Guest Post – Motivation to Write: Is There a Magic Formula?
Written by Michele T on June 2, 2008 – 4:17 am -NOTE: I’m proud to announce Writing the Cyber Highway’s first guest blogger! Jeanne Dininni, of Writer’s Notes, has been kind enough to share her writing wisdom with us. I also wanted to tell you to be sure to keep your eyes open for another of Jeanne’s guest posts – 7 Secrets to a Striking Essay - scheduled to appear on John Hewitt’s Writer’s Resource Center, Wednesday, June 4th.
Jeanne is so generous to offer up encouraging advice for us. I know you’ll enjoy her inspiring words. Without further ado, I present our first guest post:
When You Don’t Feel Like Writing
How do you motivate yourself to write when you don’t feel like writing? How do you convince yourself to get down to business when you’d rather do anything but?
Have you ever had those days when you just can’t seem to face the prospect of writing that article that’s coming due, that query letter you know you should write, or that blog post that will remind your readers that you haven’t fallen off the face of the earth…that you’re not only still around but that you’re actually still interested in sharing your wit and wisdom with them? (I thought so!) You want to write, but you just can’t seem to make yourself do it.
Lack of Motivation: A Common Problem
Every writer struggles with these feelings from time to time—many of us quite often. And for bloggers and other online writers who work from home, life can be particularly distracting, as we’re continually bombarded not only with the household responsibilities that continually beckon, but also with the many available—and attractive—alternatives to working.
Such tempting activities as commenting on other blogs, visiting social media sites, checking our site stats, looking for nifty high-tech tools for our web pages, reading unrelated but interesting content during our online research, and any number of other enjoyable and otherwise productive activities often only serve to intensify our motivation problem and derail us from our efforts to fulfill our writing responsibilities.
What’s a Writer to Do?
The most important thing is to realize that motivation is a state of mind. It can come from many sources. Some of them follow.
The Writer’s Most Common Motivation Sources
Enthusiasm
When we’re feeling really enthusiastic about a project, don’t we find it so much easier to throw ourselves into completing it—even when the project itself is difficult or involved? If you can work up the enthusiasm to actually relish the prospect of writing about your topic, you will have won a great victory.
To do that, try taking your focus off the negative aspects of the project and focusing, instead, on something positive about the piece—something you can actually enjoy about it. If the subject matter itself doesn’t interest you, try focusing on a specific writing technique that you’ve mastered which you’re particularly proud of and which you plan to use for the piece.
If need be, you can even focus on a favorite writing tool, some physical part of the writing process that you enjoy, or the satisfaction you receive from your excellent spelling ability, extensive vocabulary, fantastic research skills, or even the way your well-formatted work looks on the page. A little enthusiasm will go a long way toward helping you thrive on the journey ahead, making it so much easier to reach your destination.
Interest
When we’re interested in our topic, writing about it grips our attention, draws us into our content, and keeps us going. It causes time to fly by, making us wonder where it could have gone. Interest can fuel the energy that helps us build momentum, spurring us on toward the realization of our writing goals.
If you’re able to pick and choose your projects so you’re only required to write about topics that interest you, great! You’ll have a much easier time motivating yourself to complete your writing assignments. But, if not, try finding something about the project that captures your interest—even if it takes a stretch of the imagination to discover it. It will be well worth the effort!
If the project itself doesn’t hold any fascination for you, try asking yourself a few questions. Will publishing this piece open your work up to a wider audience, giving you greater exposure? Will it place you before a new demographic or offer you a coveted spot in a brand new niche? Will it add to your credibility as a writer and/or as an expert in your current niche or genre? Will it allow you to showcase your work to prospective new clients? Will it open new doors of opportunity for you in other areas either related or unrelated to writing? These are all great reasons for feeling motivated about your writing project!
Inspiration
Inspiration sweeps us high above the mediocrity of our surroundings, activating our imaginations and infusing us with a power that makes expressing our thoughts via the written word practically effortless. Don’t we just adore the times when we’re fortunate enough to function under the tutelage of this most welcome influence? When it strikes, we see everything in a brand new light, and that helps us rise to bold new heights of creativity. Yet, when inspiration tarries, we often become discouraged.
At times like these, we need to generate a little inspiration of our own. One way we can do this is through the vehicle of high and noble thoughts. Focusing on our ideals and on the meaningful messages we hope to convey to our readers through our writing can jump-start the inspiration process. We can also inspire ourselves through the purposeful recall of vividly meaningful memories, of people we’ve known and loved or joys we’ve experienced. Or we can generate inspiration through the intentional act of surrounding ourselves with beauty. Stirring music, beautiful art, a lovely garden, a distinctively decorated writing nook—all these can help us create an atmosphere that’s conducive to inspiration. And all these can help us motivate ourselves to write.
Reward
The expectation of reward can be another excellent motivator. The reward might be a tangible one like money or an intangible one like recognition. It can even be something as simple—yet sensational—as the sense of satisfaction or feeling of fulfillment we derive from our writing. Just knowing that our work will help someone or that someone will enjoy it can bring its own reward, strengthening our motivation to complete a project.
And though money can often be a great motivator, we sometimes feel we aren’t receiving sufficient compensation for our work—particularly in the web-writing arena, where the going rates tend to be lower—and this can have a demotivating effect on us. That’s why it’s so important not to overlook the intangible rewards—to allow them to provide the impetus to keep us moving forward.
The Role of Attitude in Motivation
We need to realize that we are responsible for our own attitudes. We choose our own thoughts, as well as the lens through which we view the world. We can choose to see our project as a problem—a burden that’s been thrust upon us and one that we must grit our teeth and struggle through, hating every minute of it. Or we can decide to think differently about it—to remain positive and proactively seek ways to make it more than just another piece of writing.
Sometimes it takes sheer willpower to motivate ourselves to write, but I’m convinced that we can make a conscious decision to throw ourselves into our project. (In fact, I know we can, because I’ve proven it to myself again and again in my own writing.) We can make our writing a real extension of who we are, infusing it with that spark of personality, talent, expertise, imagination, and careful craftsmanship that only we can provide, making it a piece we can be proud to write—even if it’s a project that wouldn’t otherwise move us.
The Writer’s Last Resort
When all else fails, we may need to put a popular anti-procrastination technique to work and just do it, trusting that the motivation will follow as we gradually enter into our project. At times like these, it helps to remember that the ability to write when we don’t feel like it—when the intrinsic motivation, interest, enthusiasm, and inspiration escape us—is what separates the professional from the amateur.
And that knowledge alone can serve as our last-ditch motivator—because it’s a truth that carries its own reward.
Jeanne Dininni is a freelance writer and blogger whose work appears in numerous online and print venues. Her current projects include writing business guides for the Work.com website and authoring her Writer’s Notes blog. Through Writer’s Notes, Jeanne offers information, inspiration, encouragement, and resources to help her fellow writers succeed in both the craft and the business of writing.
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Thanks so much, Jeanne, for writing the cyber highway! It’s been a joy to have you as a guest. You’re welcome anytime!
And, to my readers: Be sure to drop by Jeanne’s wonderful blog, Writer’s Notes. You’ll enjoy your time there. Subscribe to her feed so you can receive future wisdom from this great writer!
Tags: Guest Bloggers
Posted in Guest Bloggers, Guest Posts, Writing Wisdom | 40 Comments »
June 2nd, 2008 at 8:24 am
Michele,
Thanks for inviting me to write the cyber highway! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed preparing this post for your blog and hope your readers will find something of value in it.
Blessings,
Jeanne
[Reply]
June 2nd, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Hi, Jeanne!
You’re most welcome, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed sharing your awesome post with my readers. Your entire post is of great value.
I’m sure my readers will think so too!
*smiles*
Michele
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June 2nd, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Thanks, Michele!
Yours is a blog where I’m honored to have my work appear!
Jeanne
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June 2nd, 2008 at 11:09 pm
Aw, Jeanne, I’m speechless – er, typeless! – that you feel that way! Thank you!
*blushes*
Michele
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June 3rd, 2008 at 3:34 am
Hi Jeanne,
This is very good advice. I never thought to focus on an aspect of writing that I like when dealing with a topic that I’m not excited to write. Thank you!
Tina
Hi Michele!
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June 3rd, 2008 at 3:37 am
Michele,
You’re welcome!
Jeanne
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June 3rd, 2008 at 3:41 am
Tina,
Thanks so much! Glad I could help!
Sometimes we need to come up with a few clever tricks to motivate ourselves. Whatever it takes to get us writing is certainly worth the effort!
Appreciate your feedback!
Jeanne
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June 3rd, 2008 at 3:50 am
@ Tina: Hi! Glad you enjoyed our first guest post! Jeanne is an encouragement, and is filled with lots of writing wisdom, isn’t she?!
@ Jeanne:
*smiles*
Michele
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June 3rd, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Michele – Thanks for bringing on Jeanne as a guest blogger. This info was great!
Jeanne – Thank you for such a great post. This one is bookmarked – reading it will be another excellent motivator for me!
Tiffany
Tiffany Jamess last blog post..You’ve reached "the end"…so now what?
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June 3rd, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Hi there, Tiffany! Welcome to Writing the Cyber Highway! Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. Yes, Jeanne is awesome! I knew my readers, or anyone who happened to stop by, would love this article. Thanks so much for your kind words, and you’re welcome here anytime!
*smiles*
Michele
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June 3rd, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Thanks so much, Tiffany!
Never thought of my post itself being a writing motivator! LOL! But, I always do try to encourage other writers along the way–so that’s really great to hear!
Thanks again!
Jeanne
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June 4th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Jeanne and Michele,
Great article. Thanks to both of you.
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June 4th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Jeanne, great advice, wisdom you can never hear too often. One thing that works for me is getting through the first 10 minutes. Even if a project is dull and I’d rather be golfing, if I can just get into it for 10 minutes, I usually don’t want to stop.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Put Life into Your Meetings with Open Space
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June 4th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Thanks, Lillie!
Really appreciate your stopping by to read and comment!
Take care!
Jeanne
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June 4th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
@ Lillie: Thank you, and thanks for stopping by! Yes, Jeanne has done an outstanding job with this article!
@ Brad: Welcome to Writing the Cyber Highway! Thanks for dropping by to check out Jeanne’s amazing post. She has shared excellent advice and wisdom here.
Thank you both for your kind comments!
*smiles*
Michele
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June 4th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Brad,
Your “getting through the first 10 minutes” idea is a great one! Often that’s all it takes to build up the momentum that can carry us through to the end of the project! Thanks for sharing that bit of wisdom gained from your own writing experience!
It’s always helpful to have as many tricks and tools in our arsenals as possible, because that way, we’ll always have one to fall back on–no matter what kind of technique a given situation may require!
Thanks for the visit!
Jeanne
P.S. Sorry I somehow managed to miss replying to your comment the first time around! I’ve been jumping back and forth between blogs today replying to comments left on all three of my posts that are running right now, and I think I’m getting a bit air-headed!
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June 4th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Great article,
When I don’t feel like writing (a rarity but it occasionally happens) I take a break and either network with others who write about similar topics, or I hit the gym always puts me back on track.
Opal Tribble – Addicted to Writings last blog post..Freelance Writing: I got the job
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June 4th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Great tips, Opal! Glad to see you’ve discovered Jeanne’s awesome guest post.
*smiles*
Michele
P.S. I’ve commented on your last three posts on Addicted… and each time a message has told me my comment was sent to Sp@m.
I have no idea why that’s happening since I don’t even include the name of my blog or any links in my comment. Thought I’d let you know….
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June 4th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Thanks, Opal!
Great ideas for motivating yourself to write!
One thing I love about writing posts like this one is the tips I receive from readers in Comments!
Thanks for sharing yours!
Jeanne
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June 5th, 2008 at 12:20 am
Michele,
Thanks for the heads up your posts were looking very sad in spam. I have no idea why that happened? However, they have been released and are in their rightful place.
Jeanne,
I agree you can learn a lot simply by listening to what others right. You gave some excellent tips.
Opal Tribble – Addicted to Writings last blog post..Freelance Writing: I got the job
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June 5th, 2008 at 12:52 am
@ Opal: Thanks for releasing my comments and letting them go to their rightful place! I know it isn’t your fault – probably some kooky glitch that just happened – but I wanted to let you know.
It’s nice to be free.
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June 5th, 2008 at 1:24 am
@ Opal: Argh. I just tried to reply again at your blog and Akismet ate me up.
It said I’m ‘flagged’ as Sp@m and to contact you. I’m glad I didn’t install Akismet. The only comments that have to be approved by me are those first comments. Once a person has had a comment approved, it comes right through as soon as they comment from then on. Better for them, no Sp@m for me. 
Thought I’d let you know…
*smiles*
Michele
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June 5th, 2008 at 1:34 am
How strange, I approved it and disabled Akismet. I had the same thing happen on a few blogs that had spam. I had to contact the plug-in owner (Matt Mullenweg) to get my name released.
Opal Tribble – Addicted to Writings last blog post..Freelance Writing: I got the job
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June 5th, 2008 at 1:40 am
Ah, I know it isn’t anything you’re doing. Just wanted to let you know, Opal. I’m just glad I didn’t install it.
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June 5th, 2008 at 3:37 am
Michele,
Thought I would drop in before I head for bed. I enjoyed your guest article. It is packed full of good advice and information.
Take care. I will be in contact.
Blessings,
Mary
Marys last blog post..What’s New with Me
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June 5th, 2008 at 4:07 am
Hi, Mary!
So glad you stopped by and enjoyed Jeanne’s excellent guest post! How will you ever get any sleep with all this advice and information dancing in your head?!
You take care, too!
*smiles*
Michele
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June 5th, 2008 at 4:08 am
Mary,
So glad you enjoyed my article!
Thanks for reading!
Jeanne
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June 5th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
The one thing that distracts me more than anything else is my laundry. When I fall behind on laundry, I want to do laundry more than write. I can tell I’m procrastinating when I talk about writing more than I write. Thanks for the guest blogger Michele and thanks for the article Jeanne. I’m glad I’m not the only one that sometimes finds excuses not to write!
Kathy Scovills last blog post..Winehouse Arrested Following Novello Nom
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June 5th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Hi there, Kathy!
Yeah, it’s hard to keep focused. Although we love to write, there’s so many things pulling us away from it. I find it so distracting to keep having those thoughts: I need to do the laundry… the dishes are still dirty… the flowers need to be watered… It’s insane! I fantasize about a cozy cabin in the woods where the birds are chirping, the breeze is cool and fresh, and there are no distractions!
Oh, I’m awake now. The dryer just quit…
*goes off to fold laundry*
*giggles*
Glad you enjoyed Jeanne’s superb guest post! We’re all in the same boat, I think. It’s nice that we can relate.
*smiles*
Michele
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June 5th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Kathy,
Happy to share a few things I’ve learned about motivation–which can be so elusive at times!
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could earn enough money from our writing to actually pay someone to do our housework for us? Guess I’m dreaming–just like Michele!
My own laundry is sitting there in the basket silently beckoning me to finish folding it. Yet I know that when I finish leaving this comment, I must get started on one article that’s due today and work on another that’s due very early tomorrow morning. (sigh) It’s definitely difficult to balance these two mutually antagonistic responsibilities!
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Jeanne
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June 8th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
What a great guest post packed full of great advice! Thank you Jeanne! And thanks for have Jeanne on as a guest author, Michele. I have taken notes. Maybe it will even help a reluctant writer, eh?
Take care!
Renie
Renie Burghardts last blog post..Prom Pictures and a Small Woo Hoo!
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June 8th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Renie,
Thanks so much for your very kind words! So glad to hear you’re finding some helpful ideas in this post!
I truly believe these tips can help a reluctant writer–because, after all, any unmotivated writer is a reluctant writer!
Best wishes in all your writing endeavors!
Appreciate your feedback!
Jeanne
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June 8th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Hi, Renie! Yes, it is an amazing guest post! Jeanne is such an inspiring writer filled with “wit and wisdom”, advice, tips, and all sorts of good things to help us write better! Be sure to check out her blog too. She does a wonderful job of motivating her readers.
So glad you stopped by! I’m sure Jeanne’s tips will help you–even if you are a little reluctant at times!
You take care too!
*smiles*
Michele
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June 9th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
[...] the beautiful, generous guest post she shared with us last week. In case you missed it, please do check it out. She shares tips on how to find motivation to finish that work when you’re just not feeling [...]
June 22nd, 2008 at 5:03 pm
[...] rank, or the traffic it’s not top on my radar. What is important is being able to share and learn from others. It is what makes me happy. I’ve learned a lot from those I’ve interacted with over the [...]
October 26th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Hi Jeanne,
Great post! If I may add one more thought I would say most writers need to carry a pen and paper with them at ALL times to write ideas down as they come. With this method I always have great ideas for writing I can go back to. If you don’t write them down as they come you will probably lose them forever.
Cheers,
Jeremy
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October 26th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Hi Jeremy!
Welcome to WritingtheCyberHighway.com! I’m so glad you stopped by and hope you visit again (often)!
That is an excellent tip, by the way – on that I use myself. I’ve been known to be scribbling ideas in my little notebook as I walk around the grocery store shopping.
*smiles*
Michele
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October 26th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Thanks so much, Jeremy! Glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks, too, for sharing that highly practical tip for making sure we always have plenty of material to help motivate and inspire us to write. It’s such a shame to let our great ideas go to waste by neglecting to write them down. And since some of our best ideas strike when we least expect them, it’s always good to be prepared!
Thanks so much for the visit and comment!
Jeanne
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November 18th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.
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December 21st, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Sigrid,
That’s very true. Motivation is, after all, a state of mind (as I’ve mentioned). Our resolution to succeed gives us the impetus we need to continually persevere in seeking out the techniques that will create an environment that’s conducive to the successful completion of our projects. Without that underlying resolve, we’ll never find real, lasting motivation.
Thanks so much for sharing your insight!
Jeanne
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