Finding the time
I am lousy at time management. I have zero self-discipline. I find it hard to make myself sit down and write no matter how much the words and ideas might run riot around my head, demanding to be put down in writing (or typing).
So how come I can manage to write 50,000 words every November? How come I can manage to make my work deadlines?
I think I’m basically a time-waster. I do have free time in my days, when I sit and play computer games, when I browse the net, when I drop Entrecards. I could read for a half-hour less each day and write instead. I could have a shower instead of a bath and use the time saved (because I do spend a lot of time in the bath when I have one, usually reading).
It’s not really a problem finding time to write, I suppose. The hours are there, I can carve out chunks of time from other things to spend writing.
No, my problem is my motivation. I call myself a writer, I would like to become a published writer. I would love to actually finish one of my half-baked novels. I just can’t seem to get enough impetus to do so.
ARGH.
Anyway, suggestions and criticisms are welcome. Very welcome. I need one or more kicks up the arse, and I’m inviting you guys to apply them.
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on May 11th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
You’re right, time is not the issue. There can always be time. I think motivation is the difference between writers and wannabe writers (I place you firmly in the former category obviously).
I struggle with motivation too, I think most people do. I find lying about how much I write to be helpful.
Doing my motivational sums recently, I noted (again) that 137 words each day for a year gives 50,000 words. . Giving some days off, bring it down to 300 days – that’s 167 words a day. Pick a project, write 200 words a day on it, minimum. When the requisite 200 plus words are done, move over to another writing project. Do it every day. See what comes out…
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The Nano-thingie is Motivation-to-you, that’s why it works so wonderfully well for you.
Ken Armstrong’s last post: Iron Man, Noisy Patrons and Projectionist Excuses
on May 11th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Ah, motivation. While I love to write, I don’t have the motivation to complete anything lengthier than a blog post. Heck, I barely finished my term paper on time, and I’m utterly fascinated by the subject matter.
My art, on the other hand, doesn’t need motivation. It’s kind of a compulsion that I have to create. (Just like the compulsion in my dream last night to visit Ireland. LOL)
I do like Ken’s idea of writing a certain number of words every day, though I tried something similar with the Artist Way morning pages. That lasted all of a week. My conclusion is that if it’s not a burning NEED, it isn’t going to get done. Not in my life, anyway.
Kelly’s last post: Doodle Week Day 4
on May 11th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
I have found that people stick to things when they have someone to “answer” to other themselves. I call that person a muse. I support my writing friends by agreeing to read their work, with only gentle editing to start. This seems to keep them motivated. I find the same thing with tasks I need to accomplish, if it is just for me, I don’t get them done… but if someone else is involved, I get it done on time. Find a gentle muse.
AvidReader2008’s last post: Chapter 9 - Dead Play
on May 12th, 2008 at 1:14 am
Ah, motivation. It’s so very hard. For me, I’ve found that it’s best to create a (reachable) goal and then hit it. Then create another one, and hit that. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
For Spontaneous Derivation, for a long time this was Increase Number of Visitors Per Day. I managed to up the number from 10, to 20, to 30, to 50, to 100, to a little under 200-some (if you factor out the Huge Stumble Weeks).
As long as I’m hitting my goals, I’m fine. That’s when reachable become an issue.
The reason daily wordcounts do not work for me (although a monthly wordcount would) is, basically, life. The weeks I go oncall mean that all goals are shattered, including the goals for my main blog. I can’t write for waiting for the pager to go off, knowing that when it does, I’ll be hip-deep in some horrible problem and anything else is forgotten.
Interruptions—or rather, not hitting a goal on schedule, however mild—are what kill my productivity.
So I guess my advice to try is:
Set reachable goals—don’t try to set them as “reasonable”
Hit reachable goals
If you can’t reach the goals, readjust the goal posts and try again
Profit!
There is the question of “what happens in the degenerate case when the goal posts reach the starting point?” in which case I answer: Well, you did reach the goal.
Goal: 100 words on my story by the end of this week.
For instance.
If a goal is too easy, then you’re ready (probably) to set the goal posts farther away.
Rinse & repeat.
I need to remind myself of this, ’cause last week and this weekend of oncall sure didn’t help my writing o’ blog posts.
Arachne Jericho’s last post: Aito Nakamura and Nina Ten Review Star Wars
on May 12th, 2008 at 5:15 am
I could have written that post myself. I could add that I didn’t write for around eight years between high school until I started blogging.
I should be blogging instead of visiting my blogroll…
Tina Kubala’s last post: The Blogosphere has Questions
on May 12th, 2008 at 5:35 am
Surprisingly, I am in the exact same situation. After work, I have plenty of time to write, but I tend to waste a ton of it on TV and the like, so I understand your plight. I’m not sure if I would call it lack of motivation, just general procrastination. When I was still in college, I was notorious for writing papers the night before. In the end, I would get the work done, but it was painful. I would have the paper in my head, but I would always wait till the last minute to write it. So, while I may not have an answer, sometimes it helps to know that someone is in the same boat as you.
Roberto Villegas’s last post: And for the fans of tea and some proper hip hop…
on May 12th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
I agree it is not lack of time. Could it be a lack of confidence, you need to be reassured - or to reassure yourself - of the value of what you write?
Perhaps set yourself deadlines to get original work on to your blog and then publish and be dammed. I have found the support and encouragement of other bloggers invaluable - and their criticisms, too.
Dave King’s last post: A Family Occasion
on May 12th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Thank you everyone for your input. It’s given me a good number of things to think about, and some potential strategies for getting my arse in gear (if you’ll excuse the expression).
I think that daily word counts aren’t going to work, although weekly or monthly ones can (I never do my alloted 1667 words per day for NaNoWriMo; it always ends up being more or less).
But setting aside 15 minutes of time daily - in the same way as I try to do in order to get some exercise - might work. And I think it’s worth a go.
I also need to reconnect with the material. I think I’m going to try printing off my completed three chapters of the piece I want to work on, to read before bedtime, to try and remind myself of why and what I’m writing.
I need to enjoy writing again (as advised by good ol’ Relax Max via private messaging). So I’m going to help myself fall in love with the story I want to tell, once again.
Wish me luck! (Again.)