How to Get Motivated to Write a Book

A common question I get asked (and one that I’ve asked many times myself!) is how to get motivated to write a book. The answer isn’t the same for everyone, but I will say we all struggle with a lack of motivation.

There are tons of writing motivation quotes all over Pinterest and Instagram, so I won’t bore you with those. I will, however, give you some nuance.

What you need to motivate yourself is going to change throughout your life. You don’t always have the same energy levels, and depending on what else is happening around you, motivation may not be enough to get you writing.

It’s okay to step away from writing. It’s okay to not write for a while.

Sometimes you just need a break because everything else is crazy. Do what you need to do to take care of yourself.

And when you’ve done that, then we can chat about motivation. Okay?

Okay.

How to Motivate a Writer

In general, writers need a few things to get motivated.

1. A very pressing deadline.
2. A metric fuck ton of caffeine.
3. An adrenaline rush from the combo of the impending deadline, caffeine, and a bout of procrastination.

When it comes to how to motivate yourself to write a book, most writers take what they can get. And many of us motivate in not-so-healthy ways.

I blame bad habits we built in school for this.

These bad habits persist, though, because we all believe a persistent myth about motivation. We wait for motivation like it’s inspiration, like the muse will come down and grant us this sudden burst of energy to work.

But that’s not how it works.

Motivation in Creative Writing Does Not Mean Passion

When you have motivation to work, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re passionate about what you’re working on. Motivation does not equal passion.

Motivation is the ability to sit down and get some work done. Passion is the fiery burst of creativity that makes you lose time as you write for hours on end, forgetting about the rest…