Dedication, perspiration, and focus are needed to take on a writing career. For this reason motivation can take a dive at those times when we’re feeling less inspired, less hopeful, or just too darned tired. So how do we get that motivation back? The best place I’ve found motivation is through the support of other people. It takes a team to write and publish a book, even for self-publishers.
The Team:
Your cheer squad. This group of people can be found at home or close by through family and friends. It’s made up of people who believe in you, even if they don’t fully understand what it is you do.
Your critique group. These supporters do understand what you do. It’s their job to not only look for places where you could improve your work, but also for the places where your work shines. A good critique partner is a great motivation generator.
Your writerly friends. These people will ride the highs and lows with you. They are the shoulders to cry on when you’re suffering, the champagne glasses to clink against when you’re celebrating. These are the people who most understand you and keep you sane.
The people you meet at workshops and conferences. Hearing success stories, learning the craft, and meeting new friends fire up the motivation batteries.
All these people will bolster your confidence as a writer and charge up your motivation to keep going. You’ll see you’re not so strange, the struggle is worth it, and your dreams can come true.
What kind of support do you have? Where do you get your motivation from when it wanes?
33 comments:
How did budding writers manage before the Internet? I can tell from my visits through AtoZ that IWSG is a very supportive community.
~Visiting from AtoZ
My writerly friends definitely do help me out. We're lucky to have an awesome community online. :)
Yep, all of those people keep me from tearing my hair out when frustration takes over.
Yes. Your cheer squad. Frequently they're also my critique group. They're always willing to jump in and brainstorm with me when I'm stuck. Couldn't do this without them.
You are spot on! Great post, thank you for sharing.
My cheer squad is also my critique group, and I have met so many amazing and creative people through book signings and the internet and membership in the Writers League of Texas. My motivation also comes from challenges sent out from magazines and such for articles and poems.
I get a lot of motivation from my friends here in the blogging world.
Right now my motivation is kind of low, so this post has perfect timing for me.
Blogging motivates me, especially when I read other writers' blog and see all the work they are doing.
"t takes a team to write and publish a book, even for self-publishers." so true.
My family is supportive as are my local writing groups and many of my online friends.
Blogging world motivates me many a day. Then sometimes I just take a break and come back ready to go.
Sometimes I find myself waiting for motivation to get me started, then I remember that starting...the action of writing, no matter what...usually brings the motivation to me.
Online writerly friends are the best!
For me, photo & word prompts ALWAYS get my creative juices flowing!
Music.
If I find my writing motivation lagging I put in some music appropriate to the project. Soon I am bouncing in my chair and typing away!
--
Tim Brannan, The Other Side Blog
2015 A to Z of Vampires
http://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/
I always look to IWSG for support. Twitter can be hit or miss. It depends who is online and if they see my tweets.
~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Member of C. Lee's Muffin Commando Squad
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author
All those people for sure, plus the great cheering section at IWSG.
Wendy, I know, right? The internet has changed everything.
Christine, the online community is truly wonderful.
Joy, and we must prevent hair loss!
Donna, critique groups are invaluable.
Maria, thanks
Linda, another great source for motivation.
Alex, I believe it!! :)
Rachna, hugs. I'm glad the timing was spot on for you. I hope your motivation gets a lift.
Peaches, it is encouraging, isn't it.
Susan, it's good to have that kind of support.
Pat, breaks are also good :)
Trudy, it's funny how that happens. Simply writing often breaks through many walls.
Michelle, I agree. Those prompts help us focus.
Timothy, music is powerful. I do the same.
Patricia, the IWSG has been an amazing support for me too.
Joylene, those cheers keep us going :)
I have a good support group with both encouragement and crits. I've been getting back to my writing in bits and pieces. The good thing is I'm writing the bad thing is work hours to take care of some medical expenses eat into that time drastically and that's discouraging.
Good article. :-)
Sia McKye Over Coffee
Yep, my writing group is my real rock. I am lucky enough to have an actual local group where I meet face to face with some pretty amazing writers. Also, the IWSG community online is awesome. Goodreads has some really supportive groups, as well.
Some of my favorite motivations are listed on your post! I also feel motivated after reading a book I really love or rereading my notes about my characters/story. :)
~Jess
Absolutely! Even just a heartfelt or constructive comment can lift my spirits when I'm down in the dumps.
I have all of these support systems. I'm motivated most, if not all, the time.
We're all cheer leading each other to shoot for the stars.
Friends. And Twitter! No matter what time of day or night, you can always hit up Twitter and find a fellow writer, somewhere in the world, who is awake and staring at the proverbial blank sheet of paper.
Most of my support is online. I don't know what I would do without my online writer friends, and I'm thrilled when I get to meet them in person! I met one in Wales last fall, and that was SO cool.
I used to have a local writing critique group, but people moved away and it moved to an online critique group. That was great for a couple of months, but no one has been active lately, so I probably need to look elsewhere.
My husband and my mother are my two main supporters, but when it comes to being able to really talk about writing and getting help there, I have the IWSG, I have an online group of friends willing to bend an ear for me, and, I have the Florida Writer's Association annual conference that always recharges my batteries... Lisa, co-host AtoZ 2015, @ http://www.lisabuiecollard.com
Every time I come home from my writer's group, I'm always supercharged for writing. Maybe we need to meet one a week instead of once a month. :)
Sia, Even though you don't have a lot of time to write, it's good that you are taking advantage of the time you do have.
Shell, Having that local group as well as the online groups is brilliant.
Jess, reading is a great source of inspiration.
Nick, that's why when I critique I look for the positives as well. A word of honest encouragement goes a long way.
Medeia, you are an inspiration!
Spacerguy, and the stars is where we love to be :)
Li, ah yes, that blank sheet of paper..we all know it well! ;)
Nadine, I've met a few as well and it really is wonderful. I'd love to meet more!
Tamara, I hope you do find a critique group soon.
Lisa, it's that whole mix of supportive people that keeps us going
Ken, that might be worth a suggestion!
Fellow writers and bloggers, for sure. Plus I go to a favourite book, or re-watch The West Wing for motivation.
Without my online writing community my writing would still be hiding in the dark. We're so lucky to live in a time when help and resources are a few clicks away. Resources like this post! :)
shahwharton.com
Motivation is much more difficult to come by for me as I'm doing academic work on my thesis. There is no team, only me, but I do try my best to push myself to just get going on it!
Brandy from Brandy's Bustlings
Claudine, I've never seen the West Wing. I might have to go find it to check it out.
Shah, It's all so much easier than it ever was before.
Brandy, it is hard when you're on your own.
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