Pushing through

The writing process is a lot like a caterpillar emerging from its cocoon as a butterfly. Your manuscript might not be so spectacular on the first draft. It will take editing and polishing (more for some writers than others) to get it to that point.

So how does all that writing, editing and polishing happen when the motivation is not there? Those days when you know you need to write but don’t feel like it. You want to want to write. You do.

But…

Imagination and inspiration have left the building hand-in-hand. The prospect of turning on the laptop is exhausting and there’s expectations of continually delivering a unique voice, witty lines, intriguing characters and a page-turning story.

It’s all too overwhelming.

But…

The story you love won’t progress if it’s not written. You’ll never get to ‘the end’ or ‘its complete’. What, really? But it’s perfect in my head. It will come out perfectly on the page another day.

Sound familiar?

For me, the challenge has always been – how do I get my butt on the seat even when all of the above is going on in my head?

Cafes

I’m sure I’ve written several blog posts on how much I love writing in cafes. The buzz, the noise of the coffee machine, the chatter. It all fades into the background when I write. The only downside is the cost. I don’t feel it’s okay to sit for hours on one sticky chai, hot chocolate or pot of tea. If I’m taking up a table, I order food. If I do this two, three times a week it’s an expensive writing excursion.

Writing at home

Much cheaper. Prior to Covid, writing at home was not possible. I mean it was entirely possible but I couldn’t do it. I had a nice little nook to write in but sought out distractions. It wasn’t a creative head space for me.

We all know what happened with Covid – lockdowns. I had no choice. I had to do my office job from home. I hated it. Then after a while, it wasn’t so bad. Learning to accept working from home helped me slip into writing at home. It took a while but now I’m quite comfortable with it and can make endless cups of tea for myself. Win-Win.

Library study rooms

I’ve discovered study rooms. Yes, I know, they’ve been around for years. I’ve seen them. I just hadn’t seen them. At most libraries you can book a small room for two hours a day. So a few days ahead I book a room. On the day, invariably I’m ‘not in the mood’ but I turn up with my snacks and grab a hot chocolate. I sit in the empty room, turn my laptop on and two hours later, come up for air. Productivity-wise, this has been a huge boost. When I book a study room, I’m making a commitment to myself and to the library. I have to turn up. And I do!

Accountability partner / writing buddy

This has been a game changer for me! We meet weekly via zoom and discuss all things writing: our progress over the last week, writing competitions, areas where we’re stuck, courses we’re doing and our writing goals. Most importantly for our writing progress, we do writing sprints. I’m so grateful to have made a new writing friend, someone who is positive, encouraging and shares my passion for creating fabulous stories.