Motivation to finish - Writers Forum

jerkolber · 05-18-2006, 06:11 PM

I finished the first rough draft of my novel about the goings-on at a reality show production two weeks ago. I immediately went through it and noted all my revisions. Two weeks later, I still haven't finished typing them in!! Why am I procrastinating this? Any advice on how to make a push for the finish line? I am usually very structured and motivated and I cannot figure this out.

J

mammamaia · 05-18-2006, 07:19 PM

many beginning writers get all excited about the 'fun' of churning out their stories, but lose interest when it comes time for the 'hard work' of editing and polishing... there's no magic bullet that'll goose you into doing that...

if you don't have the motivation to even do that much, how do you expect to dig up the drive and perseverance and patience it takes to keep submitting it to agents and publishers for countless months [or years]?...

wish i could help you, but you're the only one who can give yourself a reason to do this... if that book was worth putting in the months or years it took you to write it, why would you wimp out now?

love and hugs, maia [lecture courtesy of my mega-motherhood!

]

jerkolber · 05-18-2006, 07:23 PM

Yeah - I know only I can do it - it's not a question of perserverance, I'm a very dedicated person who accomplishes a lot and I have no doubt that this book will be published. Just having a rough couple of weeks I guess. Specifically I was wondering what other writer's have run into in the form of "editing block" and how they plowed through. It's an odd thing since I had no block at all while writing!

mammamaia · 05-18-2006, 07:42 PM

it's just a matter of kicking yourself in the rear and sitting down to do it...

that said, your problem may be that you've been too wrapped up in it for too long and need to set the book aside for a while and work on something else... then, when you go back to it, it'll be more 'interesting' to you and you'll feel more in the mood to work on polishing it...

mwd · 05-19-2006, 12:57 AM

I agree, it's best to set aside your work for a while after you've finished; it lets you look at it more critically, which is important for editing. Right after you've written it, you'll be emotionally involved in it, still... good for writing, not as good for editing.

That said, after you've set the work aside for a while and you're ready to rewrite... it's basically up to you to get your motivation. What I do is set myself a quota per day... say, if I'm doing rewrites, it'll be 1000 words a day. If I've done rewrites and I'm just polishing, it will be more than that. Make a goal that you have to work for, but one which is not overly difficult, and then reach that goal every day (or maybe take a break once a week, or something); be diligent with it, and it'll get easier. It'll become a habit, rather than a chore.

Also, how do you edit? It's best to find a method of editing that works for you, and you find natural. For a while I used to do all my rewriting and editing directly on my computer, and would basically have both my rough draft and my rewrite open at once. Now I print off the rough draft, read through it, and scrawl all over it in pen. Then all I actually do at my computer is type up edits I've already decided on... I'm not saying this is the best way to do it, I just mean you should find an editing process that feels natural to you, and you should try and stick with it.

Just keep at it.

Mike C · 05-19-2006, 01:49 AM

This happens a lot. It's often fear of failure. The closer you get to completion, the closer you are to no longer just 'being a writer,' but being out in the arena being read and potentially rejected.