Lately, I have struggled with a lack of motivation, not just in my writing, but also with everything. I think it’s because I feel overwhelmed by everything that I need to do.
I don’t help myself. I keep adding work onto my to-do list when I should focus on one thing at a time. But with the day job and the fiction writing, I have no choice but to juggle like a drunk clown. And now I’ve reached a point where I have run out of energy. I’m crawling through my to-do list, not even bothering to attempt juggling. And mentally all I’m doing is panicking about the looming deadlines.
I wish I could drop everything, go away for six months, and work on my novel and short stories, nothing else. No distractions, just my novel and I. But, sadly, I can’t do that. So I continued to take part in a race I feel I can’t win.
However, after reading this article titled, ‘Let Writing Be Your Rescue’ on the Writers and Artists website, it became clear that there is something I could do to help de-stress, and restore my motivation. It’s quite simple. All I have to do is write. Even though I am working on my writing, I can’t remember the last time I just sat and wrote a story for no reason. I like to call it ‘vomiting words on a page’. It’s where you write a story or poem without thinking about it being published. It’s a perfect exercise to help you let go and remember why you started writing in the first place.
So I have told myself that I will do just that. I will sit and write any rubbish that comes to my mind. And I hope it’ll help me to find my motivation, fingers crossed.
So if you are also struggling to get motivated, or feeling overwhelmed or low, then don’t forget that writing is a great form of stress relief. And what you write doesn’t even have to make sense. All you have to do is write.
Keep writing, folks!
Oh, and if you’re also dealing with self-doubt, then this Setting Self Doubt on Fire Challenge is for you.
And for those who are interested, it was my writing group’s second birthday on Monday. I can’t believe it’s been two years already. You can read more about how we celebrated the event on the Oldbury Writing Group website.