writing. It removes the "hobby" aspects of writing, and the professional focus improves my output.

And I did actually sell my 3 novels, so there's that.

[pjswink]

I understand. Yes, that makes sense.

I should clarify my earlier post.

While I certainly do not mind being paid....writing has never been my "real" job, or even A JOB. Until recently my writing was so personal that I did not share it with anyone. I poured myself into it - more like Art, and actually hid it. This kind of writing was and is a storage vessel for my self-expression. I can refuse to write the words, until they start keeping me up at night and haunting me all day....it is just easier to let them out to the pages. Drawing and painting do the same thing to me - ideas and images will mulch a while and then I just have to write/draw/paint so that I can have peace within myself.

The former post was about that kind of writing.

However, over the years because of various affiliations, people would ask me to write and/or edit for them occasionally. I would, but the motivation for that kind of writing was solely because someone asked, it facilitated my "real" job, or was for payment. I am obligated to myself to always put forth my best. It is a long-time-ago promise, so that I can live with no regret. I also agree it is important to be professional and tailor the words/style to fit the need and purpose. My posting above did not consider this other type of writing.

[moderntimes]

Thanks for the added comment, pj. Helps me understand.

What I see here often is that many folks are a bit leery of "writing for money" and I also want to clarify this, as I see it...

You say you wrote personally, as a sort of exegesis, and I agree, many folks write this way. I myself have written inner thoughts and reflections at times. But as I got older I stopped being a bit shy and started writing for "real" - not necessarily for pay, but for a professional direction.

Of course, part time being a newswriter for a major daily helped me do this. When you are writing a short piece, even if it's for some suburban city council meeting report for the paper's morning edition, it's still professional writing. And this helps develop a mindset.

Now when I say that I write "for money" it's not really the money thing. Too many newbie writers are gunshy about this concept. What I actually mean is writing in a professional way, toward the goal of professional (non-vanity) publication. Even if it doesn't happen, it's the mindset and the slant which, for me at least, provides the forward drive and need to excel, to write something really good, something which a magazine or publisher would actually buy. If only for $20 it's still the goal.

Too many new writers, folks here, are so reluctant to consider that their writing could be commercially viable. I'm not talking about a "dear diary" writing, but a short story or essay or article. If newbie writers consider that others out there, not pals or relatives, but total strangers, might actually LIKE to read the story, it's a big breakthrough.

Some newbies seem to think that writing professionally is demeaning and playing to the crowd. And I understand this, because there is this strange but incorrect belief that only if you write "for yourself" you are a "real" writer. Nothing could be further from the truth.

It's in fact completely feasible to "write for yourself" AND write for professional directions. The two aren't mutually exclusive.

Now I totally agree that if some writer prostitutes him/herself by writing trash for money, yes, that's egregious. But for example, I write BOTH for myself and for sale. I love private detective stories and so I'm writing a series of modern American PI novels.

But what did I do? I did not want to write the same old thing. That's boring and even if it's popular, I can't do it. So my private eye is not the fists & pint of rye old fashioned Mike Hammer type, nor is he the superspy James Bondish perfect athlete and lover and shooter and whatever, gourmet cook? ha ha

Instead, I created a private eye who's different. He's highly educated, very intelligent, raised by good parents and went to the best college and graduated cum laude and so on. So he's waaaay above the "standard" private eye but he is still drawn into terrible situations, and these "mean streets" (to quote Raymond Chandler) are a conflict in his soul to the type of life he wants to lead. So this conflict creates tension and internal struggles, and this "spiritual arc" runs parallel to the normal "plot arc" of the story (exciting with all the normal PI stuff). So I've tried to create not a hero, but a genuine modern anti-hero.

In short, I am writing "commercially" viable stories, but on my own terms. So I don't feel compromised. Now I've had friends who've read my books, and they recommend that I add more shootings or typical stereotypical private eye action, and I say no thanks. And thus far I've managed to be offered a very reasonable (not a lot of money, but hey) professional publishing contract for all 3 novels.

Without compromise. My publisher has not made one single request for altering my stories. All they want is to fix typos and such.

My point is this: If a newbie author tries to write with too much "internal" direction, it may limit the creativity. If however the author tries to write a short story or novel which they could imagine being on the bookshelf of the bookstore down the street, and yet not compromise? That's the balance which I recommend.

Even if the author doesn't actually try to get the story published, the fact of writing with the idea toward professional publication, at least for me, provides added energy and direction, and helps remove any sluggishness. Just sayin'

[pjswink]

I am going to have to mulch this a while. You are way beyond my level.
Thank you. I do "Get" what you are saying, at least in part.

This is very pertinent to MY situation, strangely enough. My writing was "discovered" about 7-8 years ago, but I was not brave enough to let it be made public. I recently let a small part of it be released. And I have been seeing what you are describing - and not really understanding it. What you have written helps. Thank you.

[moderntimes]

Glad to help. I'm no big time pro -- my novels are just starting to sell -- but I do have genuine experience in "professional" level publishing, albeit modest, and I'm happy to share so as to encourage others here.

There seem to be a lot of new writers in your same dilemma. By "new" I don't mean that they've just started writing, but that they are just beginning to open the door to their own creativity and make a move to expound their writing.

Primary in my posts is that I urge newbies to take a professional "attitude" to their writing, even if they really aren't that interested in getting their stuff published. If you write with a mindset which imagines your short stories, for example, ending up in a nice collection and in print, with decent small sales and a few generous reviews? This can engender a lot more energy and direction to the writing.

And let's face it -- ALL "real" writers are published and their stories and novels and such are "out there" for general public consumption. I know there are a few recluses who wrote "privately" with no desire for actual publication (Franz Kafka comes to mind) but the vast majority of all authors work toward professional publication in some form or another.

And it doesn't matter whether the new writer actually pursues publication, because the mental posture for such is what makes the difference.

I'll level with ya. I fantasize about the true pinnacle of a novelist, which is to be a financial and critical success. That is, to be a mystery novelist whose books are big NYT best sellers with lots of fans and some big bucks. The superb mystery writer Robert Crais is my "wannabe" because he's still a great guy, generous and patient with fans and first class in every way. That's my dream.

But this will never happen. I'm too old and got started too late with the novels. But I do yearn for a secondary level of success, where my books might win a couple of small awards, "Best new private eye novel" and so on, perhaps some local recognition, since I live in Houston and my stories are set here. Hey, I'm like anyone else -- I am happy to be complimented for doing a good job and writing a modestly successful mystery novel would be part of that.

However the money or fleeting fame, ha ha, isn't the principal point for me. It's the peer recognition, that others in the mystery writing field thought that my stuff was pretty good. And that isn't gonna happen if I sit on my writing and don't try to put it out there.

[Froggy_2002]

I have wanted to be an author since I was in 1st grade. I have written ever since them. I have a lot of people who support me, including a best friend who is also a writer. She has helped me with my novel and is my personal editor. She is my motivation along with my family.

[moderntimes]

It's always helpful when you've got friends or relatives who support your writing, encourage you.