When I asked what I should write about for this lovely party, and the vast majority voted for advice on how to finish writing a book. It surprised me a little, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. How many books on Wattpad go unfinished? Far too many, to the point that most of us are wary of getting invested in an ongoing story. And all the time, I see less experienced writers asking about how to stay motivated and why it's so hard to finish writing a first draft.
There's no easy answer, as sometimes it just takes hard work to complete the first draft, especially when a writer has never completed one.
Let's face it: writing is hard.
It might be the hardest art there is.
In fact, I've dabbled in many different arts, and writing has been the most challenging. I think that's why so many stories go unfinished---the writer didn't realize how difficult it is to craft a novel. They might have had an amazing idea or cast, but not enough drive and passion to get the words down.
But, despite the amount of work it takes, I've also found writing books the most fulfilling art I've tried and the one I keep coming back to. There's no feeling quite like finishing that book or series and giving my characters the closure they deserve. I love that moment when I get to check it complete on Wattpad and give my loyal readers, who've stuck with my stupid errors and developing style, the ending they also deserve.
So, what's my secret to staying motivated after I've been writing the same story for months and am only two-thirds through the draft, despite that shiny new idea calling to me? We'll get to that in a minute. First, we need to address why a writer---maybe even you---might be struggling to stay motivated. I speak from experience when I say that learning why you struggle can make all the difference. The most likely culprits:
No time: This is probably the most common, and the one we've all related to at some point. Minus the few who are fortunate enough to make their living writing books, we have to go to work and/or school. Family and friends and, if you're like me, religious activities come before anything. There are some like me who battle chronic illness. I really don't have the time or energy to write every, single day, and there are times my stories go on the backburner.
But it's good to occasionally sit down and evaluate things. How often could you forgo an hour of T.V. to write down a chapter, or how often could you type out a few paragraphs while waiting at the doctor's or while traveling? Be honest with yourself: do you truly not have the time to write your story, or are you just not making the time to do it?
Too many projects: It's a rare person who can focus on more than one story at a time---it's not impossible, just rare. When a writer thinks they can't focus on only one story, yet finds themselves incapable of seeing their work through, that means they need to stick with one despite it being hard. If someone wants to write well, they need to accept that it requires discipline and self-restraint (if you want to work on that, try doing NaNoWriMo).
For the vast majority of writers, flitting from draft to draft will kill motivation for all of them.
You may get an idea for a new story while writing another. Write the new idea down for later and force yourself to stick with the one you're currently writing. I've done that many times. Often, the need to force myself doesn't last long at all. In fact, I rarely ever go back and write those passing ideas.
Using the wrong method: Do you plan everything out? Try pantsing. Do you just write without any forethought? Try making an outline. Most fall somewhere in-between and are plantsers.
I tried planning my book, G.A.L.E. Force because I thought that's how "real writers" were supposed to write and I'd been doing it wrong. I laugh at myself now because I almost gave up on that story. Instead, I threw my outline out the window and went with the flow. The whole series and then some later, I don't regret that decision at all. I'm a pantser and, because I've accepted that, I finish my stuff.
Not ready for something long: Writing flash fiction, short stories and novelettes are great ways to learn basic story and plot structure and character development. They also give a major dose of motivation because you're more likely to finish them, and nothing pushes you on to finish another story like finishing one in the first place.
Getting caught up in editing while writing: Biggest motivation killer? Getting into the endless circle of editing and rewriting, yet never moving forward. Been there, done that. This is one reason why I recommend writing your story offline, because you won't have to go back and edit every time you want to post to Wattpad---legit wishing right now I'd followed my own advice for my book, Saving Armarodi. Don't be me!
Also, sometimes it's nice to write without someone looking over your shoulder and telling you what needs to be fixed before you even know where you going with it. Let your draft suck. It's okay if it's all tell or nothing is spelled right. All first drafts suck to some extent, no matter how skilled the writer is. For me, there's always so much that changes in the second draft, like I never have anywhere enough description and detail. G.A.L.E. Force has almost doubled in word count since I finshed it, and I'm still nitpicking that book.
Remember: you can almost always fix something, but you can't fix what isn't there.
Sometimes going back while writing is okay, though. When I get blocked, I take a step back for a day or two and then re-read things. I've found I get stuck because something isn't clicking and it needs adjustment before I can move forward. Once I find and fix that thing, it's usually smooth sailing.
Just grin and bear it: This is the tough love bit. We've established writing is hard. It's not always fun; it's plain work. Any art takes work and dedication if the artist wants to produce something of worth and improve their skill level. An author might need to force themself if they want to stick with a manuscript and finish it, even if they only write for fun.
I write for fun, but I've accepted it's not always smooth sailing. Sometimes a story I adore becomes arduous to write, and I have to force myself to get down those last six chapters. It's not new and shiny anymore, I've got three ideas screaming at me to write them, and there's five loose ends I've yet to tie up and it's killing me. But I grit my teeth and bear it because I know I can finish, and the sooner I do, the sooner I get to start one of those other, more shiny ideas. I focus on the light at the end of the tunnel and the accomplishment I'll feel when I do finish.
Needs a break: I believe sometimes a story just needs to be shelved so the writer can get some distance from it. If you really ain't feeling it, try writing a short story. Or not writing anything for a short period, even if it's just a day or two. Sometimes I need distance from one plot to see why I'm struggling with it and what direction to go in. Often I finish another story and am excited to write the first story again, and it flows out of me.
Not every story is writeable: I've had stories I didn't finish. I'm pretty sure if you asked most writers, they'd say the same. It happens. If you've been spinning your wheels on one story for a long time, it might be time to move on. Realistically, not all ideas work on the written page. Or a writer might not have the life experience to give a certain plot justice.
In Saving Armarodi, I'm revisiting a character and universe I came up with about a decade ago; my first, real series. While I finished the first book (if you can call the episodic ending it had "finished") way back when, I never went any further. I wasn't old enough to execute the plot and feelings I wanted to convey. Now, I am. I've been through enough in life to convey all the things I wanted to, and I know more about how the world works. I'm more skilled at description and show.
Also, sometimes plot elements work better in a new story. That story I wrote a decade ago had a few ideas I repurposed in G.A.L.E. Force. They just worked better there. However, don't make a habit of letting a story go off to greener pastures. Try to finish, even it's a total mess beyond repair, and chalk it up to practice.
It gets easier, I promise. Every story I craft becomes easier to write and easier to finish. The more I write, the cleaner my drafts are and the better my prose and plots become. The more stories you plow through, the easier the work gets.
It's like hand-plowing in real life. The first time you push that plow, every muscle in your body will ache and you will be exhausted. You won't want to do it again. But you need to eat, so you go back out the next day and work some more. By the time you've finished plowing your land, you've trained and strengthened your body and things weren't as hard as they were in the beginning. You have to power through the bad drafts to reach the point where they aren't as hard to get through.
This one thing keeps me going through anything, my personal secret to staying motivated: I write the first draft for me.
I love my stories, and I love my characters. I really do. They help me get through the hard times and face my fears and concerns. I write in such a way that my stories are pieces of myself, and I must finish or it'll drive me nuts until I do. I always feel so much better when I get everything out in the form of fiction.
In G.A.L.E. Force, I consider the protagonists Lawrence and Gale my children. The three of us have been through so much together, and I cried a little bit when I finished the third and final book in their series. My life was so rocky while I wrote their story, and they helped me get through that. I wanted to give them that ending; I wanted to give myself that ending. It was like closing a chapter of my life. In Sticks + Stones, there were things that Romy and Wendell went through that were very personal things that happened to me in real life. I had to give those characters an ending. I had to give myself closure to see how far I've come and how much I have now.
I know not everyone writes like this. Not everyone writes to cope with pain or fear, but I believe all writers give a piece of themselves to the works that resonate with them. You can tell, as a reader, when a story was special to the writer. You can feel the emotions and the passion on the page. There's nothing like it.
And that's my biggest piece of advice: write the story that resonates with you. Write what you're passionate about. Never write something just because a trope or plot is popular and you think it'll gain a million reads---that's gravy. You won't love that story as much. It'll be a pain to write. It probably won't make you swell with pride and accomplishment if you do manage to muddle through it. Most I've talked to who wrote a book they didn't personally love regretted ever writing it.
Don't regret your work. Write what you love. Who cares if it's "cliché"? Or if it's not and thus never becomes "popular"? If it doesn't gain a million reads, or even one, you'll still love your story dearly. You'll be proud of it. My works have few reads compared to so many, but I think you can tell I adore them, anyway. This is especially true when you're first starting out. This iswhen you truly fall in love with writing. This is when it's expected that you write for you and no one else.
Learn to finish your book offline and not post it until it's finished. Let it be riddled with errors and just write what comes to you. Love it for what it is before letting anyone see it. Don't worry about whether or not anyone will like it, and don't worry about impressing anyone. Just love it and finish for no one but yourself and your characters. If you aren't excited enough to finish your own story, why should anyone else be excited to read it?
I have entire stories I've yet to post to Wattpad because I'm not done loving them enough to show them off to others and take the critique---and maybe even hate---I know will come.
And I'm a firm believer in keeping a story or two in your private stash for no one but you. I just a read some of that first novel I wrote a decade ago, and you know something? I'm still proud of it, bad spelling and plot holes and Mary Sues and all. I finished it for no one but myself as I didn't have the Internet at home yet or even knew sites like Wattpad existed, and I doubt I'll ever let anyone else lay eyes on that tattered notebook it's written in. I remember how important it was for me get those words down. I remember fervently scribbling to keep up with my train of thought, my hand cramping and back aching from hours of writing by hand while stooped over on my bed. Why? Because I loved the story. I needed to get it out of my head and onto the page.
TL;DR: work hard and love your story.
Major thanks to y'all for reading, and to KellyAnneBlount for hosting this awesome party! Be sure to check out the song linked above for a little extra dose of motivation. ;)
What's your advice to a writer struggling to finish a story? If you've finished books, what have you had to overcome to do so? Or if not, what challenges have made it hard for you to finish up to this point? I look forward to reading your comments!
~PS~
will giveaway a chapter dedication in her Wattpad featured story, G.A.L.E. Force, to 2 lucky winners! My giveaway is open internationally.
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