HelloOoOo everybody!
Today we're talking about motivation, which is something that has been super relevant for me lately. I have been struggling with CPTSD and it has significantly affected my motivation. I really wanted to work on The Savior’s Army, but it was like pulling teeth just to get a few words on the page. I'm constantly saying that motivation isn't necessary to write, what you really need is a habit and I stand by that. But it is a hell of a lot easier to write when you're motivated, especially if you're going through a crisis. So over the past few months, I tried a zillion different tips and tricks to try and improve my motivation and I did find some that helped quite a lot. So much so that I was able to pump out about 40,000 words. Here's the shit that worked for me, so maybe it will work for you.
This video is sponsored by Shortform. As always, all opinions are my own.
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Number 1: Writing Sprints
A writing sprint is where you set the timer for about 15 to 20 minutes and then you write as many words as you can during that allotted time frame. Now, I used to hate writing sprints but I also used to be healthy and had motivation coming out the ass. Things change. I began hosting writing sprints twice a week totally as a gamble to see if it would help and it helped a lot.
Writing sprints are beneficial for several reasons. One, they hold you accountable. Sprints are often done among groups of people so you have other writers cheering you on and working with you. Two, they add a sense of pressure because you've got that timer ticking away. And number three, each sprint lasts for a short period of time, which is great for neurodivergent folks who work best during short spurts and need frequent breaks to keep them motivated. What I like about writing sprints is they allow me to get out of my head, stop searching for perfection, and just focus on getting something on the page. And the more progress I made, the more motivated I was to continue.
Number 2: Being Involved in the Writing Community
When I'm not heavily involved in a writing community, my manuscript feels very out of sight, out of mind. Talking to my writer friends on a daily basis has not only been a blast because I like my friends, but it also encouraged me to keep going because my writer friends are dying to read The Savior's Army. It's fun to share excerpts you're proud of and then watch your writer friends freak out over your talent. And it's always helpful to have writers to bounce ideas off of or to help you work through plot holes.
If you're in need of a writing community to be involved in, I highly suggest Cyborg Central, which is my exclusive Discord writing server available to all of my patrons over on Patreon. It’s linked right here.
Number 3: Writing Playlists
I've talked about this a million times before but it bears repeating. If you're inspired by music, create a writing playlist. Here's what I do. I have one main playlist that is filled with hundreds of songs. This playlist is for any song that could possibly inspire some element of my writing, whether it is due to the vibe of the music or a single lyric. I then have individual playlists for each fiction book that I'm writing. I have a playlist for The Savior's Champion, I have one for The Savior's Sister, and I have another for The Savior's Army. This is where I store songs that have inspired particular scenes within that book.
And the way I find those songs is super easy. I just pull up the main writing playlist and I listen to it while I'm doing chores or driving, or while I'm trying to fall asleep. I listen and let my imagination run wild. I have come up with so many amazing scene ideas just from listening to music and I find it's especially helpful if you're trying to choreograph a fight scene.
Writing playlists are great because not only do they help you generate ideas, but they provide non-stop motivation. Every time I pull up The Savior's Army’s writing playlist, I am inundated with all these scenes and imagery from the story, and I'm reminded all over again why I'm so passionate about it. Music is a powerful tool, so utilize it!
Number 4: Read What Your Target Audience Reads
A lot of writers encourage you to read within your genre, and you should totally do that. But I recommend being even more specific and reading the books your target audience reads. Now, you might be thinking, “Isn't my target audience reading my genre?” Yes, they are. But if you wanna get really niche, your target audience is a lot more specific than a single genre.
Take me, for example. I write fantasy romance but a lot of books fall within that genre and some of them are super different from mine. Sure, my target audience probably likes fantasy romance, but the type of person who would love my series is gonna have more preferences than that. They probably prefer a healthy romance over a dark romance, they go for character-driven fantasy over world-focused fantasy, and they're comfortable with adult content like swearing, violence, and genitals. When I need motivation, I look for reading material that fits that description because it's going to do one of two things. One, it'll show you a great book within your niche, which will motivate you to release your great book. Or two, you'll discover a book you absolutely hate which will motivate you to release a book you would actually wanna read.
Number 5: Having a Guide
This is less of a me problem and more of a you problem. One issue I see popping up all the time for writers is a loss of motivation due to overwhelm. Writers don't know what they're doing. They don't know how to go from an idea to an outline, or an outline to a first draft, or a first draft to the self-edit, and so on.
This process can be really intimidating, and when you're up against that much indecision it can be really easy to lose your motivation. Who's gonna be motivated to tackle a problem that feels completely insurmountable? So if this is your issue, you're working on your manuscript and you feel completely lost, I definitely recommend checking out my book, Shut Up and Write the Book. It is a step-by-step guide to crafting your novel all the way from the idea phase to the editing phase once you're done and ready to start the publishing process. I break it down in a super straightforward manner. I try to make it as easy and accessible for as many people as possible. Check it out! You’ll like it! Plus, it's super inspiring. It'll give you the steps you need as well as the confidence to tackle those steps, which will help a whole lot with your motivation.
So that's all I've got for you today!
If you’ve been having trouble getting motivated, you’re not alone. It’s entirely possible to get your groove back, and I hope these tips–or others that work for you–help you do just that!
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