StoryMash Creative Storytelling Forum

Hi, SM'ers. This round of the Masher's Round has brought up an interesting topic - motivation vs procrastination.

What are you?

Are you the kind of person who can stay motivated? Who gets an assignment done on time every time? If so, what is your secret to success? What "tools" do you use? What is your advice to those of us who struggle to get things done in a timely manner?

Or

Are you one of those people who puts things off as long as possible? Do you find this is due to a lack of motivation, or is it something else? Does life just always seem to get in the way? Or do you prefer to let things "percolate" until the writing muse speaks to you?

Or

Are you stuck somewhere in the middle?

Let us know, fellow Mashers, where you stand, why you stand there, and the pros and cons of your position. :)

I'm somewhere in the middle. With SM, I get chapters finished promptly because they're short pieces that require small investments of time. And I know someone is counting on me for the next installment.

My day job forces me to meet deadlines often, so I'm used to them. And I detest being late for anything. Even if I don't feel like it, if there is a deadline, I must finish the project. Can you say, OCD?

When I procrastinate, it is because I can't think of an idea for continuing a story. When inspiration does strike, I try to be ready. I keep a notebook on my nightstand and one in my purse. (There are people that use digital recorders, but I also write erotica, and those ideas don't lend themselves to public voice recordings.)

The writing muse can be elusive and I am trying to be patient with it. Being flexible always helps. Oh yeah, and you gotta really want to do it.

I'm in the middle, as well. For SM, I generally write as inspired, which wanes from time to time. When it wanes, my motivation is then dependent on how many people I perceive are expecting me to get it done. (Which is why it often takes someone bugging me before the next Magehunter chapter gets posted...) Things like this project are great because I feel a strong sense of expectation to post the chapter, so I make sure it gets done.

In my own personal writing, I have many different ideas and starts floating around on my thumb drive (God bless whoever invented those little things), so when I'm unmotivated for one, I usually can find inspiration to work on a different one. That can make finishing any one piece tricky, though, so when I reach a point where I really want to get a full draft completed of one work, I usually have to make myself write a certain amount on the one piece before moving on to others (1k words seems to be the magic number for me). Or I have to spend an hour working on it before I can move on to others. Or something like that. :)

JD, I think you may be gloating :) If YOU are one of those types who can write an assignment, by deadline, each time, every time, then I think I might have to hire me a hitman (home address please).

I too depend on inspiration. If it's there, I'll feel like I will burst if I don't get it out. Writing will come easy, and I know that I'll like whatever I'm writing, at least in it's most fundamental idea, and I am happy and exhilarated.

If I have to work to meet a deadline, it's WORK. It will look and read like work and I will likely never be happy with it (though other people may be).

It is, however, both motivating and inspiring to have people eager to read your next work. It also depends on the voice I am speaking with. Some will ever flow easier.

@djinn ~ Big, huge, grin on the erotica/recorder comment. I can imagine how determined one would have to be to speak a scene, rather than write it, without taking um... long breaks inbetween narrative ^_~

@Aggeloi - I hope you backup those thumbs. I've lost two in the last 10 years. The first one was heartbreaking.

Hm... I'm not exactly sure how I'm gloating...

I simply stated the questions above without offering my own personal stance on them - save one clue of course.

Gloating? Me? Or do you mean goating ... in which case, um no. I'm not goating. Not right now, anyway.