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Wednesday, February 1, 2023

In Like Again - IWSG February 2023

 



Welcome to IWSG Day. The goal of this blog hop is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a haven for insecure writers of all kinds. IWSG is the brainchild of  Alex Cavanaugh.  To find other contributors, click here. Thank you to the co-hosts for February: Jacqui Murray, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, and Gwen Gardner.


For years, five days a week I’ve made it my practice to get up an hour early and eat breakfast, then set a timer and write  before work. While I’m proud to have maintained this schedule, complacency crept in. Five hours a week. That's enough, right?

Back in the day, I'd do whatever I could to find writing time beyond those scheduled mornings, but over the last two years my eagerness faded. I was going through the motions, snail-crawling along on my current project, feeling less than enthused.

Late this past autumn, I told a writer friend about my lack of inspiration. She suggested things might improve if I add a little more writing time to my schedule. “It will help you keep in touch with your story,” she said.

Time for a palm-slap to the forehead. How long had it been since I'd even tried to write more?

With my friend's advice at the forefront, I pushed myself to sit down at the computer after work the following afternoon, and the good news is I only had to push myself once.

That first time I wrote outside of my schedule, my story drew me right in. Three hours later I looked up blinking. It felt so good, I found myself writing on the weekend again and sometimes after work. I can’t say I wrote extra every day, but enough so I found myself awake in the middle of the night, playing “what if” with my characters, figuring out their motivations, backfilling gaps. As is often the case, the more effort one puts in the more successful one becomes. Now due to this extra focus, I’ve got a completed draft. It still needs an enormous amount of work, but finally it’s got some flow.

Lesson learned. I recite this mantra in my head now: If you do what you like, you’ll like what you do.

It feels good to be back on that page.

What do you do when you lose your motivation to write?



15 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

More time and a little change in schedule was all you needed!

Bish Denham said...

Yea!! I know it must feel so good. I'm still in a writing slump, but I have been doing other little things on the side and seem to be slowly priming the pump.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Yes! Congrats on that draft! And I think your mantra is spot on. :)

Natalie Aguirre said...

That's a great mantra. Mine has been "I only do what I like." I've been writing consistently most days for at least an hour and on the weekends. I'm getting quite a bit done. Glad you've found a schedule that works for you too.

Jan Morrison said...

You and I, as ever, are in synch! My response is this month's post and it is to trust myself and my screwy process. Yours was my dad's favourite approach - bum glue! Huzzah! We will get there.

Diane Burton said...

Wonderful job. Pushing yourself must have really helped. Opening the file and leaving it open all day "forced" me to get back to my story each day. Now I don't have to force it.

Karen Baldwin said...

Congrats on your Draft. For me, finding time for writing has never been a problem. EDITING is. I have to strap myself to my chair as I plod ahead. And as I get ready to submit..I know there'll be even more edits. EH!

Computer Tutor said...

That is good advice. I often can't quit at an hour!

Gwen Gardner said...

Yay! You're back. Sometimes it only takes a little change.

Well done!

I'm Gwen, co-hosting the IWSG this month - https://gwengardner.blogspot.com/2023/01/iwsg-how-are-you-book-covered.html#comment-form

Fundy Blue said...

Wonderful, Liza! It's great that you got back in touch with your book and finished a first draft. Good luck with the revision! I've really struggled the last two years. My writing was side-lined by unexpectedly developing a thyroid problem that hugely impacted my health and sight. I tried, but I really fell behind on my writing. Now I'm coming out the other side of my treatment, and I'm looking forward to developing regular time to my writing again. Have a creative month.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I have no schedule - what do I do??? LOL But I understand as I've not published any of my own work in over ten years. But I made a switch in things last year and now four novellas are coming soon.

Steph W. said...

I'm glad you have the fire back! It feels good to meet a milestone and have that energy pushing your forward.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Liza - congratulations ... and yes your mantra makes so much sense - do what you like and you'll enjoy yourself ... cheers as you move forward with more vigour and self-encouragement - a good friend to have around too - take care - Hilary

Joanne said...

How fun! Glad you have that extra spark and time flies along with those typing fingers. Happy February - keep it going.

Joanne said...

I do wish you would do a group follow up comment...just a thought. take care