What gives you the will to write?

Well, I've been sort of slacking off on writing my story (more like sidetracked. Busy weeks. Finals soon) and, although I have the next chapters somewhat thought out, I sometimes cannot find the will to write them out. So what are some ways you get motivated to write your story, if any?

Just to express the stories and characters that emerge in my head when I'm bored.

Hm... do you daydream much? I hear that really helps. It helps me. But it can't be fantasizing, I mean a daydream that could potentially turn into a nightmare or uncomfortable, embarrassing or funny, etcetera. Allow those possibilities. That way you get the sense of realism. You can add some randomization, close your eyes and let the pictures emerge in front of you. You should begin to see flickers of random scenes. I'm not sure what they are yet, but I believe them to be jumbled snippets of your memories. It helps to be in a calm, quiet and possibly meditative state.

Some of these flickers of scenes can be unusual and thought-provoking. Certainly inspiring when you start piecing together a story from them.

For me personally, I always switch over to another story if I feel stuck in the one I'm writing. All that I really need is just a small break from it before the want to write it again comes back. I also write because I imagine my characters wanting me to write about them. Otherwise, who would tell their stories?

Other people write out the more exciting scenes so that they have something to look forward to. It's like a way to show that if they just get through the part they're stuck on, then they can write the parts they look forward to.

Other people just write the scene out as best as they can, no matter how good it reads, just so that it's out there.

Astinus said:

For me personally, I always switch over to another story if I feel stuck in the one I'm writing.

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This.

Honestly though, I can't really put my finger on what motivates me to write. It's just this muse I get from time to time after daydreaming about how awesome it would be if this could happen in the fic that I feel like writing. If I force myself to write, I don't get much, but useless garbage. That, I think, is why my update schedules are erratic, besides IRL. Imagining the exciting scenes in my mind when I'm feeling bored also gives me the will to write. Kind of like writing a diary, but with fictional people. I can cook up a story on the spot, sure. But it's not structured. I once tried, and failed. The ideas come to me gradually after a while.

I'm motivated by the story that's trying to burst out of my head. Seriously, once I get into the mood, my story is all I think about as I imagine my awesome upcoming scenes over and over again… And the fact that if I don't write and not update every two weeks, I'm afraid that my readers will track me down and dangle me over a cauldron of fire until I finish the story.

If you're having trouble writing, here's some tips. I suggest writing at a certain time every day and giving yourself a word count goal and not finishing until you complete it. That's what I do. For example, every day (I skipped the last two days, but I have an excuse) I start writing at 7:15 PM until around 8:10-ish. Sometimes I stop early or keeping writing past my usual time if I finish or want to finish a scene. It also helps if you put on some music that you only listen to while writing, which will help put you in the mood. I used to do that, but I found it distracted me too much, but I've heard it works for a lot people.

I know the feeling of not being able to just write. Sometimes just watching stuff helps me. something random on Hulu or watching movies with my family. Sometimes it makes me tick. OR watching anime on Justdubs.com.

OR sometimes reading other peoples work sometimes work. I'm in a group that kinda forces me to write so it helps me go. but sometimes I have to force myself, then I just sorta start going.

Nothing.

Well, not that I know of. I get some place and then...nothing. D: I really want to actually work on something, which is why I'm putting this plot bunny I have in mind to the side of my head. need to finish writing my two-part before anything else...D:

When I find myself not doing anything or just jamming to music, that's the time I prefer to write. That or when I'm in a boring class.


Speaking of writing, I'm gonna send my latest chapter to a Beta so he/she can correct my grammar, something I'm slowly improving and hoping to improve to the level where no one finds problems with my grammar. That would be really great.

Its a really good idea, an idea that you know that you can't afford to loose, if you put the pen or pencil down stop using the keyboard, all your ideas will just get lost in cyberspace.

Its in those moments of absolute inspiration that best stories derive from, even if the idea occurs in the most awkward place or time like work or school.

However as time progresses its the lack of craving attention, without it there is no drive to continue writing what seemed like a category 5 tornado to begin with, without that drive there is no will to go on, the question is how do you go on? That question lies within yourself, yes you, you are the one that gave the idea new life and form, only you will have the power to continue writing, what will give you that passion that driving force to do it all over again, whatever motivated you in the first place to begin writing that story.

Was what is it? The plot line, the characters, or a character, the middle of the story where you knew everything was just bursting at the seems.

Read your story and sleep on it, let the words crawl and seep through your skin, when your itching to wake up, or you can't fall asleep, its then you know that you have writer's bug, a bug that can stay for days, or weeks on its end.

I know from personal experience that I began an epic story 6 months ago, I had it planned for about 30 chapters, and I stopped about 6 chapters through.

I had a goal that each chapter was going to be 6 microsoft word pages long, I was going to write a chapter that was anywhere I felt the passion to write, and somehow mash it all back together at the end.

It didn't matter if the chapters seemed torn or rough, with careful thought and inspiration such things can be altered to make the chapters come together in perfect harmony.

When you write, you don't have to start at the beginning, I wrote chapters from the middle, some from the end and some from the beginning, as long as you have a plot and a story, its all you need to get started.

And let the passion run through your veins :)

There are quite a few things that encourage me to write a fanfic.

The main reason I love writing my own fanfic is because you are in control of your own pokemon adventure. You can choose any pokemon you want, from Venonat to Garchomp.There's also the fact of the scenario. Most pokemon games are incredibly repetitive. Original trainer adventure, POV of a pokemon or a ranger. in a fanfic you could be in an academy, an evil organisation, a member of the armed forces, just about anything. To me it's like little big planet in pokemon. PLAY WITH EVERYTTHHHIIINNNGGG!!

I get inspiration for a fanfic from the anime series, other fanfic ideas which I mould into my own creation, and/or a movie/drama/program on telly. yes daydreaming does help with fanfic ideas, as you have nothing in the way of distractions.

All in all, i love writing fanfics, drawing manga art, and even writing a bit of poetry now and again. And that is where i have my motivation to write!!!

What makes me writing are the ideas of how certain battles could be very special. Have you ever seen a Rattata beating a Hitmonlee, just by avoiding Hi Jump Kicks? Or a Primeape who stops a rolling Golem with its bare hands? Did you ever had a hydrophobic Mankey? Did you ever get saved by a newly evolved Pidgeot? Did you ever had an obedient Charmeleon (lol)? Did you ever got your Venusaur totally ruined (well that's not that great)? That's why I love making fanfics, because I can do pretty much what I want, without people stopping me. You thought Team Galactic was evil, now I'm more evil-er.

I watch full runs of anime. Generally, that feeds into my writing and gives me ideas and concepts that I incorporate. For example, after watching Bokurano, the backdrop of my story became a bit more nihilistic.
Suggested anime:
Railgun (not the full name)
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
Bokurano

Otherwise, I take breaks, and set aside time to think of the story after I've stopped writing it. But then, the thing I'm working on is quite long, so I've got a lot to think about.

Its really hard to say ... I get so many ideas at once, its hard for me to focus on just one story. As it is currently, I'm juggling about six different ideas and developing two almost full-time, others part. But with some of the ideas, they literally just scream "write me!".

When I get stuck on one story, I always have another to go to until the kink works itself out or another plot bunny drops in my lap. While it does take longer to produce a finished work when doing so many at once, I'm never out of ideas to function with. A break is still a break, whether or not its on just one tale.

In all honesty, though, I think its the characters that make me want to write. You can have the most fantastic plot in the world, but if you have bland characters, no one will remember it. Its the people in the story that drive it. ;)

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