How do you get the motivation to continue writing a book you've started?
- on 08.25.08
- motivation
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I started writing a book a couple of years ago about living overseas, and it's kind of been on and off. Now I've been seriously writing again, but I feel like slacking off because my ideas don't feel exciting or new. Any motivation to continue or to improve ideas to make it more interesting so I actually have to desire to finish writing it?
I know exactly what you mean. I'll start books butthen never finish them. If you don't like your own work, then chances are nobody else will. If you don't feel your ideas are working, putt writing on hold and/or start something new. If you get any good ideas, just write them down. Then your ideas just start coming to you. What helped me get motivated to write was checking out tips from professional writers. I also let others read my work so they can help me improve. Try writing a little bit a day or if you can't think of anything to write at that particular part in the story, skip to a different part. It'll eventually come to you. You can even just write the main events or just particular parts in the story for now but then go back and add everything else later. If you know somebody else who likes to write or reads a lot have them help you so they can help you put things in your stry that will make them interesting. Make sure your story is interesting from the very beginning. Sometimes publishers will read the first few chapters and if they're not interested, they won't keep reading or even think about publishing. Sometimes it's easier to write if you base something off an actual event. Listen to conversations around you so you can make the conversations sound real in your book. Brainstorm ideas. Make a list of things to happen in your book. Or, just write, your ideas will come. Come up with a huge twist that can happen. Books with twists in them are so much better than ones without. See, I meant to write a little for my answer, but I just kept getting ideas. So sorry about it being so long. So please try this. I speak from experience. I haven't finshed a book yet, but I'm working on it. I've recently started a few new ones that I hope will go far. Take it from me, I'm not even 13 yet, I will be in November, and if I can do this, so can you.
Also, go to this site: http://www.megcabot.com/faqs.php
It won't all help you but some of it might. Scroll down to the bottom of the page where it says 'about writing.' Some of that might help you, it helped me. The part about her advice to aspiring authors will most likely be the most help.
When I need motivation, I go to my favorite writing comm on Livejournal and go do one of the prompts to get my brain working. Then, I'll put on loud, fun music, sit down and start hammering things out no matter how horrid or boring they are. Just let everything out; you can go back and edit later. =)
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Maybe it's because you haven't a plan.
I always advise new writers to have a plan for their work otherwise it's too easy to dry up.
If you have a roadmap of where your novel is heading and a complete character sketch for every one of your protagonists, then writing is smoother and more fluent.
Have a peep at the hints and tips in my blog to see if it helps.
Try these posts
http://ajbarnett-story.blogspot.com/2008...
http://ajbarnett-story.blogspot.com/2008...
And these two fun gadgets to stir the imagination
http://ajbarnett-story.blogspot.com/2008...
http://ajbarnett-story.blogspot.com/2008...
In the blog you'll find numerous hints and tips that might come in useful sometime …. and I post new ones on a regular basis, so keep checking.
Anthony James Barnett – author of WITHOUT REPROACH
References :
http://anthonyjamesbarnett.blogspot.com
http://www.anthonyjamesbarnett.co.uk
Well you should try think of ideas
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I always get my ideas from dreams. I tend to have recurring dreams, like it picks up where the other leaves off. It takes time to get the motivation to write them though, because they are always changing. First of all, even if the ideas you have now aren't exciting, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't write them out and develop them. If you start with those ideas, then eventually you will get better ideas, and better ideas. Just through developing your ideas now, you will start to develop the story in you head and figure out where this story is going to go. Hope this helps.
References :
I know exactly what you mean. I'll start books butthen never finish them. If you don't like your own work, then chances are nobody else will. If you don't feel your ideas are working, putt writing on hold and/or start something new. If you get any good ideas, just write them down. Then your ideas just start coming to you. What helped me get motivated to write was checking out tips from professional writers. I also let others read my work so they can help me improve. Try writing a little bit a day or if you can't think of anything to write at that particular part in the story, skip to a different part. It'll eventually come to you. You can even just write the main events or just particular parts in the story for now but then go back and add everything else later. If you know somebody else who likes to write or reads a lot have them help you so they can help you put things in your stry that will make them interesting. Make sure your story is interesting from the very beginning. Sometimes publishers will read the first few chapters and if they're not interested, they won't keep reading or even think about publishing. Sometimes it's easier to write if you base something off an actual event. Listen to conversations around you so you can make the conversations sound real in your book. Brainstorm ideas. Make a list of things to happen in your book. Or, just write, your ideas will come. Come up with a huge twist that can happen. Books with twists in them are so much better than ones without. See, I meant to write a little for my answer, but I just kept getting ideas. So sorry about it being so long. So please try this. I speak from experience. I haven't finshed a book yet, but I'm working on it. I've recently started a few new ones that I hope will go far. Take it from me, I'm not even 13 yet, I will be in November, and if I can do this, so can you.
Also, go to this site: http://www.megcabot.com/faqs.php
It won't all help you but some of it might. Scroll down to the bottom of the page where it says 'about writing.' Some of that might help you, it helped me. The part about her advice to aspiring authors will most likely be the most help.
References :
Speaking from experience
I agree its not only difficult to start writing, but to finish a piece once started can be tortuous. Often maintaining interest is difficult over a period of time. Or sometimes I decide I haven't done a good job, that the writing is poor and what's the point. But writing is just that- writing. Sit down, get comfortable, and just write. I don't believe everything needs to be pre-planned, rather discovery of character and plots can be fun to do. I sort of got this idea from Stephen Kings book on writing.
I think it'd be difficult to just pick up a piece that I hadn't worked on for a couple of years and just knock out the rest of it. Well, unless it's something you've been thinking about and interested in right now.
Otherwise, why not start something new that you are interested in today. You can always come back and finish the old one, but forcing yourself to do so right now may get in the way of your creating something else you could be really happy with.
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I always think of my characters. If I don't write down their story, no one will. Then, if something should happen to me, no one would ever know they existed and they would fade into nothingness. I want their story to be known, for their sakes as well as mine.
I know, I waited 6 months before I picked mine up again, but you just have to slip back into the mood. Spend time getting attached to the story again, even if you think up situations for your characters that won't happen in the story— the important thing is to enjoy and love the world you've created. Don't give up!
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I work on art as much (if not more) as I write. Whenever I feel my motivation's faltering while writing, I'll start drawing in my sketchbook or finish coloring something on Photoshop. Whenever that happens, I usually end up drawing the characters of my book (the protagonist is my favorite to draw ^^)
I don't know. There's something about seeing your own characters in plain sight, at least it is for me. Having the protagonist glare straight into my eyes like he wants to say, "Why the heck aren't you writing…?" but can't move his lips. Gives me chills sometimes. After I finish the piece, I go back to writing.
That's how it works for me. Why don't you give drawing a try, anyway? It's fun.
KYAH-CHAN: HOLY CRAP. I FEEL THE SAME WAY TOO! It's the reason why I fear death! If I die, they disappear! Wow.
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I totally relate with you. It's like… you have this GREAT plot but you just don't have the motivation to write it down.
A few suggestions I have are:
1. Set aside time daily or weekly to write. Like an hour or something, maybe even ten minutes. And no matter what, write during that time. Even if you only write like two sentences.
2. Stretch your imagination by trying to relate your story to different songs and poems and stuff. It's really cool to find that kind of thing that applies to your story and your characters, and I find that doing that gives me the motivation to write. A lot of the time it makes me expand on my plot, too.
3. Outline your plot with sticky notes on a poster board or something. That's what I did. Then just plug along with your story and take sticky notes off as you go. If you say, "Okay I'll just finish one sticky note today" then you might find yourself absorbed into writing your story.
Hope that helps!
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Keya and Auzuko or something like that… i totally agree.
Drawing my charachters helps! and also i feel like they have shared their incredible adventure with me and so im obligated to write it but as i write, they reveal things. Its quite weird.
I force myself to do it. I think about seeing it bound… and am compelled to write for the sake of the book.
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