I suspect this will become a multiple post thing. I'm working now, more or less everyday and I really have no excuse (even then) to not be writing. I could be, I have the time. Today I even stayed up super late and I'm only kind of tired. So why aren't I writing?
Well the first thing I want to blame is writer's block, but I know that's only half the story at best. What I know it comes down to every time is that I just don't want to work on it! I love the story, I'm really fond of a bunch of the characters but I feel so uninspired. Over and over again I read that you have to work through that and write anyway. The most I've managed to do is to stay consistent with writing a blog post (even when like today, I feel uninspired to do even that much).
The more I read the more I come to learn that I'm not alone in this. Procrastination seems to be one of the Writer's biggest obstacles to cross. So how do you motivate yourself? Well I can't tell you that really because I'm not you, just like you're not me. We can share every trick and tip we ever come up with in our entire lives with each other and never find something that works just for us. I think it comes down to desire more than anything else.
Do I want this?
Why do I want this?
Do I want this badly enough to fight with every breath to achieve it?
If you answered yes to number one and three, then what's stopping you? Find the thing that works for you and go do it! If you answered no then you're probably not really into writing anyway and you'll move on when you find something that really does make your spirit sing. Now if you're like me you might have said "well, yes, but..." I think there can't be any buts to the answers to the above questions. If you really want to write and be published then you've got to WANT it. You've got to know WHY you want it, and you've got to want it so badly that you're never going to take NO as the final answer until you've exhausted every last avenue. And if you do that and still get No's all over the place you've got to believe that the next project (that you started while waiting for acceptance or rejection) will be the one that gets accepted.
I've always wanted to devote myself to a craft, but I've always had trouble getting motivated. Well this is my devotion and I must find time to do it as faithfully as I write this blog. Even when I don't have a clue what I'm going to write before I write it. Even when I finish and feel that it's not my best. Even if it's only an hour a day or 100 words a session. The amount really doesn't matter in some ways, at least not at this point. What really, really matters is that I make the decision that this is what I want to do with life, that THIS is how I'm going to live. And when I've decided that? Then I go out and do it because I cannot accept any other way.
If you're struggling like I'm struggling know that you're not alone. But also know that the only person who is responsible for your success or failure in the end is you. "Forget Regrets, life is yours to live." - Rent.
