z

Young Writers Society


How do to stay motivated



User avatar
34 Reviews



Gender: Non-binary
Points: 211
Reviews: 34
Wed Apr 22, 2020 10:51 pm
View Likes
shayspeare says...



Have you ever tried to start writing something, but it became too hard to finish? For those who haven't, how do you stay motivated?
  





User avatar
174 Reviews



Gender: None specified
Points: 3050
Reviews: 174
Fri Apr 24, 2020 12:14 am
View Likes
JesseWrites says...



Motivation Tips

1. Songs that fit the aesthetic of your story can help give a push.

2. Take a break! With some time, you'll get ideas.

3. Create a template for your world, character, or anything else.

4. Look for inspiration through household items like a painting.

5. Don't get mad at yourself. It's normal.
“My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations.”
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
  





User avatar
40 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 2320
Reviews: 40
Fri Apr 24, 2020 2:13 am
View Likes
TinkerTwaggy says...



Ooh, a numbered list...! Lemme try that with diamonds.


@shayspeare

♦Distract yourself away from whatever it is you're focusing on. Coming back to it with a fresh mind usually helps! That counts as taking a break, so, what SMLocke said!

♦Know how you work — and that comes with re-reading, introspection and information given by those who know you. If you're the type to loooove to work on multiple projects at once, allocate time for work on several of them in one day. But if you're the kind to focus endlessly on one thing at a time? Schedule a fixed time to do just that — in which case, minimize your distractions during your work time! All of that contributes to helping your confidence, with a "I know what to do, and how to do it! Let's do this." kind of mindset.

♦Keep what you're writing about in mind — be it by making virtual notes, doodles about it, etc. The more you have it in mind, the easier it is for your brain to naturally make links from a completely unrelated thing right back to whatever it is you were thinking to write about. You don't have to be downright obsessive about it: basically, keep an open window for your projects!

♦If you're the type to plan ahead, definitely make a template for every detail you can think of: that'll save you work for later. But if you're the type to go with the flow, make a plan anyway, but minimize the information on it. For example, instead of creating a character with info on like the length of his nose to the quality of his braid or something, just have basic info on skin color and hair color. The rest will come to you naturally as you write.
The point is: few things are more motivating than writing a plan for a project of yours, forgetting about it, wondering what you do, then re-reading it only to notice that "wow, Past Me had a serious plan to work on! Aight, let's get back to it."

♦Know your sources! Usually, inspiration comes from what you like about your interests. If you're the type to absolutely adore video games or something, then allocate time to keep on playing them. The more you do so, the more you'll get used to taking something from it with you as inspiration for your writing. Same if you're the type to read books, comics, mangas, or watch TV shows.

♦Definitely know what you hate, too! Super important if you want to write a compelling villain, antagonist, or challenge for a protagonist to surpass, or reader to think about. If it comes from something you feel strongly about or have personally studied, it'll make it much easier to materialize it, and seeing yourself do that can be a great motivator. Emotions in general, really.
"Is there a limit to how much living I can live with my life? How will I know if I've gone too far?
And why did I spend my life savings on sunglasses for a whale?
I shall find the answers... to these questions."
  





User avatar
560 Reviews



Gender: None specified
Points: 30438
Reviews: 560
Fri May 22, 2020 7:37 pm
View Likes
Tenyo says...



I think the biggest change I made in terms of breaking that barrier and moving from a pile of unfinished works to actually completing something was that I didn't let myself leave anything unfinished.

Even if finishing it meant writing a page summary of how the rest of the plot would go, at least it was finished. I went back to my old projects and even the ones that never made it past a chapter or two I rounded them up with a final chapter.

After that it just got easier and easier. Firstly, because I no longer saw giving up as an option- there was always some last thing I could do to say I had done my best instead of just dropping everything and walking away. Secondly, because it still allowed me to develop the skills to finish my projects one step at a time. That meant recognising where I started to fall behind or lose interest, and figuring out how to bring myself back on track before I hit burnout.

The worst thing for motivation was to set myself unrealistic targets, or to keep going just because I felt bad for quitting. It created an unhealthy relationship with my writing, which sometimes made me want to quit as soon as I started because that mindset drains the passion out of it.
We were born to be amazing.
  





User avatar
121 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 110
Reviews: 121
Sat Feb 20, 2021 2:59 am
View Likes
manilla says...



this thread was so helpful!!

i use ilys.com to write for my novel - it won't let you delete, and instead, you just write, write, write.
Pronouns: she/they

From the wild manila folder of YWS's office.

When the last tree has fallen
And the rivers are poisoned
You cannot eat money


I do reviews: https://www.youngwriterssociety.com/viewtopic.php?f=188&t=108365
  








The continuation of our world depends more on the survival of the kindest than it does on the survival of the fittest.
— Arcticus