Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Finding Motivation

With the holidays in high gear at the post office, and carriers leaving the work crew, I'm finding it very difficult to find time to write.

As I write this post, I've just completed another nine hour work day.

How someone working these types of hours ever accomplishes his/her dream is beyond me. So how does one find motivation to write, and the energy to think about the story?

Here's a quote from Stephen King, "Read four hours a day and write four hours a day. If you cannot find the time for that, you can't expect to become a good writer."

You all know how much I look up to this man, but I can't say I totally agree with this statement, nor can I say I disagree. Take out the 'four hours a day' and you have something. All writers must read and write. The more you do these two things the better you will become.

With that said, how can you motivate yourself to continue when you are not able to fit one or either into your daily routine?

The answer - you fit it into your daily routine. The motivation comes from just how determined you really are to succeed. No whining, just do it. (Okay, you can see I'm trying to motivate myself, right?)

But seriously, you can Google all you want on how to find the time, and get advice from whoever, but it is 'You' in the end who has to make it happen.

I wish you all the best in your writing careers. Let's take it one sentence at a time. See you at the finish line. I'll be the one crawling the last few yards. :)

10 comments:

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

This is coming from a man, Cher. Bet his wife didn't agree either. Who's got time to read for 4 hours when there are kids to feed, a job to go to, laundry, cooking, mending, housework, deliveries, appointments, the lawn the mow, parents to look after...

I like King too, but ....

Cher Green said...

Joylene, Very good point.

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

King was a teacher for many years. He was probably talking to his students. So, I should be nice to him over this slip of the tongue. haha. And he is a great writer. I don't read horror, but I've studied his openings because they're usual brilliant.

Cher Green said...

Agreed. If only we could go back to such a time - school, no bills, no responsibilities. Imagine how much we could write.

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

That's an arrogant statement for King to make but he's full of himself after so many years of people hailing him as a genius. Writers get this whole stuck-up syndrome and you should worship me from afar stuff. Anyway, King's advice is bad for the working stiff. It's definitely a thing that can only be done by rich people. So King is basically saying that only rich people should write. This is bullshit.

Cher Green said...

Michael, I'm sorry. I can't agree with you on what you state in your comment. King started out poor and wrote his way to the top. Also from interviews and such, this man is anything but stuck-up. Don't get me wrong - you are entitled to your opinion.

Kittie Howard said...

I agree with Joylene. If I had just four free hours a day, it would be a Christmas miracle. I have an idea, while King does the laundry, I'll read, er, maybe write. Er, right!

Cher Green said...

Kittie, Thanks for stopping by. Love the comment.

Terry W. Ervin II said...

Fit in what writing you can, when you can. Making it a priority--maybe not the top, but near the top--will get stories written.

Cher Green said...

Terry,

Thank you for the encouraging words.

 
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