On The Subject Of Motivation · 11:10pm Mar 24th, 2013
So today is the last day of Spring Break for me. Guess what I've accomplished during this course of 10 days?
Nothing. Glorious, undisputed nothing. And that really concerns me.
I had initially planned to hammer out the next installment of Novelty during the break, and maybe even start up something else during that time. The problem is that every time I opened up a document to start putting down some words, I ended up closing it without writing anything. The only time I can manage to do anything even remotely productive when it comes to fics is when I'm collaborating with someone else, namely Whirring Gears. Of course, a team effort is far easier than doing anything alone, so working with him is an incredible help to my drive to work. But when it comes to my personal works, I can't seem to generate anything noteworthy as of late.
It's not a lack of ideas either. I have virtually everything for the 4th chapter of Novelty planned out, as well as a lot of other fics on my mind. I've got one massive project that's been simmering in my head for a while now too. It just seems that any time I try to actually get something written down for all of my works that nothing seems to happen, and it's been bugging me for so long. My output for all of my works has hit the crapper and I'm becoming increasingly concerned. I worry that I'm losing motivation to write.
Why is that?
I'm eager to write out all of the ideas that I've got, but the moment I open a page up to write, the lint floating in the air suddenly seems more interesting than does writing out what I've got in my head. It's not that I don't want to write. I do, very much so. But when I can't get anything onto paper each and every time I try, it gets a little disheartening for me. Seriously, the next part of Novelty has less than 2,000 words right now and is nowhere near done. On top of that, I'm not even happy with what I do have at the moment.
The worst part of it for me is, well, you. Yes, you. All of you. I don't mean that maliciously. I know that you all have said that you don't mind if I take a lot of time to write. All of the hiatuses I've taken in the last few months have proven that to me. It warms my heart knowing that you all understand and are okay with my constant leaves (well, most of you, I hope.). Even then, it still makes me feel bad that I can't pump anything out. There isn't any crisis or situation that I'm in that is holding me from writing. I'm in good health, life is fine, the situation with my father a few months back is over and done with, school is going good, so on so forth. There really isn't some serious thing inhibiting my from writing. On top of that, I've got all the reasons to write. Reasons that include all of you, as well as my own desire to see my ideas come forth.
So, even with all of that in mind, I'm still stuck. My output for anything is still next to nothing. Perhaps this isn't even an issue of motivation, but I'd still like to ask. Perhaps I can find some more of my own if I hear about yours.
For all of you out there who writes/has written fanfiction, what is it that drives you to write? I'm pretty curious to see why people write. Is it to please someone specific? Is it to see your ideas blossom? Is it to fill a gap that no one else has filled yet? Or is it just because you felt like it?
What is your motivation and/or inspiration?
Discuss,
~Kody910
P.S. Or for those who don't care, have some bittersweet chiptune music, courtesy of OCRemix.
P.S.S. Why the Hell is Alleycat Blues on the top of my fics list on the side over there. Seriously. Someone is gonna have to explain that to me.
Yaruki daro!
(Isn't that the POINT of Spring Break? To be lazy? X3 )
Music, Gaming, Movies or even reading a book gets me motivated or gives me ideas
I'm the same way, right now
I haven't written anything in about 8 days.
Well, my Spring Break just started, so I have a little hope.
You know exactly how I feel! Well, I can't do much about that, only wait for the time to find my strenght to start writing...
I avert this somewhat by simply forcing myself to write every day, whether or not I actually want to or not. Granted, I still give myself some allowances, mostly a day or two when I just truly feel like not working on the story (with spring and summer rolling around, I expect this to increase because heat makes me incredibly lethargic), but otherwise, it's easy to fall into the mood once you actually start.
Time for some dick sucking~
I write for you. I know you always push me to keep writing, and you told me you liked my Twilight fic, that's what keeps me writing, I want to show you I can do it. I want to make the author Scorched happy.
That's why I write, how do I get over those blanks? I don't. I've wanted to write the new chapter of my Twilight fic since Valentines day, but every time I opened a document, I would blank out and suddenly the internet seemed more interesting. But what I do when I'm sick of not writing, is this: I sit down with my laptop, grab my headphones, put on some music, crank up the volume and tell myself I have to get this done. Then I make a blog saying "I'll be done later today!" Then I keep telling myself it needs to be done by that time, or else I failed everyone. Because of my fear of failing, I just hammer out a chapter.
So my suggestion is close yourself off from the world, lock your door, put on music, and write. Hell, turn off your internet if you have to. I did that a few times actually.
Now, I hope you find a way to get writing, I'll be waiting here, and on Skype.
Have a good one
~Shadowswipe
Heh, reminds me a bit of me. If you were to look for the stories I've written you would be sorely disappointed because they do not exist. I spend at least 2/3 of my waking time daydreaming, but the instant I decide i am going to write something down, I just... can't. You probably know the feeling. I mean, typing is relatively monotonous if you don't really want to be doing it. If you do want to be doing it, then typing is fun and such. This is the part where I'll say take all the time that you need.
But I swear to god if you just quit writing with 5 started-but-unfinished projects including a twi-ship I will find you and I will kick you in the shin(s).
That's wierd, my spring break starts tomorrow.
I get the same way a lot of time, but I find that if you can just force yourself to start, to just get that first little sentence out, then everything kinda falls into place.
With some strategically placed will-power you can accomplish a whole lot of story material.
Carry On
I don't know if it's a writer block or not
, but the only thing I can come up to say to you is you gotta step it up, man. Find that path to continue your perseverance and your imagination. 
That is all.
I write for the same reason I do anything: when inspiration strikes, it strikes.
You know me, I've been on an art binge lately and only recently felt the urge to write. Even then, I only have 1,500 or so words for the next chapter of Shylock and some other number I can't be bothered for right now of Room 213. Not to mention how many times I've rewritten the first chapter of another story.
But the reason I love writing is to, as you've said, fill a gap. Number One was the first story of the SFG that starred a jerk protagonist. No Need For Words was the first in the SFG for a protagonist with a disability. Flutter-size is the only massive* breast expansion humanized-pony fic I know of. Room 213 is the first I know of for having an instant relationship and slow romantic build-up at the same time. Shylock is going to be the first by INFORMATION REDACTED. And, eventually, Daylit Nights will explore a new (I hope) idea by itself.
Honestly though, the one story I remain the most motivated by is the one you and I are doing together. I don't know why, but it just works when we do what we do.
But either way, that's why I write. Another thing is that you just had a bunch of free time. When someone has all the time they could ever want, they usually put off what they've been planning to do. Happened to me and everyone else I know. Inspiration is a fickle thing and I don't exactly know how you could possibly break through it unless you treat writing like a sort of job on a schedule. Have so many words done by a certain date or something. But then it may just end up stressing you out and leading you into a harder crash and burn.
Hope you can find your writing mojo soon.
*Massive: Beyond any reasonable means.
Also, to hell with the people who bring up Newton's Second Law.
Just write a little bit to get the ball rolling? Yeah, I used to believe that until I found that it doesn't actually work.
Ugh, I understand exactly what you're going through Kody. I just got back from my spring today, and only got done with one writing project I had planned on getting finished.
It wasn't because I didn't want to write, either. I genuinely want to see all my stories and whatnot be fully realized. It's just that I can't bring myself to get any words out. It's been over three months to the day that I lasted updated End of the Crusades, and I've been stuck on the same scene for the last 3-4 weeks.
The worst part of all this is I have no real excuse for not working any faster. Even with a full-time student workload, I've still had plenty of moments where I could have worked on my stories, but didn't. I genuinely feel bad for taking so darned long, but sometimes even that's not enough to get me to make any good progress.
That said, I would also say part of it stems from me wanting to make sure my fics are at their best when I upload them. When I force myself to write, I sometimes find myself rushing through the writing process, and I end up regretting it later. My best writing comes from when I'm really feeling the mood for getting the story done.
But enough about me. What I'm trying to say is that sometimes you can't really force yourself to write. Motivation has to come on its own. You should still make the effort to at least keep the story in your mind, but forcing yourself to write for the sake of having something written doesn't always lead to the best quality. Just do what you can do, and don't fret over wasted time. Keep chiseling at it, and your fics will get done. In the end, nobody will begrudge you for taking your time if the end product turns out great.
944129
Agreed. Some days, I'm lucky to even manage a few dozen words at most when I write. The snowball effect definitely does not happen all the time. In my case, it's more of an exception than the rule.
I may not enjoy writing 'literature' the most out of the media available, but it's my most successful field somehow. Not only am I the reason that this bunch of garble is tolerable, but I also seem to have a knack for first person writing to such an extent that the last time I did it, a publisher wanted to buy it.*
I would try to tell you what motivates me if;
1. I knew what it is. It's there, but I'm never aware.
2. I knew how to explain it with words that actually exist in the English dictionary. Or any dictionary, for that matter.
So, basically, this post is next to pointless... I apologize.
Item P.P.S. I think the fact that Alleycat Blues is the only one of your stories that can boast 0 dislikes.
Now that I think about it, I like writing for no other reason than the fact that I can.
*It's a long story. And no, I wasn't trying to brag. That was accidental.
I don't have spring break for another two weeks!
Damnit!