Keep the Spark Alive: Staying Committed to Your WIP

All writers have been there.

The giddy, filled-with-butterflies moment that a brand new story idea comes to mind.

Just like a wonderful first date.

For days, you can think of nothing else. You get up in the middle of the night as a new plot twist comes to mind. You open the pantry door and wonder what kind of cookies your heroine likes.  You see the world through fresh eyes, through the lens of this new, beautiful story.

It's like a new relationship. You have all sorts of dreams for where it might lead. The adventures seem exhilarating, the excitement, overwhelming. Nothing can crush the seed of this beautiful new dream.

But like all strong seeds and new relationships, growth inevitably comes. And with it comes change.

The excitement dwindles.

The confidence fades.

The doubt sets in.

Suddenly, this dream seems hard. The once-vibrant characters may feel drab and dull. The plot may seem weak. The day after day fifteen-minutes-here, forty-five there writing time requires begins to seem more like homework than a glitzy, glittering dream.

And our relationship with writing becomes like that of two people in a long-term relationship who have given up on investing in each other.

So, what to do?

Find a way to keep the spark alive!

All married couples hit periods of rut. It just happens. One day, you wake up and realize you've been wearing your flannel pajamas for the past twelve nights, and you can't remember the last time you shaved your legs (hey, don't pretend that's never happened to you!). When we commit to something or someone for any period of time, we get in a routine. But sometimes it's good to shake things up!

That said, here are some ways to keep the spark alive and renew your interest in your work-in-progress:

• Write in a different location. If you have money for a writer's retreat or even hotel/cabin for a couple nights, great! But if not, try going to a coffee shop for a few hours a week (or even a day, depending on your schedule). Spend $20 on some pretty new flowers, and write outside on your patio. You'll notice different details--like the song of the birds, or the pattern of the waves--when you change up your surroundings.
• Read, read, read. Every time I read a book by Denise Hunter or Jenny B. Jones, I want to sit down with my own laptop and figure out how I can be a better writer. Learn from the best by listening to their stories. Other books will help open your mind to new, creative possibilities for your own. If you need a recommendation, try Rachel Hauck's The Wedding Dress. 
• Set goals, and stay committed. You may get bored. You may be tired. You will want to eat more candy than you probably should. But stay committed to the goals you set. The only way to get through a rough patch is to keep on walking. If your first draft stinks, welcome to the world of every writer. Keep going until it gets better. It will. I promise. Sometimes you just have to stick with it.
• Get involved with writing groups. Attend conferences if you can, but at the very least, find an online group where you can engage with other writers. There are so many opportunities available, from local writer's groups, to large organizations like ACFW. Find and join with other people who will cheer you on.
• Write something unexpected. Let yourself think outside the box from time to time. Write scenes you may never publish. Consider an unexpected plot twist or locale. Write the first chapter of the story that follows this one. Even if no one ever sees these pages, they'll allow you to get your creativity flowing and will help you get to know the characters so much better.

Your turn! What do you do to keep the spark of interest in your story alive?

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Ashley Clark writes romantic comedy with southern grace. She's dreamed of being a writer ever since the thumbprint-cookie-days of library story hour. Ashley has an M.A. in English and enjoys teaching literature courses at her local university. She's an active member of ACFW and runs their newcomer's loop. When she's not writing, Ashley's usually busy rescuing stray animals and finding charming new towns. You can find Ashley on her personal blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. She is represented by Karen Solem.

The reasons you write

Have you ever struggled with the daily commitment to writing?

Image by m_bartosch, freedigitalphotos.net

Perhaps you started out strong, but the middle has become a hard slog, and you feel like you’ve lost your way. Perhaps you’ve received negative feedback from people whose opinions you value, and you wonder if the whole thing is a waste of time. Maybe your characters have fallen down a plot hole and you can’t see any way for them to climb out. Perhaps your life circumstances have changed (new job? New baby? Elderly parent to care for? Fill in the blank) and your writing routine has been thrown so badly out of kilter that you’re scrambling to make any time to write at all.

I could put my hand up for all of these things. I’ll be honest: the book I’m working on right now has become a struggle. A mental, emotional, physical, spiritual struggle.

 

Recently I’ve been reading “Platform” by Michael Hyatt. Great book. Hyatt suggests writing down seven reasons for why you write, and reviewing these daily.

I did this. I actually came up with eight. Today I’d like to be completely transparent, and share them with you. These are very personal, very intimate reasons, and while it makes me feel quite vulnerable to share them, I hope my honesty might help someone else who may be struggling just as I am.

Eight reasons why I need to finish my novel.

1. To finish what I started. “I want to suggest that you finish what you started to do… Let your enthusiastic idea at the start be equalled by your realistic action now.” (2 Cor 8:10-11, TLB) Finishing when it’s tough takes character. I CHOOSE to be a woman of character, no matter how I feel.

2. To experience pride in my accomplishment. The results of not writing? I feel defeated, useless, inadequate. The results of writing? I feel energised, completed, purposeful. This state of mind flows out to every other area of my life.

3. God wants me to finish this book. A pastor once stopped me after a service and spoke this word over me: “You’ve sometimes thought that writing is your dream and your desire. But God wants you to know, it’s His desire.” I love him so much, and writing for God is my expression of love to him. It’s my daily sacrifice of praise.

4. Writing is my purpose in life. If I want to live a life that’s purpose-driven and meaningful, I need to walk within my purpose. To walk outside my purpose is to live a half-life, an incomplete life that doesn’t fulfil my potential.

5. I want to impact others. My biggest prayer has always been that I might produce fruit for God’s kingdom. God has given me a voice, and writing is my platform. Through the power of the written word, my sphere of influence will expand to reach countless more people than I could ever reach alone. My greatest privilege and joy in life would be to impact many others for God. 

6. I am a better mother when I follow my dreams. Following my dreams feeds my spirit. Do I want to feel begrudging and resentful that I don’t have time for myself, or do I want to make that time, and then mother with generosity and joy, out of an overflowingly abundant heart?

7. I believe in this book. I love my story. I love my characters. Those who’ve read it so far have found it gripping and compelling. I believe this story has the potential to be a success.

8. I choose to live my dream. Writing is what I’ve always wanted to do, ever since I was a little girl. The dream will not happen on its own. I alone have the power to make it happen through my daily choices.

The power of a reason

I’ve begun a practice of reading over my eight reasons at the start of every writing session. It centers me on the purpose behind the task. Gives me a bigger perspective. Inspires me to continue when it’s tough.

What are the reasons YOU write?

28-Day Challenge check-in:

For those participating, how is your new habit coming along? Don’t forget – double entries for the Amazon gift card in two weeks’ time if you’ve stuck with your habit every day!

Karen Schravemade lives Downunder and likes to confuse her American friends by using weird Australian figures of speech. When she's not chasing after two small boys or cuddling her baby girl, she spends her spare minutes daydreaming about the intricate lives of characters who don't actually exist. Find her on her website and Twitter.