How To Reclaim Writing Motivation

Slogging away for weeks, months, or years on a project can be discouraging. Writing requires self-discipline, but is that enough to power through? Maybe. But as with any long-term task, staying motivated is essential.

There are days when motivation remains elusive, no matter how much I try to buckle down.

I asked a few young adult authors what keeps them going when the task seems never ending.

What keeps me going is knowing that not all teen readers are interested in fantasy. Some are looking for other types of stories, like the historical novels I write. Readers should have options the way I did as a teen.

Stephanie Daniels ~ Historical Young Adult Author

Without a doubt the weekly meeting with my crit group helps keep me creatively energized. I know I need to sub something. Even when I don’t feel like writing, I’m the type of person that doesn’t want to let anybody down. I take that seriously and it keeps me—if not on track—at least moving forward.

Stephanie Daniels ~ Historical Young Adult Author

I can’t NOT write. It is has been a part of my creative makeup since I was a young teen. I would write stories even if there were no motivation for me to publish them. Of course I stumble into times of writers’ block or when life gets in the way. Discouragement, grief, stress… they’re all powerful anti-motivators to writing. Sometimes I must accept those challenges and give myself permission to take a break. When my mother was sick and subsequently passed, it was over a year before I could write again, and then I had to make a concerted effort to write… not wait for inspiration to strike.

Diana L. Sharples ~ Young Adult Contemporary Author

I’ve been writing for long enough that I know it’ll all come back when my head is in a better place. One trick I’ve found that usually works to get me past those bleak times is to remove myself from the environment causing the stress. A restaurant, coffee shop, library, or a picnic table in a park will usually help me to get back into my creative space.

Diana L. Sharples ~ Young Adult Contemporary Author

I’ve always wanted to be an author, so what motivates me to keep writing is knowing that I’m pursuing my dream and that I’m getting to do the thing that I love every day. I also think about how there are people out there that I can hopefully encourage and inspire with my stories. That motivates me to keep writing, knowing that readers will read my books and that those books will speak to them the same way that other books have spoken to me in the past.

Melody Personette ~ Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy and Science Fiction

Outside stressors and internal doubts can be motivation zappers. Periodically, I have to remind myself of my original goal, why I’m writing and who I’m writing for. I want my words to comfort and help.

If my stories can do that for the people they were intended for, I’ve done my job and honored my calling.

Until I get my words in print, I’ll keep striving toward the goal with these things in mind.

Donna Jo Stone writes YA contemporary novels about tough issues but always ends the stories with a note of hope. She blogs at donnajostone.com.