Tips to get motivated to write

[spankedboy]

Hi all. How do you get the motivation to write? I haven't written for a while. It's not that I am stuck for ideas or no one responded - my stories on LitErotica are all highly ranked, and I have lot of ideas in my head. It's just that I am not able to motivate myself to sit and write them out - I am too busy getting off on them! Any tips?

 

[sr71plt]

Yes. Don't think about needing a push to do anything creative. It will either push you to do it itself or you something else to do of higher priority.

 

[SecondCircle]

Hi all. How do you get the motivation to write? I haven't written for a while. It's not that I am stuck for ideas or no one responded - my stories on LitErotica are all highly ranked, and I have lot of ideas in my head. It's just that I am not able to motivate myself to sit and write them out - I am too busy getting off on them! Any tips?

I dunno. My motivation can come from anywhere, for stories anyway. But what you're talking about is the actual will to sit down and write them out. For that, there's not too much of a straight answer, but for me I think you just really have to WANT to write. It has to be something you like to do enough to scoot things around and make time for it. A writer must actually sit down and write. And do so because it's something he or she loves. Its not really just easy to write.

Richard Laymond told of an authors joke someone shared with him. It demonstrated that people think writing (say like writing a book) is just the most effortless thing in the world. At a cocktail party, a surgeon says to his friends "When I retire, I think I'll write a novel." His friend, an author, replied, "When I retire, I think I'll operate on people."

Not to say that surgeons and authors are equivalent or anything, but it takes will and passion to write. For me, I WANT to write. It's one of my favorite things to do, so no matter what I have going on, I'm always able to create time for writing. And its just a hobby, at that.

Sometimes you hit ruts where you can't seem to gather the enthusiasm to put pen to paper. Or, eh, finger to keyboard... write. But if it's a passion if yours, it'll find you again.

 

[oggbashan]

It's too late for this year, but NaNoWriMo is a useful tool to get a writer into the habit of producing something every day.

Or you could enter the themed Literotica Contests. The Winter Holidays one has now closed, but it won't be long before we need to write for the 2014 Valentine's Day Contest. It is helpful because the themed contests provide a theme and a deadline to write to.

I wrote a How-To on the themed contests: http://www.literotica.com/s/entering-a-themed-literotica-contest

It might help you to think about entering.

 

[Hypoxia]

First, ya really gotta wanna. Then, ya REALLY gotta wanna. I think most of us writing fiction do so because we feel that we MUST do so. I recall an interview with Robert Frost, who ended the conversation by saying, "Excuse me, I must LET a poem now," exactly as if he needed to let a fart. A story (or poem) forces its way out of your brain, out into the world. Just another biological necessity, hey? Just squeeze'em out, kids.

 

[RichardBacula]

Don't come until you finish a story.

 

[lovecraft68]

Don't come until you finish a story.

Or maybe before and get it out of your system

 

[patientlee]

Or maybe before and get it out of your system

That's what I was going to say.

 

[lovecraft68]

That's what I was going to say.

It's how my wife helps me with my writing

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I don't want to write, writing, per se, is drudgery, and prolly dooms me to any fame or success. I have the same attitude about gardening. I write and garden all the time. But its the curiosity that comes from new awareness, and wanting to formulate technique that floats my boat.

I'm reading Dashiell Hammett, and recognizing what Raymond Chandler took from Hammett. Reading Paul Cain, recognizing what Chandler took from him, too. That leaves metaphors and Philip Marlowe's wise-ass cracks. Those seem to be Chandler's contribution. Talmage Powell took the whole package as soon as Chandler was dead, yet he's a different sort of Chandler-Hammett-Cain.

The question, now, is: Are raw, intense reader reactions the next step? I think so. Make Hammett-Cain-Chandler painful to read or infuriating or whatever. Put the reader out at the end of the limb or on the tightrope.

 

[patientlee]

It's how my wife helps me with my writing

We call it "research".

 

[lovecraft68]

We call it "research".

Exactly.

Mark and Allison from Circle were born out of a role play we did three years ago

 

[RichardBacula]

Or maybe before and get it out of your system

Hey, whatever works.

 

[spankedboy]

thanks!

Thanks for the tip. So I will just take the time out and write. Early morning time sounds good as well!

 

[RuzieD]

Don't come until you finish a story.

You know that really has been a problem with my writing. I start writing a scene, get into it, and wind up touch myself or breathing heavily in a cafe...

 

[hoo_hoo_boo]

Hi all. How do you get the motivation to write? I haven't written for a while. It's not that I am stuck for ideas or no one responded - my stories on LitErotica are all highly ranked, and I have lot of ideas in my head. It's just that I am not able to motivate myself to sit and write them out - I am too busy getting off on them! Any tips?

I don't have a problem when I think I have some thing good. I always wrote children's stories. It's the most difficult writing to do well- getting the language right, clarity of concept etc. I have a lot of failures. (I write to improve my writing.) It was a lot of fun. I had no trouble thinking of new stories and getting them down. I like to write them so they're fun for every one. Adults enjoy the best of them too. I used to read them for special people. Then I lost my children. With their deaths I couldn't bear to write children's stories any more.

I discovered erotica. In some ways I think it's similar to the children's genre in that it needs imagination and good language skills. There are ways of cheating that I like to avoid too. But I'm becoming bored by it- it's too predictable and I have trouble sitting to write them. Some of it is icky and I find that difficult to defend.

Now I'm writing in the children's genre again. It's been a long time. I'm beginning to like it again with nothing to be embarrassed about. Being able to show anyone is wonderful and it generates interest in writing more. As I have more than 200 children's stories it's difficult to come up with more, so when I do it's an enormous thrill.

I'm planning to open a gallery soon devoted to children's stories. I hope that will add to the fun. My writing isn't wonderful- I know that, but if I start I can get others to submit and eventually none of mine will be on show. It will be for art too. Just a place to have fun. Hopefully it will inspire more stories, more people- and not just me.

 

[hoo_hoo_boo]

We call it "research".

Funny- thank you.

 

[Hypoxia]

We call it "research".

Plagiarize
Let no one else's work evade your eyes
Remember why the good lord made your eyes
And plagiarize, plagiarize, plagiarize
But be certain always to call it 'research'
--T.Leherer (LOBACHEVSKY)

 

[Catharyn]

"A non writing writer is a monster courting insanity." - Franz Kafka.

I think that's basically true, but I've learned not to force myself to write, when the need or desire isn't present. I end up with nothing more than a good amount of frustration. I'm of an age where I understand that it will come, when it comes.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

"A non writing writer is a monster courting insanity." - Franz Kafka.

I think that's basically true, but I've learned not to force myself to write, when the need or desire isn't present. I end up with nothing more than a good amount of frustration. I'm of an age where I understand that it will come, when it comes.

I agree. Everything has its season.

 

[spankedboy]

Just finished writing. Was thinking of writing a sequel part for one story, ended up writing several episodes. Once it rains it pours.

 

[A_Little_Show]

[deleted]

 

[spankedboy]

Does your lover know that you write?

 

[sr71plt]

Just finished writing. Was thinking of writing a sequel part for one story, ended up writing several episodes. Once it rains it pours.

There you go. You gave the golden answer to your OP question. Hope others wondering the same thing take comfort from you having found the answer.

 

[OpenMouth]

Hi

I can only write when I am sexually frustrated / aroused. I masturbate continuously while I'm writing; it's not great literature but it is filthy, and that's why I do it. I'm admitting things that are in my head, that I could never discuss in public.

If I could work out how to motivate myself without playing, I might actually be able to write on non-sexual subjects, and it might be half decent!