Writing and Motivation
This week’s Blapril writing prompt is about “staying motivated”. It’s a perennial subject and one that is always relevant. Whenever writing events such as Blapril/Balugust are held, many of the participants are swept up in the initial excitement and camaraderie. At first they find both the time and the inclination to write. However, after a while, the realities of regularly writing become apparent. Finding the time may become more difficult, as does choosing material to write about. Something that was fun and enjoyable can eventually feel like a chore. Especially if you don’t receive any form of feedback. Hence it comes as no surprise that many blogs fall into decline and fade away. Content is posted far more intermittently and then there comes a point where the writer just stops. According to Google, only 167.4 million out of the 500 million plus blogs had been updated in the past 120 days.
It is at this point in a blog post such as this, it is customary to reference some cunning lifehacks, tips and guidance to make writing “easier”. I have written such material before referencing the benefits of preparedness, keeping notes, allotting time, choosing an appropriate writing environment etc. But the bottom line is there is no universal strategy, set of rules or philosophical school of thought that can solve motivation issues. It may well sound glib but you will either write or you will not. If you want to maintain a blog and post on a fairly regular basis then you will. You will determine what is the best approach for you and do it. Alternatively, you may find yourself burning the midnight oil and rushing to get a post completed but even method still gets the job done. If you feel compelled to write, then you will find away.
I write because I enjoy it. I enjoy the process of planning and constructing a blog post. I like the way it helps me marshal my thoughts. Researching a subject can be very illuminating and presents an opportunity to learn. Writing has helped me expand my vocabulary, improved my analytical skills and provides me with a sense of satisfaction. I have very little leverage or agency in the real world (do any of us?) but I am in charge of my writing. I can pose questions, discuss and analyse things in an orderly way. It also affords me an opportunity to present myself and my thoughts to the world in a manner of my choosing. My writing is not determined by how I look or dress. Hopefully it is judged on its own merits. And because this is how I feel about writing, this is my source of motivation.
Now I’m sure there will be some people reading this post who think “that’s all fair and good but I don’t feel as passionate about writing as you do. I just like to do it for fun”. To which I reply “fine, then do it for fun”. Find the level that is good for you and don’t feel obliged to do anything else. Blapril is not a competition, a race or an exam. Everyone’s blogs are different because we’re all different. Focus on an approach that is good for you and then once you’ve determined that, stick with it. But no matter how you approach blogging there comes a point where you just have to do it. The words will only appear if you type them. Perhaps that is the ultimate motivation right there. The satisfaction in seeing something appear on the virtual page, that up until now has only existed in your head. And then knowing that you can share that with others at the click of a mouse.
