Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Nose to the Grindstone


Hallo fine people!!! Welcome to First Wednesday and the Insecure Writer's Support Group! Don't forget to go visit other insecure writers today, too!

So anybody know what makes up motivation? I am going to go out on a limb and say a lot of it is momentum (or inertia). But if the inertia is dragging you down, what do you do to get going again?

I'm hoping March Madness can pull me out of it. So far so good. (after one day, but whatever). Maybe it helps that work is forcing my hand right now, too. I have a meeting next week and am helping a student prepare her poster, so I have had to be focused and work hard and at a very steady rate... so keeping going when I get home is working out okay. At least so far.


So what do I have to accomplish this month?

I want to query Medium Wrong which requires me to finish entering edits (should happen today), write a synopsis and query, select agents and publishers, and send them...

I want to PLOT a cozy mystery. And then, when I get through some reading I have to do (a beta read, a copy edit and a library book) I want to edit Kahlotus Disposal Site.

So that is a polish/query, a proofing, a plotting and an editing this month. LOTS to do, but a much more scattered list than I've ever begun March Madness with. Normally I write or finish a book... still, when I finish the month hopefully I will have TWO ready to fly out the door that have been in my files for way too long.


What about all of you? Any tricks for getting going again? What motivates you?


[And anyone interested in this March Madness business, can find out more here.]

19 comments:

Jan Morrison said...

Hi deario! No March madness for me I fear. My boss was in a bad accident and won't be back to work for awhile so I'm pulling more weight there. Still don't have my ms back from mentor so in limbo. There is lots of snow and minus 20C so not much motivation in sight. And I lost my favorite hat!! Yes, the one you sent me! My only remaining hope is that it is at the long term care. Still...days are getting longer, I have a real room to write in and there aren't any wolves in town. Yay!

Karen Baldwin said...

I am still reeling from a commitment of a friend gone bad but not one to wallow, I'm regrouping now and am moving forward. I sent out one of my manuscripts for editing and working hard on my w.i.p.

And today is my first time IWSG post. Yay!

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Exciting you're plotting a cozy!

I'm behind this month already...had a killer migraine (the remnants are still around) and it's kept me off the computer for the most part. My motivation is putting books up as pre-releases to order (on all retailers but Amazon since it dings us with pre-orders)! That's a scary thing, but it keeps me on deadline, for sure.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Two finished manuscripts - that would be great. Just keep riding the wave as long as you can.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

I love it when I have momentum! Haven't had it lately, but I'm working on it. :)

Good luck with all of your projects!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I'm hoping March Madness motivates me, too, but I didn't get any writing or editing done yesterday and probably won't today.

Roland D. Yeomans said...

You tackle one day at a time before the past week tackles you with what you left undone, right? You can do this.

Arlee Bird said...

You sound like you're pretty well motivated--at least a lot on your schedule. I've been in such a slump over the past months that I've forgotten what inertia and motivation is. Nothing much that I can add at the moment.

Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out

Crystal Collier said...

LOL! I don't have a choice. I have 4 kids who kick my rear and house if I don't get moving. The hard part is getting them all settled so I can get something accomplished.

Chrys Fey said...

March Madness can certainly get our butts into gear. Good luck with your goals!

Andrew Leon said...

I'm always motivated; I'm just sometimes distracted.

H. R. Sinclair said...

You are so motivating! I'm struggling though writing a query right now. It's giving me a headache. :)

C.D. Gallant-King said...

I'm putting the finishing touches on a book that should be out by the end of the month! While I usually have several projects going, I can actually only work on one at a time (only so many hours in the day, right?) Once this one's out then I can move onto the next half-finished book or start a brand new one.

Good luck on your March Madness!

IWSG March

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I pretty much self-motivate. I just don't want to quit even though it seems to get tougher every day.

Sheena-kay Graham said...

I am starting March Madness one day late but I'm fine with that. Glad you're keeping up momentum.

Misha Gerrick said...

Inertia is a funny thing. It makes it difficult to get something moving, but when that thing's moving, inertia is also what makes it difficult to stop.

Secret is just to get going.

Jemima Pett said...

Momentum/inertia - a great analysis. I think my momentum keeps getting interrupted by life events. But then I suppose I do want to keep living. Must keep the focus and get the three, no, four things done this month that MUST BE DONE. Make that five. Maybe six....

Nick Wilford said...

I hope March turns out excellently for all your goals. That's a lot. A busy day job can actually help, because you make the most of the limited spare time you have. I think inertia can often come from having all day to write!

G. B. Miller said...

Congrats on getting two manuscripts finished. I normally don't do March Madness beyond rooting for the UCONN women's team to lose (very long story as to why I loathe them). I have motivational issues in regards to my writing, but three weeks ago, I decided to spend my vacation doing nothing but that. I was always complaining about not having enough free time to do it, so I felt that a writing vacation would be the best thing to jumpstart my writing. And, it did. Churned out a respectable amount of words and so far, I've been able to keep the momentum going on two fronts.

Father Nature's Corner