Carrot and Stick

Sometimes the words don’t come. Maybe you can’t figure out how to wrap up your WIP with a satisfying ending. Or you can’t find a way to justify your character’s behavior in a certain scene. Sometimes the concentration needed for writing is simply impossible. How do you push through? There are lots of quotes out there from successful writers that basically boil down to: Keep writing. No. Matter. What.

Useful? Not so much. But it is illuminating.

If the best way to work though the lulls in inspiration is to keep writing, then you need to find a means to keep you motivated. Some people advocate writing at a set time every day so that the routine does the heavy lifting when inspiration is scarce. Others set daily word counts or work through writing prompts on a regular basis. It may take some experimenting to find what works best for you.

I do a little bit of everything. I write for two-hour intervals at the local library or coffee shop at least once a week for a change of scenery. I set monthly quotas but I don’t get into a twist if I don’t make it – I don’t want writing to become a chore. And I belong to a writing group that meets every week that focuses on writing prompts instead of workshopping WIPs, so I always have the chance to work on something new each week. A breath of fresh air, if you will.

But the whole blogging thing… I haven’t quite figured out where that fits in my routine. Since I’ve developed a bit java habit, for every coffee I have out, I must write a blog post. Coffee is my carrot to keep my blog up to date.


Wish me luck (and lots of mochas).