Self - Motivation

One of the things I have learned about myself in the past year is that it is difficult for me to motivate myself without declaring a goal.

I decided that I wanted to walk at least 1200 miles this year, with a stretch of 1400, and a super stretch of 1500.  I hit 1500 miles yesterday.

I finally started putting words to paper for the books that have been percolating in my head for the last seven years or so.  I set a goal to get to one hundred pages before I let anyone read and review it.  Didn't set another goal for myself, so have only written another forty-four pages since May.

I had an inspiration for a different, fun story listening to the radio one day, didn't set any goals related to it, so it is just meandering along.

If I'm going to be serious about being an author, I need to establish some routine, some goals and some discipline around it.

It is natural for me to set exercise goals, now I need to extend that discipline to my writing.

Because motivation works so much better when there is a reward involved, I have to think up a system of rewards for myself to keep the words flowing on to the paper.

I've decided to self-publish on Amazon using Kindle Direct for my lighthearted, fun stories.   I'm not sure what path I am going to take with the series of books that have been growing in me for so long.

Exercise is its own reward, just like this blog is its own reward.

I never knew how much discipline it takes to keep coming back to your story to put it on paper.  The stories flow so easily in my mind, but putting the words out there, and providing for the transitions, watching your characters take shape, and realizing they wouldn't do what you thought they would do, it is a really strange adventure.

Since starting to seriously write, I'll never read a book the same way again.  The amount of effort it takes to craft a story into a book that will hold your attention for two to three hundred pages is astounding.

Maybe it is easier if you have formal training.  Maybe it is easier if you have more natural talent.

Even though it is very hard, it is very fulfilling.  I get a tremendous amount of pleasure from committing my stories to print.  And that may be why I need the goals.  Writing feels self-indulgent.  I have to train my brain to look at my writing as my job, that I happen to be passionate about; not my hobby, that I can indulge when I have the time.

Part of motivating myself is putting it out there to all of you that I am now an author.  The subtle pressure of expectation is good for me.

Wish me luck friends!  I hope to have my first self-published Kindle novella out there by March.