Tip 9: Remember Your Motivation

A regular writing practice asks for many things. Time. Determination. Creativity. But perhaps most essential of all, is passion. Without a clear motivation, you might find yourself stranded. Tip 9 brings us back to the beginning:

“Remind yourself why you love writing.”

Not every day will be rose-coloured and easy-breezy. You’ll have days (perhaps many of them!) when you struggle so much, you might wonder if it’s worth sticking to the Daily 30. A little reminder of what you love about it can do wonders.

Back to the Roots

If there’s anything I’ve learnt from being a part of the writing community, it’s that we love to complain. Whether it’s about the end of your manuscript feeling too far away, your sentences never being as good as they sound in your head, or that one character that refuses to do what you want, we’ve all been there.

But there’s a reason we all started writing. There’s something about putting words down on paper – either physically or digitally – that keeps drawing us in. This reason is different for everyone, and finding your own can really help you keep going.

When we started this journey through 10 tips for the Daily 30, I asked you to think of your motivation for writing. It’s time to see whether you’ve done your homework!

Why did you decide to take on this challenge? Why do you love writing? Why do you want to spend all this time on it?

A Goal Without End

When I started writing, I always had an end goal in mind. Find my book on other people’s bookshelves. The problem here, for me? A big part of that goal was out of my control. Sure, I could give myself the best possible odds, but my success was tied to someone else, whether that be an agent, a publisher, or a reader.

I needed to shift my motivation so I didn’t fall down a hole of despair after every agent rejection. Luckily, I realised that writing already provides me with so much in the moment, not just in some imagined future.

So, what does it bring me? Why am I still writing, even after more than 10 years? Why continue the Daily 30? Well, let me tell you:

It keeps me in touch with my hobby: I like the puzzles that come with writing. Patching up plot holes and crafting characters and trying to find a new, unique way to word a familiar feeling, those are the things that make me excited and give me energy.
It provides a break from the rest of my life: Every day, I give myself permission to get lost in worlds of my own creation, knowing I’ll get to come back tomorrow without having to worry about the stresses of real life, no matter what.
It teaches me to listen to myself: On days when working on my manuscript seems impossible, I use pen and paper to figure out what’s going on in my mind. My thoughts about the day spill out onto the page and show me more about myself.

Don’t get me wrong. I still dream of signing copies of my own book at the local bookstore someday, but there’s so much more to love!

Click Here for a Quick Tip!

Struggling to describe your motivation? Why not dedicate a 30-minute sprint to it? Start with “I love writing because…” and write down anything that comes up. Picture an annoying kid sitting next to you asking “but why?” after every sentence. 90% of what you end up writing might not strike a chord, but that 10% is all you need to get to the heart of your own driving force.

What If I Lost It?

The last thing you want, is to get stuck in a rut. If you truly feel like you’ve lost your motivation and writing is steadily becoming like pulling teeth, day in, day out, it might be time to change gears.

There are always going to be ups and downs through your writing journey. Pushing through it often helps – whether by changing your routine to fit your needs, working on a different project, or simply powering through until you get to those scenes in your manuscript you were looking forward to.

If that doesn’t work, however, it could be that the Daily 30 is no longer serving you anymore. Finished that manuscript you wanted to write? Satiated that creative urge? Great! As long as you feel satisfied, and not like you’re giving up, it’s okay to stop writing every day.

Even if you quit writing and regret your decision later, there’s no need! The best thing about the Daily 30? You can always come back to it.

Writing Prompt: Character Motivation

Motivation isn’t just a key part of your writing journey, it’s also important for your characters! A character’s motivation shapes their entire development and can guide the whole story.

Often, musicals (and Disney movies!) have an “I want” song to explicitly state a character’s motivation. Think Part of Your World from The Little Mermaid, How Far I’ll Go from Moana, and I Can Go the Distance from Hercules.

So, with that in mind. What does your character want?

“I want…”
Write your character’s “I want” song (or monologue, dialogue, poem, scene, etc.)

Do It For You

A major aspect of keeping up a writing habit is enjoying it. If you enjoy something, it’s much easier to do, especially in the long run. Remind yourself why you enjoy writing, and you’re already winning.

To me, writing is creating. It’s noticing. It’s living. What does it mean to you? Is it a means towards an end (finishing a story), or do you enjoy the process itself? Don’t spend your life doing something every day just because. Do it because you love it. Find the love in whatever you do, and find it in the moment.

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Check back next week for the final tip!

Priscilla Kint