How do you motivate yourself to write?

Question

I want to write a teen book series, since I love them so much and I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm 30 and I like them better then the best seller stuff not including Nicolas Sparks novels. But I really want to do this and I wanted it to be a teen series but have some kind of mystery to it like the private series or Pretty Little Liars and not just be a book serie about pretty rich kids like Gossip Girl or the A List. I've got a great idea and even started writing it a couple of weeks ago but some times, and I'm talking days at a time I just don't feel like writing. This is to all the writers out there how do you motivate yourself to write more?

Answer 1

The reason is quite simple. Because you don't write a book series the first time you start out. All authors will tell you the same thing. They started out writing short stories - dozens of them they never showed to anyone. Those were how they cut their teeth as authors.

Authors are given a gift by their Creator, but it doesn't end there. It is your job to take that gift and train and hone it and turn it into a talent and a skill. That doesn't happen overnight.

Just write. Fill notebooks. Learn your craft. Polish your grammar and punctuation skills. Learn to improve your sentence structure. Work on your character analysis and outlines. Just work and work. The novels will happen.

Your age doesn't matter. Most of the authors of teen books are not teens. But please, there are a lot of things you can do to improve the teen novel of today. Make them better role models for kids. Use them to help kids prepare for the REAL world, not the world of Prada handbags and Jimmy Cho stilettos. As someone who is older, surely you can understand that and you have a few things you can say to kids who read those books and believe that is what life is all about. I took those junk books away from my great niece and gave her some actual literature. Now, she will never go back to that crap. She loves reading beautiful things now.

Keep writing. Start slow. Write a batch of short stories and then look to see which one of them lends itself to a longer work. You will get there. Pax - C

Answer 2

I have this problems sometimes too. I make a "writings" book. Its just a notebook that I write stuff in, like what I did that day or a movie I saw or a short story or a poem, anything to get the words out. I also have found that using different parts of the book helps too, because the thought of starting at page 1 and going to page 2 then page 3 is way too scary-I think like, how am I going to fill all these pages? So I flip around and fill a couple pages here and there, before too long-I am done with it! Then, I go in and get the good stuff and put it on the computer. I have found the best writing I do is in long hand. I also try not to think about anyone reading it except me. I get all freaked out when I think about what someone is going to think when they read it. I really feel good when I write everyday. It is such a part of who I am, that when I don't write regularly I feel terrible. You should check out Stephen King On Writing, it helped me a lot. The thing he stresses is to write everyday for a set amount of time. I guess its like going to the gym...

Answer 3

The fact that you love teen books is already a big motivation. It takes a great love for a hobby for one to be greatly motivated to do it. You've even mentioned above some of your ideal teen book series, so I presume that these books are already a part of your motivation.

Writing, however, is another issue.

"I'm talking days at a time I just don't feel like writing" -- This is pretty normal for all writers. There are indeed times when authors, no matter how motivated they are, go through this phenomenon called "writer's block".

Writer's block happens when we want too much out of ourselves. It's not that you can't write. Writer's block is rather caused by feelings of wanting to get the job done as soon as possible, or wanting to write a perfect copy. Slow down, but keep your focus on what needs to be done.

You might also want to find a nice physical place where you can sit down and get yourself moving on that writing task of yours. Where you write your piece also can also serve as a motivator.

If there are times when your mind doesn't feel like writing, I am sure there are also times when you just want to write ceaselessly, with ideas suddenly storming into your mind. When such instances occur, take advantage of the situation. Write freely whatever it is that comes to your mind.

Since you are writing stories, you might want to create an outline of the plot before starting with anything else. That way, you won't get lost as to what you need to write next. Post your outlined plot in the wall next to where you are working. That piece of paper can act as a motivator too!

Answer 4

To write a series of books you first have to write your first one. You will only ever get around to writing your first one if every day you sit down and spend a predetermined amount of time on it. I make the point of setting aside a block of time where I consider only what I am writing. I do not allow myself to answer the phone, to pick up anything unrelated to my writing, to do any tidying of my desk etc etc. My objective is to get the words down. OK, some days the writing I produce is complete crap but it means I have some work to edit the next day which makes the whole process a lot easier.

Answer 5

Deadlines. They don't work when I set them for myself, but if you have someone expecting a certain amount of work from you, then you have to deliver your promise. And make sure they reward you by taking you to the movies or buying you a cd or something. You know? It's not really bribing. You could do it without the reward. I was supposed to write a book for my english teacher this summer and the first day of school was to be my deadline. Unfortunately, I changed my plot so many times I ended up not being able to finish. But you get the idea.

Answer 6

Why do you want to write, but you don't feel like writing? You have to resolve that. Maybe you don't really have the strong desire, just a 'sort-of' wish to write.

Try writing two or more books/projects at once so whan you get stuck on one you can work on the other.

Set aside time to write and use that time to do something writing related, even if it isn't the actual writing, like doing research or working on the plot.

Good luck!

Answer 7

i motivate myself by my family, what interest me, what is in my heart, how i think life should be sometimes, and many other things. what inspires you? that could be a good starting point. i am personally in love with kentucky since my family comes from there and i am a true hillbilly at heart. Kentucky is where most of my story's take place becuase of that. Many other things condribute to what i write about and where it takes place. hope that helps.
God Bless You!
~Football Funkie~

Answer 8

I don't write to push myself. I just *write* to see what comes next.

And I don't push myself either. I just take things nice and slow.

Answer 9

Whiskey.