Monday, February 20, 2006

Let's get motivated!


What motivates us?

WritersServices.com says only four per cent of writers expect to make a fortune but 26 per cent do hope for some income. For many writing is an ambition and 13 per cent want to make a contribution to our knowledge or understanding.

For the majority of writers, writing is an enjoyable compulsion, but 11 per cent dream of recognition. Most of us are willing to share our writing (which is what you would expect from compulsive communicators). Just a couple want to keep their writing to themselves. WritersServices.com's survey says our optimism is impressive. Most people expect to find a publisher.

Today, I share with you several links to help get you motivated to write. Not all articles are specifically about writing, but they are all specifically about motivation. Enjoy.

Victory Crayne's Motivational Newsletters
Fiction Factor: Motivation
Steve Pavlina: Do it Now!
Terescia Harvey: Turn Off Your Obsession With Perfection
10 Commandments of Motivation
Holly Lisle: Writers' Block: Are We Having Fun Yet?
Holly Lisle: Writers' Block: Losing (and Regaining) Writer's Hunger

And, a few inspirational quotes to really put you in the mood:

"Everyone has a talent. What is rare is the courage to nurture it in solitude and to follow the talent to the dark places where it leads."
Erica Jong

"Dreaming and hoping won't produce a piece of work; only writing, rewriting and rewriting (if necessary)--a devoted translation of thoughts and dreams into words on paper--will result in a story."
Roberta Gellis

"There is no perfect time to write. There's only now."
Barbara Kingsolver

"If the writer has a masterpiece within, he had better save it on paper. Otherwise, none of us will ever miss it."
Steve Martini

"When I start a book, I always think it's patently absurd that I can write one. No one, certainly not me, can write a book 500 pages long. But I know I can write 15 pages, and if I write 15 pages every day, eventually I will have 500 of them."
John Saul

"The worst thing you write is better than the best thing you didn't write."
Unknown

Experience is one thing you can't get for nothing."
Oscar Wilde

"Imagination grows by exercise, and contrary to common belief, is more powerful in the mature than in the young."
W. Somerset Maugham

"Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way."
E.L. Doctorow

Have a great week, y'all!
Nienke

12 comments:

OldLady Of The Hills said...

Some GREAT GREAT Quotes! Thanks very much for that...
I'm here from Michele today...

Nice to M&G you!

Jean said...

Great quotes. And I can so relate to that cartoon.

(and when word verification is longer than my post, I have to wonder if I should have bothered. [grin] and [sigh])

Rene said...

Sigh...were you reading my mind? I'm finding it difficult to stay motivated and I'm not sure why. Great quotes and thanks for posting the links.

Shesawriter said...

I needed this. THANK YOU!

Tanya

Anonymous said...

very inspiring, suddenly i feel the urge to sit down and start writing again. thanks :)

Anonymous said...

oldoldlady - thx for stopping by!
jean - as you know, it's always nice to get a comment, even a wee one
rene - I think it may be the winter blahs - funny, I've been unmotivated, then I post this yesterday and when I walk the dog my brain flooded with ideas and scenes for my WIP! Subconcious manipulation, I guess.
shesawriter - glad to be of help
sally - go sally go!

Tess said...

Thanks, Nienke - I needed that! Everyone seems to be having motivation problems these days. Maybe it's the time of year?

Marisa said...

Good Morning -- Michele sent me.

thanks for the motivation.

Anonymous said...

Nienke.....

Enjoyed the read my friend! We all need a little kick in the butt once in a while.

Take care.

Wil

Anonymous said...

heather - I like that quote too, even I can live up to it!
tess - this funk seems to have had the writing community by the pen since early this year!
marisa - thx for stopping by!
Wil - how nice to see you over in this neck of my woods

Aditya Bidikar said...

Sage advice indeed, especially this: "There is no perfect time to write. There's only now." It's generally hard to follow, but at least it gives me some consolation that I am achieving more sitting in front of a blank page than I am sitting in a cafe with friends (which is what I generally call 'research').

Thanks for the comment on my blog. Watching anyone working at an art evolve is truly fascinating. I don't know, however, if I am an interesting enough subject. ;)

Anonymous said...

aditya - thx for your comments! And, we are all interesting subjects, it's just how we tell the tale!