How do you motivate yourself to do the thing you want or need to do? Whether it’s the day job, blogging or writing stories/novels, how do I keep motivated when things get tough?
This is something that I have been asking myself lately. I was really busy in 2019, but that meant that I had to keep motivated to write or else I would miss deadlines.
I don’t always find it easy to keep myself going. Especially when you have an “off” day and all you want to do is curl up in bed with a good book. While self-care days are important, at some point you have to face the music and start writing. I find motivation with the day job easier because you have people around you who are in the same boat, so you keep each other going. But when it’s just you and your laptop at home, that’s another story.
Sometimes I also find it difficult to keep myself motivated when I don’t get paid for my writing. I have days when I look at other bloggers and writers and they seem to be doing so much better than me – financially – with their blogs and writing. They seem to be winning competitions with their work, or be getting commissions left, right and centre. That can make me feel like a loser. Like I haven’t “made it”, whatever “made it” may be. And then the motivation to create more content goes right out the window.
If you’ve been following my blog, you know that I’ve decided to take a step back from monetising my blog and my writing. Apart from wanting to recoup my expenses from self-publishing my novel, The Insatiable Jane Travers, I won’t actively try to get it to become a bestseller, nor will I try to get an agent or publisher for any of my following novels. Monetising what is essentially my hobby kills my motivation.
Whenever I am no longer motivated to write or work on my blog, I take a step back and ask myself why that is. There is always an underlying issue. I LOVE writing, so for me not to be motivated to do it there has to be a reason. It could be because my day job is too busy and stressful. Or maybe I am writing things that don’t really speak to me, but that I think my readers want. Or I feel like I need to make my novel more “commercial” rather than write what’s in my heart.
Generally, I get motivation from going back to why I enjoyed the activity in the first place. If I struggle with a blog post, I try to figure out what it is that I actually want to say. Am I authentic or am I pandering to an audience? Am I putting myself out there or am I hiding? And if I’m hiding, why? The same goes for my short stories and novels. As long as I write the story I feel like writing, I have no problem with motivation. As soon as I change it to suit others, my motivation goes right out the window.
Motivation is different for everyone. I just shared what works for me, but feel free to share in the comments what works for you.
The Insatiable Jane Travers is out now!
Would you choose a stable marriage over a lifetime of excitement? What if you could have it both?
It’s the roaring twenties.
Naive virgin Jane Travers arrives at her friend’s country home hoping to spend a summer away from her strict aunt and uncle in New York. She’s been promised wild parties and endless excitement, but she soon finds herself in over her head. With the help of the sexy singer Lillian Smith, and her old flame Sidney Fitzroy, Jane starts to explore her sexuality, blossoming from an innocent virgin to an insatiable vixen.
With Sidney and Lillian both satisfying her deepest desires, Jane cannot imagine ever going back to her aunt and uncle’s restrictive household. But without an income of her own, her only escape is marriage. Sidney can offer her a stable life as a married woman, but with Lillian, she’d have a lifetime of excitement.
How can she choose when her heart—and body—belongs to both of them?
Motivation can come from so many places, but the best motivation to have is what comes from right inside. I think you ask the right questions when you feel your motivation slipping, or when you are struggling with a post. As long as you are still writing for YOU, in the end all will be well.
Rebel xox
PS: I still have a post in my drafts about monetizing my blog… sometime this year I will finish it, maybe sooner rather than later.
I have to say I do love writing for my blog so don’t find the fact that it is a labour of love a problem but I do also see it as “my profile” that enables me to get paid writing else where. I always give u a nudge when I haven’t seen you writing for a while. I think you are a great blogger x
Yes, I agree: I do seem to get paid writing opportunities from my blog, so that’s really nice. I really appreciate the occasional nudge from you and will try to make sure I blog more consistently this year.
Motivation is always a moving target for me and some of the things that motivate me aren’t good for me (perfectionism, winning, other extreme approaches to success) so I have to look at motivation very carefully. It’s a topic that really interests me and I’m sorry I missed the prompt. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, great post.