Motivated Monday
Yesterday, Shirley at Clever Chronicles left a comment on Friday's post that inspired me to write this one. Thanks, Shirley!
Her comment referred to having time but not having any motivation to put it to use.
So many things are non-motivators for me. Anything to do with housework. Hate it. Maybe I have five minutes and need to dust the living room. Likelihood I'll grab the Pledge? About a million to one. What makes me finally do it - whenever that is (and probably not when I have the five minutes free time)? Knowing someone is coming over or when it finally reaches the point where I'm screaming to myself, "I can't stand it anymore!"
But here's where writers have it lucky. Writers, artists, any creative types or even non-creatives who are forced into working on a creative project. Pay attention.
Look around you. Close your eyes and listen. Close your eyes and taste. Close your eyes and feel - fabric, bark, a wall, whatever. It doesn't matter. Inhale. Exhale. You can do all these things from a bed or chair, inside or out. At the mall, at the zoo, on your patio. You don't have to do anything ... except remember.
Let the sensations flow over you, through you. Put them together with feelings. How do you feel when the breeze blows over your skin.? What does the scent of spring remind you of? Does the blue of the sky remind you of your mother's eyes?
These are the things unmotivated writers can do. We can store them away for when we are motivated to write. And we'll wonder where this line came from. How we thought of that. It's because we were writing even when we were unmotivated.
Sorry about the extra white space. It's a Monday Blogger thingie.
Her comment referred to having time but not having any motivation to put it to use.
So many things are non-motivators for me. Anything to do with housework. Hate it. Maybe I have five minutes and need to dust the living room. Likelihood I'll grab the Pledge? About a million to one. What makes me finally do it - whenever that is (and probably not when I have the five minutes free time)? Knowing someone is coming over or when it finally reaches the point where I'm screaming to myself, "I can't stand it anymore!"
But here's where writers have it lucky. Writers, artists, any creative types or even non-creatives who are forced into working on a creative project. Pay attention.
Look around you. Close your eyes and listen. Close your eyes and taste. Close your eyes and feel - fabric, bark, a wall, whatever. It doesn't matter. Inhale. Exhale. You can do all these things from a bed or chair, inside or out. At the mall, at the zoo, on your patio. You don't have to do anything ... except remember.
Let the sensations flow over you, through you. Put them together with feelings. How do you feel when the breeze blows over your skin.? What does the scent of spring remind you of? Does the blue of the sky remind you of your mother's eyes?
These are the things unmotivated writers can do. We can store them away for when we are motivated to write. And we'll wonder where this line came from. How we thought of that. It's because we were writing even when we were unmotivated.
Sorry about the extra white space. It's a Monday Blogger thingie.
Comments
Mason
Thoughts in Progress
Like you, I hate housework, especially doing the dishes. ;)
I love creating, writing in my case. So when I lack motivation I play my favorite CDs. I get REALLY motivated with classical music. Yesterday for instance, I needed a double dose of this since my tired neurons refused to send the right words to my brain. So, I pictured myself in the scene that I was writing, as one of the characters and visualized everything in the room...and voilá, I was able to finish my story. A little motivation goes a long way.
Cheers!
CD
Claudia - I love almost all kinds of music. Visualization always works. Sometimes it's just hard to get there.
Clarissa - Twice a week? I'm SO jealous. I'd never do ANYTHING ever again.
Karen - You're welcome sister housework hater :)
Alex - LOL! Wanna tell Live-In Handyman about that?
But your ideas are spot on and I thank you for them. Now I have justification for lying in bed in the morning instead of jumping up and running to my laptop.
Almost EVERY exercise can improve our writing, if we just let it!!!
You go, girl.
Patti
As for cleaning, I always let things go until I absolutely have to, like I'm out of shirts so I absolutely have to do the laundry. Dusting? Eh, that can wait another day, or week...
Elspeth - Soulmates, that's what we are.
Summer - Yea! You get an A+ and a gold star :)
Patti - Absorbing and relating. That's what we strive to do. All while telling a story that will knock their socks off.
Sheila - I no longer even use excuses, LOL.
Lisa - I don't mind laundry too much. Weird, I know.
Jane - Right.
Love the un-writing/ writing advice!
VR - Only when forced. Or shamed :)
Words Crafter - Why is that? Dirty houses must send out vibes that say 'Visit Me Now!' - LOL
A moment ago I would have said my office was totally silent except for the tapping of the keys on my keyboard.
Patricia
Your character awoke in the night heart pounding. She listens. Hears what you heard, nothing more. She turns over. Then she hears a creak on the stairs....
Motivation is important. I feel supremely unmotivated to iron my husband's work clothes, but it has to be done, and since I work part-time, and he works full-time, it's on me.
I love writing more than ironing (of course), but I have problems with inspiration over motivation. If I'm depressed or tired, it doesn't seem to happen.
I like the idea of storing for when we are ready to write.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on getting some motivation.