It takes a lot of fortitude and self-discipline to write a novel. Especially for writers, who tend to be even more prone than most to daydreams and tangential thinking. Once I'm into my story, nothing can tear me out, but sometimes getting into it, actually sitting down and opening the document, can take some additional motivation.
I found after experimenting with lots of strange dieting techniques that I'm not really motivated by rewards. Promising myself a Ben & Jerry's if I eat well for the rest of the week isn't good for much except causing me to fixate on Ben & Jerry's. So, playing games with my brain like "write 1000 words and you can do a google image search for kitten memes" doesn't really work.
No, the best motivation is a stern lecture.
"Sarah," I say, "You can sit down and write something, or you can engage in the online death cycle of facebook - twitter - email - facebook. One of these things will make you a writer. The other won't. Oh, and in case you'd forgotten, EVERY MOMENT THAT YOU'RE CLICKING ON AN AMUSING LINK TO TUMBLR IS ANOTHER MOMENT CLOSER TO YOUR DEATH."
P.S. Sloths!
What about you? What do you say when you're giving yourself a pep talk? What kinds of motivation work best for you?
I found after experimenting with lots of strange dieting techniques that I'm not really motivated by rewards. Promising myself a Ben & Jerry's if I eat well for the rest of the week isn't good for much except causing me to fixate on Ben & Jerry's. So, playing games with my brain like "write 1000 words and you can do a google image search for kitten memes" doesn't really work.
No, the best motivation is a stern lecture.
"Sarah," I say, "You can sit down and write something, or you can engage in the online death cycle of facebook - twitter - email - facebook. One of these things will make you a writer. The other won't. Oh, and in case you'd forgotten, EVERY MOMENT THAT YOU'RE CLICKING ON AN AMUSING LINK TO TUMBLR IS ANOTHER MOMENT CLOSER TO YOUR DEATH."
P.S. Sloths!
What about you? What do you say when you're giving yourself a pep talk? What kinds of motivation work best for you?
You're so funny!
ReplyDeleteIt's actually scary how easily distracted I am. Twitter and Facebook aren't too bad for me, but I can just get lost reading blogs and websites and looking up strange things on YouTube and downloading music to iTunes. It's terrible.
What I tell myself: IF YOU DON'T GET BACK TO WORK, THE DEVIL HAS A SPOT FOR YOU IN HELL, JENNIFER HILLIER.
I was raised Catholic, it works. :)
Ah, guilt is a powerful motivator. Perhaps the most powerful motivator of all. :)
DeleteI haven't found rewards to work very well for me, either. I usually tell myself something close to your pep talk when I need motivation.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to remember this if I ever have children to raise. No candy. Lots of lectures. :)
DeleteOnline stuff is the death of the writing muse. Sometimes you have to just turn it off!
ReplyDeleteI get completely distracted by the cute pictures of kittens on Written? Kitten! so I can't use kittens as a reward for writing. Sounds like you have a good pep talk. I've been motivated by the fact that I really love where I am at in my revision. Plus, I've been writing daily so I don't want to lose my momentum.
ReplyDelete