M is for Motivation and Celebrate the Small Things-April 15, 2016

This year for the A-Z Challenge, I'm attempting to act like I know what I'm talking about and offering advice about writing.  Let's see how I do!

Also, don't forget to stop by the Parallels blog to see more posts about the upcoming anthology, which will be available on May 3rd!  Today's post is another one of mine, and I hope you enjoy it!

Please consider supporting our Thunderclap campaign!

Writers have good and bad days.  Sometimes we’re so motivated that we manage to accomplish what we set out to do and then a few other things on top of that.  Then there are days when we keep thinking of other things to do instead of tackling the writing that needs to be done.  When we lack the motivation, the words won’t come.  We keep thinking of excuses.

There are a lot of things that can contribute to a lack of motivation.  Exhaustion.  Worrying about other things in our lives.  The internet.  This last one is a big one.  While the internet can be one of our greatest assets as writers, it can also be one of our biggest foes.

Here are some tips for getting yourself motivated!

1. Set small goals.  Something too large can scare you away when you’re lacking in energy.

2. Turn off any distractions if possible.

3. Decide on a reward for yourself if you accomplish a given task.

4. Set aside previous setbacks.  Dwelling on a setback can make you feel defeated when you need to feel strong.

5. Remember that your writing doesn’t need to come out perfect the first time.  Just write!

And remember this!

It's Friday! Let's Celebrate the Small Things with Lexa Cain! Tonja Drecker and I are her co-hosts.

As you can see from the top of this post, the IWSG anthology has a Thunderclap campaign going, and it's off to a great start! Anyone who can join in and help spread the word would be greatly appreciated.  We need 100 supporters by May 3rd (which also happens to be release day).

We had another round of illness sweep through our house this week.  Kids are germ magnets.  Everyone is getting better now, but I absolutely cannot wait for summer.

Speaking of summer, I signed my kids up for T-ball again. They loved it so much last year, and they're looking forward to doing it again.

I'm almost done with the rough draft of my WIP, which is pretty exciting.  No matter what else has been happening, I've managed to write at least a little bit of it every day.  I'm pretty proud of myself for that, especially with the way this last week has been.

What would you like to celebrate?