Writers have a hard time staying motivated

THERE ARE REASONS

Without coming off as completely arrogant, I consider myself one of the more self motivated people I know. I don’t really need anyone directly pushing me or telling me what to do. I get things done and I get it done at a high level.

But of course this isn’t always easy, especially as a writer. That’s because so much of motivation is based on praise and milestones. Someone training or trying to lose weight can notice a change within a month and be motivated to keep going. A construction worker is part of a team. They can see the structure they are helping to build take form and feel motivated to come into work the next day.

But how do writers stay motivated? Or any creative for that matter? Often we’re left to gauge our own progress or edit our own work while it's in the beta phase. We don’t have anyone (or don’t want anyone in my case) telling us to change that sentence, or that the light on that photograph is a bit off; not while we’re still working through it. Those decisions are left for us to make on our own.

But I don’t think that’s the biggest obstacle to writers being motivated. I believe the biggest obstacle is that writers don’t have the comfort of knowing their work will be appreciated, celebrated, or significant to the public in any way.

Take me for example. I’ve spent three years writing, revising, sharing, deleting, rewriting and editing my current novel. I put my soul into this, have written and deleted tens of thousands of words, removed characters, adjusted how other characters show up, but guess what?

Who cares?

Is there any guarantee that anyone will read this book? There certainly wasn’t any guarantee that this book would get published, and when it did, there was still no guarantee that something I spent years creating would ever be appreciated, celebrated, or even recognized by a significant amount of readers.

The harsh reality is too much for most writers.

That’s why so many of us say things like “I write for myself,” or “I really don’t care if anyone reads or sees this.” And while those are noble statements (and in fact true for some writers or perhaps a portion of your writing), I find it extremely hard to believe that any writer, any creative, doesn’t want the world to acknowledge their art in whatever form that takes.

And maybe the world is too big for some, but your creation is designed to be seen, read, touched, played with, streamed or however its interaction is arranged.

How many writers right now can honestly say they will spend months, years even, on a piece of writing and not care if anyone says “good job.” Or worse, doesn't say anything at all? Maybe you do some form of writing that’s personal (I journal from time to time), but can you actually say that you don’t care if anyone reads your words? The ones that aren’t meant to be personal?

I don’t hide behind those bars of fake modesty. I want the world to acknowledge my writing. I want as many people as possible to read my books, my newsletter, and anything else I write. I want to sell millions of books and be crowned with literary awards.

But here’s the thing that might sound a bit contrary to everything I’ve just said; The attainment of everything I just mentioned, of being the best writer in the world, isn’t the most important factor in keeping me motivated. The pursuit of this goal is the thing that keeps me excited. I grew up playing sports at a high level so competition is engrained in me. The main objective of any sport is to win, and so I carry that same attitude into being a writer. And I know if I put in the training, which I have an continue to do, then I will improve my skill and give myself the best chance at winning. And trust me, I want to win!

I would be lying to myself if I said otherwise and so I don’t lie to myself. I write with the pressure of being heard, of being criticized, of somehow inserting myself into popular culture. There’s no bigger compliment to my work than a reader giving her opinion. Regardless of what they thought, the fact that it’s out there and they took the time to read it means everything to me.

My hope is that other writers, other creatives, are brave enough to admit the same. That they, too, seek some form of recognition for their work (not for yourself. You shouldn’t need to rely on other people to dictate who you are as a person). I hope you, my writer friend, are courageous enough to remain motivated and continue to work towards something great instead of pretending what you’ve created has no bearing on the universe. That courage is the superstar attitude I’m working to instill in all of us.

Call it confidence, call it delusion, but I know my writing has made a difference to a fraction of the people in this universe and it will continue to make a difference to more and more people as I continue grow, continue to get better, and continue to build my readership. And while I don’t place any value in being acknowledged personally (I know who I am and nobody needs to tell me), art isn’t art without public acknowledgement. That’s the truth.