What Motivates You to Write?

[Auer]

I have same thoughts as Alicia - music and movies are important to me too. I listen to classical music, celtic or scandinavian folk music when I write. But still the greatest motivation is feedback from readers. I just received a email from 12 years old girl who loved my novel and had read it a hundred times thinking that it's the best fantasy novel ever written by finnish writer... That really keeps one going

 

[Arkangel]

I have never lived a life of my dreams, never been the popular kid, never been too bright in studies, and never been good in anything other than dreaming. My imagination was my only retreat in my childhood from poverty and abuse. I am a dyslexic and my school days were like days spent in hell. And when I used to read about spiderman, superman, and GI Joe. I used to feel they are going to save me. And they did. They saved me from losing myself to drugs, crime, and suicide.

And later as i grew, I got lost in sci-fi and other novels. My worries stopped existing anymore, I was involved in somebody else's life. Their journeys through struggle and hardship and finally their triumph filled me with hope.

And what motivates me to write? Other than the above stated reasons. While my school and my English teacher, she said I could not do it. People from my background and poverty can never break into the English market. And my friends and relatives said, "you can't even read your own language, and you are going to write a book in English." "You can't even pass out of your school and you dream big, poor people have no right to dream." "Nobody in America will read a book written by an Indian, you just get a job as a clerk like your father."

These words and people around me motivate me. The memories I have motivate me. And I write to live a mark and to give my ideas, thoughts, opinions, and creativity a form and a life of its own. It is no longer in my head anymore. It is out there creating its own name, identity, and self worth. It is like giving birth to a child, which will carry on my name. Unlike a human child my writings have no meaning without my name, it bares my name for centuries to come and reminds people of me. You become immortal the instant you write because knowledge never dies and creativity sets you apart. My writings are going to be my mark on this world and make me immortal

 

[terryweide]

Arkangel,

This may be the only one of these responses that I reply to directly. Don't ever let anyone tell you can't do it. Whoever said that to you wasn't much of an English teacher. In fact, they were a poor one. I like your concluding thought,

My writings are going to be my mark on this world and make me immortal.

Good for you, and good luck with all of your dreams. Best wishes, Terry Weide

 

[Tenalpia]

Arkangel, I agree with terryweide. Go for it - your writing looks pretty good to me and you certainly know how to tell an emotive story. With your ability and your experiences you are already ahead of most of the 'would be' writers in this world. You will live on through your writing and, through the words you leave behind, you will live the life of your dreams!

 

[Rosemary]

Positive thinking Arkangel ! I can see your reasons for writing will also be motivating others! It made me sit up and take notice!

I thought your 'post' was very well written, certainly emotive as Tenalpia has stated. Carry that through to your first book and I just know you will make it!

My best wishes to you and I look forward to reading your first publication

Rosemary

 

[Marky Lazer]

I write because I want to tell people a great story. I really believe I have a 'message' people want to hear. That's enough motivation.

 

[Anfeidrol]

I hope this doesn't sound too nebulous, but for me I pretty much have to write. I've so many ideas spinning in my head that I've just got to get them down in one form or another.QUOTE]

i know the feeling..ive completed two and a half (even though ive just realised how crap the first one was) but i think i know how to change it so it will still go with the sequel i finished too *headdesk*

you can tell i don't plan TOO far ahead

 

[Timeros]

I write for many reasons. One is my friends, especially my girlfriend, telling me I'm good at it, including one claiming every other day that I'll write a bestseller (I remain rather...sceptical )

Another one is that I want to prove myself. Not to anyone else. I feel no need to justify what I do. But I do, strongly, feel the need to do so for myself.

Third, I kinda like the idea of making money of it, though I am perfectly aware the chances are slim at best.

And finally, the most important reason. I enjoy it.

 

[chrispenycate]

May I turn this concept around?

I don't write, not because I am short of ideas but because I don't believe anyone would be interested in anything I wrote. I have no understanding of human beings, so any characters I developed would not behave in a manner believable to other human beings. I don't write, despite people (particularly my sister)who have been bullying me to do so for many years, because my use of language has diverged so far from the norm that it has become an effort for anyone else to understand me.
The effort of actually transferring words from my internal memory to that of my computer is sufficient that, if nobody is going to be interested, it's not worth doing. I'm a one finger typist, and even some of the posts I've done here have taken hours- and, after all, I know how my thoughts were organised.
I don't write because my tendency is to try and transfer everything in an explanation, rather than the essentials, because my particular line in logic is pretty well unique to me, because when I'm talking to someone face to face I can watch ideas take hold or miss, while when I write I merely get the reaction "Duh" and the end- I don't know where transmission started breaking down.

So what am I doing lurking in a writers workshop?

 

[Brad]

It is true when authors say; "I find motivation in almost anything". I find that music is a very good means of generating ideas, concepts and themes for motivation. Music can evoke various types of emotion which can put you in the mood to write what ever kind of story or plot you choose. Music can also assist the mood for initiating the correct atmosphere for a specific setting or scene. Keeping a watchful eye on how sci-fi and fantasy genres are progressing in the film industry also motivates creativity and sparks desperate intervals of writing. Some nights, i even lose sleep over exciting ideas and eventually become heavily involved in writing concepts and characters till the early hours of the morning. Writing can become exhilarating at its most crucial moments.

 

[MainComputer]

I had an extreme hallucinogenic experience in Amsterdam once. I met God, who told me to write, then he morphed into the Devil, and he scared me so much that I didn't speak for three days.

Seven years later, around four years ago, I had another profound trip. In it, the plot to a book began to form, all linking back to that moment in Amsterdam. It grew steadily (or possibly released itself), and now, finally, I am beginning to write it.

I think I need help.

 

[kyektulu]

My motivations are to leave a part of me behind when I am gone and to share the amazing adventures I have in my mind.
I find I have the most vivid of adventures when I am lying in bed unable to move because of my condition, I think this is because I am there for hours in pain- I want to escape.
The most frustrating thing though is when my hands are bad, I cannot even write down my thoughts as I cannot hold the pen.

 

[Allanon]

i write to be happy, i like to lose myself in reading books so to lose myself in writing them is even better.

 

[ekalb]

When I write, I want to lead people down the same feelings and thought processes that spark an experience with reality, the real world.
After all, we only go to imaginitive worlds to remind us that we live in the real world, the only world.
As Chesterton once wrote: 'In fantasy, we make apples golden, to remind the reader of the awe and wonder when the first saw a red apple'. [prphrse]
The very nature of life and the purposes of God are in our stories. Why else do we give such a high importance to them?

 

[yebastick]

There is so much sense of fullfillment when you write and finish a story. Or a kind sense of release even just putting words to your thoughts. When I read my journals it never fails to rekindle the emotions of the moments. I am awed when people are stirred and moved by words.

Of course, actual writing sucks.

And publishing is another devil to deal with.

 

[Ben.ak]

I like to clarify this in my posts so far. Im only 16. My impression is many of you if not all are at least out of high school so I write purely for fun and in the hopes that someday I can publish a novel that, if only a few sci-fi fans read, they can enjoy.

Rarely do I have an oportunity to write sci-fi for school but on the rare occasion my motivation is most competative. Its like a sport, I want to write the best, not for the marks or the approval of the teacher but to beat the rest.

 

[Hawkshaw_245]

I have a mind that continually spews out story fragments and characters, and crazy situations.

I love to write. It's wonderful to build your own universe,and to take readers on a wild ride.

My current problem is a huge amount of personal chaos that keeps me from sitting down and FOCUSING on the work of writing the actual stores.

I have two nephews, one newborn, and one 2 1/2 yrs old. who require babysitting 5 or 6 days/week. The time required to keep them, plus the resulting noise and chaos, has totally derailed my thought train.

Add a midlife crisis to the mix, and you've got a good picture of my sordid state.

 

[Green]

I don't have much trouble with the inspiration part, but sometimes have trouble getting down to the nitty gritty. I find it hard to work when the missus is in the house, cos she tends to make a lot of noise and pester (luckily, I work from home so I can spend a few hours during the day if I want to). The thing that gets me off my arse quickest is reading writing forums, funnily enough. It puts me in the mood.

A really good session is about 2000 words in a few hours, but I don't write every day, and I rarely get out 2000 when I do. I think, realistically, I get about 1000-1500 words out in a decent session, about twice a week. Which I'm happy with. Sometimes it's more, sometimes less. I tend to plan the scenes out in my head when I'm falling asleep in bed every night.

 

[Ben.ak]

I have a mind that continually spews out story fragments and characters, and crazy situations.

I love to write. It's wonderful to build your own universe,and to take readers on a wild ride.

My current problem is a huge amount of personal chaos that keeps me from sitting down and FOCUSING on the work of writing the actual stores.

I have two nephews, one newborn, and one 2 1/2 yrs old. who require babysitting 5 or 6 days/week. The time required to keep them, plus the resulting noise and chaos, has totally derailed my thought train.

Add a midlife crisis to the mix, and you've got a good picture of my sordid state.

When reading this I could almost be convinced I had said it. I also have a million ideas. I can sit down for an hour and write a fragment of something bigger but that is it. An hour, if that is all I get and I have a hard time keeping up with school, work and managing free time effectively as well as spending significant amounts of time writing.

 

[Green]

Sorry for the double post (EDIT - Ha! Be.ak beat me to it). As to "why do I write", then it comes down to this cancerous story in my head, by which I mean that if I don't finish it, it'll finish me. I think I've become obsessed with it, tbh.

I honestly think I have a great story, provided I tell it well. And I'm learning with every page, every re-write. I think it would be publication worthy one day, though since I lack the motivation to become a full-time writer, I know it probably never will be. But I'm happy with that.

Just got to finish the damn thing, and quick. It's been about three years in the mix so far, though I am about 3/4 of the way through. The end is in sight, for the first time