The writing process is doubtless a joyful and rewarding one, but it can demand a great deal of motivation and resilience. The first hurdle is often writing inspiration; we wait for some bright shiny idea to descend from on high. Then we have to actually start writing, tackling the big white wall of the blank page. We might dabble with writing prompts or exercises (largely by way of procrastination, if we’re being really honest). Once we do get into a writing routine, we might start obsessing over our daily word count, and eventually hit writer’s block.
Creative people often fixate on the notion of intrinsic motivation, some kind of irresistible compulsion to write. The fact is, there are all kinds of good writing habits and sources of support that can help you keep your writing motivation. The perfect writing space, for example, and a commitment to daily writing sessions (without obsessing over daily word counts!) are both hugely effective.
Surround yourself with the right people – a supportive writing group and writing coach. Then, even when your own motivation is starting to dwindle, you’ll have many writers cheering you on.
Aspiring writers, take heart. We all need a little help finding motivation from time to time, whether we’re just getting started writing a book, or are on our tenth published novel.
Sophie Kinsella shares her insights for aspiring authors looking to find motivation
If you’ve got a writing project, whether it’s a novel or a non fiction book, and you’re trying to get yourself motivated to write, this article from Sophie Kinsella might help get your creative juices flowing.
Sophie is the bestselling author of the Shopaholic series, with two of the novels (The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic and Shopaholic Abroad) having been adapted into the film Confessions of a Shopaholic. She has written many standalone novels besides, including YA novels and illustrated works. And, despite this impressive creative output, Sophie struggles to stay motivated to write just like the rest of us!
So whether you’re trying to start writing or you’ve just finished writing a first draft and need to spur yourself on – or you’re somewhere in between – read on to see how Sophie hits her own writing goals.
The writing process can be turbulent
Writing a book is like having a baby.
This is a comparison that’s often made – and having written over thirty books and had five babies, I concur.
There’s the same giddy journey of conception, hope, excitement, development, bloody hard work, even harder work, optional cursing… and then delivery! You did it! You’ve forgotten all that hard work as you cradle your manuscript/mental image of The End on your computer screen.
Writing a book is like having a baby.
It’s at the bloody hard work stage that motivation is required. Every woman in labour has thought, Why am I doing this? This was a huge mistake. Never again. (Or maybe that was just me.) Every writer has reached a stage in the draft where they feel exactly the same way. You’ve forgotten why your plot made sense. Your characters aren’t doing what they’re supposed to. Maybe you have come to despise your main character. Or your idea. Or the whole notion of writing.
So here are a few tips that I have learned over the years, for finding motivation at all the stages of your novel-writing journey. If you want to keep yourself motivated to write, I hope they might help.
The idea is the first light – and it shines bright
Conception is the twinkle in an author’s eye. A precious fusion of ideas in your brain that sparks what I always think of as a what if?
This might be a single plot point, a character trait, a setting, or the idea for a new, ground-breaking genre. For me, the buzz of a new idea is the highlight of the process.
Ideas are rare. Treasure them. Hopefully, right now, you’re energised by the thought of your brilliant idea and full of motivation. But if at this stage you lose it, maybe it’s because you’re rushing. Maybe you write a page or a chapter, it’s not quite working and you get dispirited. (Been there.)
Step back. Don’t try to force a new idea into anything as substantial as a ‘story’ until you know what you’ve got. This stage is an essential part of staying motivated, so don’t skip it. Build it into your writing schedule.
Quite often, I sit on an idea for a while, wondering what else it needs before it can be a book. Although it seems counter-intuitive, being patient can be the best way to motivate yourself. Don’t think ‘I need to write this idea’. Instead think ‘I need to mull on this idea’. Check in on it every day and see if you have any new thoughts or perspectives. Make notes. They can be totally random. They’re all useful even if it’s just to rule them out.
Don’t think ‘I need to write this idea’. Instead think ‘I need to mull on this idea’.
You have an idea but you’re not sure what to do with it? Try going to a bookshop. Wander around, think about the book you would buy as a customer, and try to relate your idea to that.
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Planning helps me set goals
At this stage, I start planning. Some plan, some don’t. If you’re a natural planner, then don’t be fazed at spending a long time on this stage. Every bit of work you do now may well save you time down the line, and it’s as productive as a writing session that births dozens of pages.
Of course, finding time is the biggest killer.
For me, it’s vital to keep the end goal in sight, otherwise it’s just too hard to keep on at it, every single day. When I was writing my first novel, I was a financial journalist. I wrote in the evenings and at weekends, but I also wandered around bookshops practically every lunchtime and stared at book covers, just to remind myself: this is what I’m doing. I want to make one of these. Imagine if I ended up with a book in a shop!
Turn to loved ones as well as other writers
Use your friends and family to motivate you. Chances are, you will have to rearrange your schedule if you want to devote serious time to writing. If you have supportive friends, they won’t mind your absence at the pub/Zumba class and their cheerleading might spur you on. If you have a confidante or sounding board for your ideas, then even better.
If you are in a writing community and sharing your work-in-progress with people you trust, then this is going to be huge motivation itself. But this won’t suit everyone. In my experience, the minute you tell anyone a book concept, they instantly have a load of ‘good’ ideas which they will eagerly share with you. This might be helpful or might leave your brain spinning. Ideas are fragile and sometimes they need to grow without scrutiny. Again, this is personal choice. Whatever keeps you motivated to write.
The writing process isn’t linear
If you’ve already started and are on chapter 7, hurrah! But…. oh no, here it comes. The wall. The sludge. Whatever you want to call it.
It’s the middle of the book, all your initial impetus has gone and you can’t remember how it was going to get from here to the fantastic finale, which you can’t wait to write.
It’s easy at this stage to give up. To think that other idea you had was much better. (Hmm. Possibly. Or possibly not.)
For me, the best thing to do at this stage of a writing project is step away. Try to remember the initial idea, the initial excitement from when you started writing. Try to feel the exhilaration, walk around book shops again, and talk to your confidante if you have one.
Remember the big arc of your story. Maybe you’ve got bogged down in the detail. Imagine pitching it to someone. What’s it about? Has this changed while you’ve been writing?
Maybe you have gone wrong and need to retrace your steps back a little. That’s fine. You might need to dump some words and that’s a painful realisation for every author. Just know: we’ve all dumped words and lived to tell the tale. (But save them in a file for repurposing.)
Maybe you need to write your fantastic finale right now. It’s bursting out of you. So do it! Enjoy it! And when you’ve done that, you’ll have a clearer idea where you’re heading. You’re allowed to write this book in any order, writing sessions aren’t dictated by your narrative. And if you don’t know what a character is called, xxx will do for now.
Build rewards into your writing routine
All this time, I hope you’re rewarding yourself along the way. Come on. You’re only human. I can’t even contemplate sitting down to write without the ‘bribe’ of a cup of coffee. Other helpful little treats are chocolate, glass of wine, crisps… and little trades in my mind. I can have this bar of chocolate if I do not log on to the Internet for the next two hours.
The Internet… What do I say? You know. We all know. A quick peek at a useful research site: yes. Twitter… at your own peril.
And then, as you’re getting towards the end, hopefully everything is coming together. Knowing the end is in sight is the most fantastic, motivating feeling – I always end up typing screeds of words per day. Typing The End is even better.
Yes, there will be edits, changes, and the small matter of guiding your precious book through the tricky world of publishing, but that’s for another day. You’ve delivered a first draft. Bravo.
- Members of The Novelry can enjoy a writing class with Sophie Kinsella in our Catch Up TV Area. Join us to start writing today and not lose steam along the way!
