I host a creative writing class at the New Bern Library the second Tuesday of each month. I started in September 2023 with a discussion about motivation. So, I’ll blog about that since I’m always in need of motivation to write (and other things, too).

I found motivation to be in two parts. One is to get going like starting a car (yeah, it starts). The other is staying motivated like not running off the road. Starting and staying motivated is really hard when your Muse is sitting on the beach and you’re staring at a piece of dull glass.

So, what is the secret to get going and staying motivated?

There is no one secret or gem of advice. Everyone is different. However, there are many things a writer can try as motivation techniques to get them going and keep them going. These are some of those techniques I learned from listening to authors who were famous to the not so famous.

One is to perform some ritual that means it is time to dive into the work. This can include listening to a particular song, repeating a favorite quote, spinning around in a swivel chair a few times, dancing for five minutes, hug a furry stuffed animal, or finishing the first cup of coffee.

Another way is:

  • Set a deadline. However, I almost always miss any deadline I make. I finished this blog in time because the deadline was set for me (thanks Jessi).
  • Enjoy a comfortable setting. If inside, I’m surrounded by my toys. If outside, I’m on the back porch surrounded by tall trees, birds, and squirrels.
  • Set a writing time. Even retired, I can’t do this. Although, I do favor the afternoon and evening as my creative time. The morning, not so much. I’m still figuring out what day of the week it is.
  • Find someone to help with encouragement. This can be a writers’ group or an accountability partner. They are someone to share writing aspirations with. Many writers find this very helpful.
  • There are writers who visualize their work completed, which is how they get there.
  • Writing is hard when you tell yourself this.

The biggest challenge with motivation is negativity. This includes self-doubt, rejection from others, or harmful advice such as “you must do this to be successful.” I learned to ignore these negative challenges. I focus on being positive about my writing.

I found that the most important thing for me is to enjoy what I write and continue being creative (i.e. not using ChatGPT). I am most motivated when I am happy with my creativity.

A few of my favorite motivational books.

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (published 1994)—Anne’s brother was late writing a school report on birds. Their father sat beside his son and said, “Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.”

If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland (published 1938)—She had two rules: tell the truth and not to do anything she didn’t want to do.

The Forest for the Trees by Betsy Lerner (published 2000)—Advice for writers and concerns about the publishing world.

Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg (published 1986)—Writing practice, as she calls it, is no different from other forms of Zen practice.

Writing Begins with the Breath by Laraine Herring (published 2007)—She offers a path to discovering prose that is unique, expressive, and profoundly authentic.

Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande (published 1934)—She teaches how to see again, how to hold a mind still, and how to call for the inner writer.