It's something that every writer will deal with, lagging motivation.
If you haven't experienced this yet, congratulations! This post will hopefully help whenever that day hits. If you have dealt with this seemingly universal truth, I hope that you can find something new below to help re-spark you.
Lack of motivation can be caused by any number of situations, or even a combination of them. Usually I find my motivation lagging:
After a NaNoWriMo month.
After a negative review or comment on my work.
When I'm not happy with where the story or characters are.
When I'd rather be working on something else.
If at least one of those instances sound familiar then this post is for you!
How does one combat these situations?
In the case of the after NaNo blues, I actually cut myself some slack and give myself time away from writing/editing. It might be a day, a week, or a month. In this case taking some time away from writing is going to benefit you in the long run. You just completed a challenge most people wouldn't dream of trying for! You may/will need to take some time and recharge your creative batteries. Do not feel bad about this! It is completely normal. Just give yourself a set amount of time, and then get back to it.
Ugh, the dreaded negative review/comment. Sadly there is nothing to do in this instance but to remind yourself why you started writing in the first place. Was it for the readers? Or was it because you had this story that you wrote, for you? Because you had an itch and had to scratch it? Always, first and foremost, write for yourself. Write characters, worlds, and plots that you love. Writing and finishing a book is a long labor of love, you need to fall in love with it. And really, what is one person's opinion? Art is subjective, and writing is no different.
Oh boy. You're writing, cruising along, and then BAM you're getting no where. The time between writing sessions lengthens, or that cursor blinks accusingly at you. Something happened, and you're not sure where, but suddenly the characters actions aren't what they should be. Maybe the plot got off track. The best thing to do is to back track to where you were still enjoying the story. Start over. Nothing is written in stone, and sometimes you have to go back before you can go forward.
That side project looking more and more appealing? Instead of completely jumping ship on your current WIP, or the thing you're supposed to be working on, take a break. If you have ideas for a different story, take time and write them down in a safe place. Whether that is snippets of dialogue, possible names, locations, or world building notes. Just get that idea out, and get back to work what you're "supposed" to be working on. It may help you come back with fresh eyes!
I hope that these tips helped! As always, happy writing my friends!
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