Hey! I’m writing something that, while it isn’t my first book, is the first thing I’ve wanted to finish in quite some time. I’m having a lot of trouble staying motivated and on schedule, do you have any tips?
Hi there, Nony! Thanks so much for your ask! I’m actually really glad you sent this one; motivation used to be one of my biggest issues when I first started out writing, so I’m glad to help anyone who might have the same issue. Let’s get right into it!
Why are you doing this?
One of the most common reasons we lose motivation is because we forget why we started. When you can keep this spark in mind, it makes it much easier to pull it to the front of your mind again and keep going.
So, the very first thing I did when I decided I wanted to take my writing seriously was write down why. I would try to keep this reason away from what it could be in the future; write what you’re feeling about your project in this moment. Write about your passion and how much it means to you. It could be a single word, or a sentence, or a paragraph. What matters is that you know why you’re doing this.
What’s even better is if you get the chance to add onto it. Whenever you’re really feeling motivated about your project or your writing, return to this motive and add on to it. Personally, one of the best things for me to to when I’m not feeling motivated to work on my project is to look at all these again. If past me saw the spark, then I just have to believe I can find it again.
