Monday Check In

[peachpai]

It's a gross, gray day where I am, with a bunch of wet snow...and that means I feel like doing approximately nothing save for moping around the house.

Today's discussion, if you're feeling chatty: Does your motivation to write change seasonally or with the weather? What's your strategy for getting past the block?


And how's writing going today?

-Did you write some words?
-Did you think about how to write some words?
-Did you decide to take a completely valid and well-earned day off?
-asdfijsdlfkdklfjd?

Comments

[frogfarm]

Taking a quick break from writing, which is going well. Have an upcoming crucial action scene, which I brainstormed the mechanics of last night with a good friend. That was both fun and productive, and I look forward to more insights from them over the next few days as I hopefully get closer to that scene.

I don't know what the difference is between now and then, but in the past I ended up abandoning an ambitious long-term fic project that would have totalled somewhere north of two million words -- each virtual episode was at least twenty thousand words and I wanted five full seasons of 22 episodes each. And the only reason I abandoned it was because it was taking me too long to write. For whatever reasons, I've been cranking out the word count these past few years like never before, and I'm just trying to do everything I can to keep it going. So at least part of it is seriously buckling down more often and telling myself to just get it done. Which again, for whatever reasons, is working a lot better than it used to. Maybe I just wasn't telling myself seriously enough. Anyway, thankfully this doesn't appear to be seasonal...

[peachpai]

I have to give you ALL THE KUDOS for writing over 2 million words. That's a massive accomplishment even if you don't finish it!

[frogfarm]

I did manage to finish eight episodes plus prequel material, totaling just over 250,000 words. Even if it wasn't finished, there's some great stuff there, and I learned a lot from it that I'm applying to my more productive current sessions.

[peachpai]

That's awesome! I totally get that sometimes ambitious projects are more valuable as learning experiences than finished pieces. I've definitely made a conscious decision to not finish stuff like that when it wasn't working for me and still felt it was a good experience.

[linaewen]

I am having a late start to my day, which has thrown me off, so I am trying to get back on track with that. Things like that are more likely to affect my motivation than the seasons or the weather. Mostly I just have to make myself sit down and start working on my project and once I do that, I can go places no matter my mood.

Hopefully I can do that today and get somewhere with this chapter I need to write, but so far I am trying to get the "have to" jobs out of the way first so I can concentrate on my story.

[peachpai]

I hope the rest of your day was better! I know that feeling all too well.

[mistressofmuses]

I definitely notice a difference in my motivation depending on the weather, but not always predictably. Cold, grey, dreary days almost always leave me demotivated for much beyond laying in bed. But *sometimes* they hit that sweet spot for me (especially when it's a warm but rainy day) where it instead motivates me to cozy up in a blanket and get a marathon writing session banged out.
And sometimes a nice day generally gives me a boost of motivation, which I can easily turn toward a writing project. OR I get so distracted by the sunshine and birdsong that I can't focus on anything because I want to be outside, lol.

No writing yet today, and it may not happen before bed. But I did that yesterday too, so I've got to get my butt in gear sooner rather than later for the week!

[peachpai]

Warm rainy days are one of my favorite things and so perfect for writing! I try to emulate that feeling sometimes by listening to rain noise, but it doesn't always work.