Motivation ... or a swift kick in the ass

Wow! Is it already 2011? Another good year to write passed me by and I did very little. Did you reach last year’s writing goal? Did you make more writing goals this year? Do you fear you will never get your WIP finished?

Well, join the club. I know exactly how you feel, think and…stall. I know because I’m one of the best procrastinators out there. I’m ashamed to say, I haven’t finished a manuscript in a very long time. However, I have started a ton of new projects. Three chapters of anything, and I’m out. At last count, I had eighteen unfinished stories.

Sound familiar?

Knowing this had to end, I spent the holidays questioning myself. Yes, I had an ugly pity party, and I was the only guest. I cried, I tried to validate my fifteen years of wasted time, and I even blamed my old computer; then my new computer. Anything but admitting I don’t want to write.

I am a lazy person who struggles to get off the couch, walk to the computer and write. Isn’t that pathetic? I want to be a writer and I want to get published, but I can’t bring myself to do the work.

Well, this year that changes. I’ve made yet another New Year resolution. I will finish a manuscript this year and I will get it out the door.

So, how am I going to do that you ask. Well, for one thing I’m going to write everyday. I’m not putting a word count to that commitment, but I will write something...hell, anything is better than a blank page.

Also, I plan to finish a book. I’m not going to stop when I get stuck. I’m not going to listen to that editor in my head that tries to convince me that I can’t write. And I’m blocking out that little weenie that sits on my shoulder and encourages me to stop writing on this WIP, and start something new and exciting.

I’m making motivation the topic of my first blog entry and I’d love to hear from you. Hey, I can use all the advice you want to offer. Tell me how you get out of a writing slump. How do you struggle to get to the finish line? What is your number one rule? How do you make that difficult leap from putting exciting words on a blank page to being published?

I look forward to hearing from you, and if you are like me, well, we can all learn together.

Thanks

Geri Foster