How do you get yourself motivated to write?

[TheEarl]

4 hours, 6 minutes, 23.093 seconds. At standard temperature and pressure, of course.

Actually it's 4 hours, 6 minutes and 23.112 seconds. You forgot to carry the 2.

The Earl

 

[MercyMia]

Hi NWR,

I like prompts, especially when I'm starting a new piece. Or even if I'm trying to resurrect an old story that sort of died after 5 pages. If the characters are talking around each other and not progressing the story, I'll throw in something like a moldy pizza or a dead bird, or a million dollars, and see if that will get things going again.

I'm always looking at what I read for clues to my own writing.

Mia

 

[Phenomajohn]

I write when I'm horny sometimes...or when I get inspired. I can't say inspiration is divine in this case, but when I get my infernal inspiration, I just sit down and bash away at my keyboard oblivious to all else. Usually I plug away at 9:00am before classes, while my roommate is still sleeping.

I never try to set a quota, otherwise my writing seems to lose its luster and feels manufactured.

 

[MathGirl]

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[the cowboy]

writing ideas

Basically how good a writer you are or your ability to write at all is dependent on one thing: your imagination.
What I do is go through my day and sometimes a situation will sitck in my mind and I'll fantasize about it later like what if I did this? Or what if I had been a little bolder?
Basically I just fantasize. Make up a story during the day and then do what you want with it but start it out with you as the main character and change things later.
I don't know it works for me. Good luck!

 

[openthighs_sarah]

Depends on what kind of writing... Music always motivates me.

Reading something really wonderful sometimes motivates me, sometimes makes me wonder if I should hang it up, but that's rare...

Alcohol motivates me, usually with unexpected consequences. Ever written an email when you were drunk? Some avice for anyone inebriated and near a computer: just turn the damned thing off. If it really is a good idea, it'll still seem like a good idea in the morning. Excellent advice, and I probably will ignore it myself.

 

[Lovepotion69]

I'm trying to find a way to get motivated to write. lol
Listening to music usually helps. Sitting in a dark room with candles and incense is also nice.

 

[Guest]

I can't force it, for sure—naturally or unnaturally. It has to come to me as an internal motivation, or a spark, or an obsession. Then I channel this energy into this so-called second hobby of mine.

My best inspirations hit me right across the face when I'm anxious, stressed, or obsessed about something. But I don't write angry, although I should experiment to see what the product would look like.

I write the worst during good moods or boredom; it's really awful and I have to edit and re-edit it away from the good shit. Nevertheless, I do rely on some ideas and themes that are conjured up during these times to fuel my work later when it's needed the most.

For me, the TV needs to be on in the room next to my den, although I do sometimes write late at night when the house is quiet. I can't seem to write well (or at all) with any kind of music playing.

 

[KillerMuffin]

I have a new one to add.

I read a thread on the Hangout by O. . . Sarah.

Last time I came up with "I'm Coming!" and now I've got a Fraiser Line that just begs to have a story written about it.

I have a temporary muse.



Now if she could just tell me how to work this blasted JFrame.

 

[Whispersecret]

I thought of something else that motivates me--chain stories. When I sign up for a chain story here, my sense of competition kicks in, plus there's that whole deadline thing.