I have this mantra: "If I only write one sentence the rest will follow." And it does work even when I'm not motivated. Since I work full time I need to write whenever it's possible. Right now I'm slow cooking potatoes for 90 minutes. Perfect time for writing (But I watched your video instead so not there are less minutes left) I love your videos so I call it inspirational time. Thank you for keeping me going forward, I've learned much by watching your channel!
This is what I've been doing the past few weeks. I just tell myself "It's only one sentence. You can do that, and after that sentence, you can quit." Sometimes, I do quit after that sentence. But most of the time, it leads to two or three sentences. And some days, I end up writing for an hour. I'm quickly learning that even though I'm "capable" of writing 1000 words in half an hour, telling myself that's what I'm going to do is a surefire way to make me stop. But telling myself it's just one sentence, or one wimpy monster (I use 4theWords), and I often end up with a lot more words that didn't make me feel like I was pulling teeth the whole time.
This me to a T and is my favorite quote. The process of writing is torturous to me, just brutal. But after having finished something, its like a pure adrenaline rush. The problem with writing novels for me is that the adrenaline rush part of it takes A VERY LONG NEVERENDING AMOUNT OF TIME to reach! Gah!
Same here, except of course those few rare times when I'm purely in the zone playing with the words and the characters in a way that tickles me in the deepest places. Such a sensation that I wish was easy to reach.
Might I add: watch your health! I thought I was losing my motivation because I couldn't drum up the energy to focus and write, and struggled to think through my story's structure and even keep my thoughts together. Turns out, I wasn't unmotivated! I had undiagnosed sleep apnea and after almost a year of prolonged fatigue, my brain was basically broken. Addressing some of the possible causes for my blocked airways has at least helped me get deeper sleep the past couple of weeks, and I'm surprised how naturally I'm daydreaming about my story and coming up with creative solutions to the narration problems I've had. If your energy isn't there and there's just this block even when you sit down to write, just check on your health. What has your body been telling you, but in a whisper almost too low to hear amidst all the noise?
I very much relate to this, but I know it's because of my health because I've been struggling with neural issues since before I even began writing. I'm just hoping someday I can live normally and my brain will function well.. for now, I'm making use of what I have and holding on by a threat to get out that next paragraph, and I'm proud of myself for each one.
This is definitely true, if you're a college student. You've just got done writing the longest boring essay for a class that you barely tolerate, as well as othe energy draining assignments. It's hard to write what you love when you've spent half the day, writing about stuff you care lass about.
I'm currently a creative arts student (majoring in creative writing), and I even feel this way. Not all of the assignments we get are interesting. While I understand they are to help expand my abilities, it's still hard to be motivated to write what I want after all that drainage.
I needed this recently, I've been having massive writer's block. Whether it be questioning if I've already written the best thing I'll ever write, or if I'm being too pretentious or don't have enough experience on topics to talk about it. But now, I think I can do this. Thank you abbie! Your channel is a lifesaver
I completely agree! I’ve been less motivated to write since I don’t feel like I can describe and show well really important scenes that should be brutal and the greatest parts of the book, if that makes sense. In other words, I don’t think I’m good enough :( But still!! We can do this, I’m praying our dreams and hard work will be payed off soon 🫶🏻🤍 until then, keep fighting and keep trying, putting just one word in front of the other, just that one little word! Remember, blank page can’t be edited, but messy, crappy one will always wait for you in that document to fix it.. Sending love and hope 🌷
@@aspiringwriter527 Awh, thank you! For sure, we got this. Sometimes I go back and look at things that inspire me, then take certain lines and give it my own twist and context so it hits _just_ right in a different spot. And for your description issues, try describing what's only important in the future, evoke the five (or six in this case) senses of your characters while moving the story forward. (Six senses in this case: Touch, Smell, Taste, Texture, Thoughts, Sound.) So take this for example: Stale odor of urine and feces lingered, mingled with the sickeningly sweet scent of bleach. His palms ran against the scuffed wooden paneling, as he sunk into tiled floor. With each breath, he felt himself slipping a little further into a gray haze of smoke and confusion. -- That's description, action, description again with a hint of somewhat of a metaphor starting. If you feel like your description might not hit sometimes, try describing it like it's extremely crucial to the story. And don't forget to inject characterization (and thoughts!) as well. Remember, a hand holding scene isn't as important if you don't describe what your PoV character is feeling that moment. Is their chest tight, do they feel guilty? You might wanna show that, maybe tell the thoughts circulating their brain. If you need any help, like knowing when to tell or when to show, don't hesitate to ask. Remember, you're a great writer and you can absolutely do this.
I feel this but my depression is blocking me from doing anything, especially writing. I have a book idea but not a plot for it. I can’t even progress because, I suck at writing scenes, feelings, and characters voices. All the descriptions everything.
I know it’s probably cliched at this point but my kiddo motivates me to keep writing, the reaction I get from telling my stories just makes me happy haha.
My method to getting motivated is kinda complicated. Sometimes the urge to write comes out of nowhere. Sometimes I can get myself motivated by listening to soundtrack. The ones you have are really great in motivating me. I recently got motivated and inspired to write a romance novel based on a song because I loved it so much. Or even just thinking about conversations/events that I think about with my characters gets me motivated.
My best additional advice is... Make it fun! Set up your surroundings for winning! For me this is 5:30 AM, with candlelight, a dip pen, or cool writing instrument, and in near darkness, letting my thoughts come out through my pen. I know, it's old school, but it could work for you...Momentum, my friends outstrips everything! I have done this now for 8 years/ And I've produced 4 books (One, 660-pge novel) and 4 TV projects in that time, just working 3 hours a day in the mornings...even when I had a full time job, I took my notes to work.
This took me out of a hard depressive episode. I seriously thought sitting with pain was easier, but writing even when I don’t believe in myself & find solutions ✍🏼 that makes me feel less painful 😓 😊❤
Hi abbie! I love your videos! I'm a 13 years old writer and have been writing ever since pandemic started. I watched your videos for 3 years and it helps me out so much! English is not my first language but when I started watching your vids, I learned it little by little. Thank you, abbie!
Perfect timing! Just sitting down to write tonight and saw this video. I'm guilty of getting distracted during writing sessions to make them less painful! One way I've found to solve it and actually start actually writing is to just grab a pen and paper, and just try to get ink on paper. It takes a while to get going, but once you do I've found it's much easier to focus. Best of luck to everyone else on the creative journey!
ABBIE!! I just want to hug you! Seriously, you’re so so great 🫶🏻🫶🏻 the fact that you’re making time to teach people things that you’ve learned from your experience is wholesome! You have helped tons of people girl!! Your writing streams, these motivational videos, advices, words of comfort and encouragement keep me alive 🥹 I’m a teen writer but you’ve made me believe in myself more than ever before. Just so you know, if I ever publish my book, you’re the one to whom I’d dedicate it! Thank you for being my inspiration 💕💕
your work is so valuable! I love that you are not only writing yourself, which is huge, but also encouraging and helping others on their way to become writers as well ✨
It’s Wednesday, and you writers know what that means! *ADD* #HiAbbie The first story of my first tugboat book for children is coming along nicely. I have a dedicated hour of the morning to write. I have four hours in my morning from getting up to leaving for work. Hour One for breakfast, Hour Three for working out and Hour Four for showering and preparing for work. You may have noticed something. Where was Hour Two? Yep, that’s my writing hour. It’s how I do it and it works fantastically
Thinking about the JOY of making a short movie of my story, thinking about cinematography, editing and having fun on the set keep me MOTIVATED. Also thinking about the writing as a healing process, like an endless game, I want to play, Just one more time.
What works for me are: 1. Eat well / Rehydrate 2. Get enough sleep 3. Turn off social media 4. Listen to music that inspires you to write and related to your story 5. Know yourself. Write when you are most active and your mind is most creative whether youre an early bird or a night owl. Set aside mundane things at that time and write first! I used to have this way when I do all the chores first and stuff then when it comes to writing I'm already tired and unmotivated. Save your mental energy for the writing process.
The social media one is legit. You have one hour: Do you scroll on youtube or write a few paragraphs...? Use this spare hour every day, you will either waste time or gain written gold, 50/50 chance. But you eliminate the first option, and vioala, you finish the book in a year.
thanks so much, abbie ! i recently revealed my plot twist for my novella/novelette and i was all “ooohhh.” then i was like… now what? too many circles to close! too much emotion and information to show and NOT TELL!! the work, sadly, was sliding to the back burner. 😮 but now, thanks to YOU, i’m hyped to pick it back up, tell my story, and keep with it!! i love my characters and im happy not to say goodbye to them! thanks for your vids, abbie! i hope ya have a fun day!
I either write while listening to a show I already watched and therefore memorized the scenes, or listen to music while writing. I also set a timeline for myself sometimes. What all have in common is that I try to rewrite my definition of pain, like you put it.
Spot on Abbie! I came up with pretty much the same four approaches and I call my 4th method "Lock Up Left Brain and Release Right Brain", which is becoming "prewriting" where I work on the plot, the outline, research, etc, so when I actually do sit down to write, I have already programmed what it is I need to write.
What motivates me is the soundtrack playlist that I have compiled to go with different themes/settings of my story. I listen to it and can imagine my story as a movie, and it excites me so much!
The one thing that keeps me motivated to write is that I care about my story so much that I want people to be able to read it one day. I’ve felt like quitting so often but I’ve come to care so much about the novel I’m working on and that keeps me going. Just a little side note your outfit is gorgeous Abbie 😊
@@Leanne_13 Yes! What’s super fun and funny is reading scenes I wrote years ago for fun. I’m reading them with brand new eyes now. I literally read scenes I wrote and don’t remember writing😂😂😂. I started writing again just a few months ago and even with some of those scenes it feels like someone else wrote them because the prose feels like something I’m seeing for the first time. No I’m not disassociating and losing time 😂😂. It’s hard to explain but when I’m that far into my zone it’s like I step outside of myself. But on read back I can instantly tell if I was forcing myself to write and shouldn’t have or if I was in the zone because the difference in the quality is night and day. Again these were just random scenes with no real plot structure or theme to connect them. I’ve been going back through them after finding Abbie’s channel and learning her approach. She so inspired me with her passion for the craft of writing that it reminded me that I used to dream of writing a long time ago…and now I’m applying what I’ve learned to those scenes and beginning to craft them into something. It’s so exciting to be creative in this way! Sorry so long. Just wanted to chime in on the joy of going back and reading what you’ve written. 😀
@@nikkinewbie6014 yess i love that! i kinda get the zone thing too, where it’s visible in the writing if you were forcing yourself to write at that moment i just skip those parts of the stories when i get bored writing them because i know it’s visible in the writing when i’m bored myself. but it’s soooo fun to reread what you wrote because i literally write what i want to read when i can’t find a good book😂 and then i can just reread and be like « yep exactly what i wanted to read » (often times it’s amnesia tropes lol)
@@Leanne_13 Yes!!! I’m over here raising my hand and nodding 😂. Writing what I would want to read! That’s absolutely where I LIVE. I’ve decided to take my original mc / protagonist from my random scenes and plop her down right in the middle of a fanfic ☺️. I figure a fanfic will be good practice for my first storytelling effort because there’s already source material there that I know exceedingly well and that I can build on. I don’t want to say what fandom - super shy and keeping everything under wraps because I’m so brand new that I don’t know if I could sustain my resolve under criticism of the idea. I only revealed I’m doing a fanfic and not a 💯 original story because you seem really cool and not the type to look down on it😂😂. I have original characters and ideas and I’ll move on to those after I complete my first ever project. But getting back to what you said about writing what you want to read, fanfic lends itself to that perfectly- it’s the very definition I’d say 😂😂😂. My fanfic is based on a movie that I’ve seen probably fifty times or more and I’m switching up the events into a “what if” scenario! Thanks to Abbie-Wan as I call her 😂, I’ve been able to break down the original movie and isolate the midpoint plot twist. It’s a MAJOR plot point in this movie and it changes everything as it should. In my story I change that plot point which changes the course of events from that point on including the ending and I pick up on that alternate ending a year later. And I am writing what I would have LOVED to have seen happen in the original movie! It’s sooooo satisfying!! 😂😂😂 Abbie-Wan’s channel has been the spark and the roadmap to getting my brain in create mode again. Now I know how to proceed. I’ve got several themes I can go with and have to figure out the main one. Then I need to FURTHER develop my original character/ protagonist and reverse engineer how she will pair with the object of the fanfic in terms of the internal conflicts and what they will learn from each other and how they will turn out to be exactly the person the other needs to transform into their best selves and fall in love along the way. But I’ve already engineered how they come into each others lives 😂 And I know a lot of the third act too so it’s mostly about plotting the middle after I have all the internals figured out for the protagonists and even a few of the secondary characters. It’s going to be a romantic thriller. So two protagonists and a whole mystery to solve. For my first project. 👀. Go big or go home, right? 😂😂😂 Gosh! I’m going on and on. But your enthusiasm was contagious so it’s all your fault! 😂😂😂😂 Do you have anything anywhere I could read or are you a beginner too? Just wondering but I respect if you don’t want to say ☺️. Cheers!
@@Leanne_13 Amnesia tropes 🤔. Hmmm. Seems like that would be about self-rediscovery and CHANGE. Every memorable story I know that has a mc suffer from amnesia ends up being about how the character not only remembers who they are at some point but in that journey of remembering, they evolve PAST who they were into a better person. Almost like they lost their memory for a reason 😉. Nice vehicle for transforming a character since that amnesia breaks the chains of who we tell ourselves we are and have to stay “being” (forgive the grammar but it conveys what I mean better) 😂😂😂
I found this video really helpful because often times when I have the most time to write I feel like I’m not in the right mindset and it’s just not happening. I’m definitely putting these tips in my tool box to help myself get more motivated!
It has been a hectic exam month. So after finishing them, I decided to pick up from where I left off, but I didn't have any motivation to write anything! I felt bad for my online readers and wanted to write as soon as possible, and who's best than Abbie? So I came to you for help and you always say what I need to hear and do my best. Love your advice and your videos! Thank you, Abbie.
I have chronic neck pain. Nerve pain. I write to escape the pain. But when my pain level is high, I get brain fog, the very act of sitting down hunched over a lap top hurts me physically more. This winter has bee the absolute worst. I wanted to do the November writing challenge, but wasnt able to. In fact I've written maybe 5 times since November. I even have difficulty journaling due to brain fog and pain. It's all I can do just to get my chores done, the things I need to do to survive, like cooking and cleaning. It can be very depressing. So I binge watch tv shows that have characters or simalar themes as what I want to write, researching how to do my own story in a way that isnt too taxing on my body or mind. But it does make me feel awful not being able to write.
The thing that keeps me motivated to write is to remember that regardless of it's quality at the first, it is the very creation of story that matters the most to me rather than trying to impress people. I remind myself that a first draft is not a finished project and give myself a chance to make mistakes and be messy. A lot of times if I can't think of what to write, I write other things. Like nonsensical phrases over and over, so that I'm still writing even when I'm not writing my story, and it helps with not getting too comfortable doing nothing and making no progress at all
My favorite thinking that keeps me motivated through writing a manuscript is what I call the "spark". To me my "spark" is my undying love and passion for that specific story and it's plot/characters. I feel best when my "spark" has just been ignited and is burning so bright I feel like a firecracker.
your tip about listening to instrumental music versus lyrical music reminded me of a thing. if you listen to music in foreign languages you don't understand, it stimulates your brain the same way instrumental music would because your brain simply skips the whole word-processing thing because it knows it doesn't know that language. you also get the added benefit of hearing another human voice, which satisfies a social part of the brain. love music
Something that help me be motivated to write is story’s and shows. When I see a show I be inspired by story’s, books, movies, show sand ect. When ever I feel unmotivated to write I watch or read the story to get the motivation back! Anther way that helps me stay motivated which is a trick one of my favorite show writers Matt Braly and he say to find your Northern star. What lesson do you want to scream to he world right now. What something that makes your want to write the story. What the theme? The Northern star for me is my theme of the story. Anytime I felt lost or unmotivated I always look at the star and remember that why I’m writing this story. That two thing that keep me motivated at last. Thanks so much for making anther great video and have a great day.
I've been wathcing our channel a lot. As a person who likes to write, I've found your videos quite helpful. You have not only changed the way I write but, also the way I think. Your videos are amazing. Thank you for sharing tips with us. Hope you're doing well 😀😀
Do you know any ADHD people with tips for the same topic? Cause my brain literally shuts down without a little distraction unless I get hyper focused but can't manually flip the switch.
I find it easier to outline and even write/scribble one draft by handwriting. I love fountain pens so I use that as motivation. "Time to try out a new pen or ink today!"
To limit distractions, I bought a laptop dedicated to running Scrivener, to get away from my work (and game) station at home. It has helped a ton with cranking out about 250k words of draft.
I'm making one hell of a Lore Bible when it comes to my current WIP and as I'm going about the building of background details I'm starting to see my characters and their world come together, even while the chapters aren't going anywhere at all. 😅
The pain vs pain thing makes so much sense given how the word passion derives from the latin word patiere aka to suffer. Passion quite literally means suffering for something. Same way compassion means suffering with, and the word patient means 'they suffer.' Being impatient for a final result is being intolerant to suffer for it, while being patient means waiting = suffering (which it does for many people). So motivation to do something, is being patient to work through the process, and is allowing yourself to do your passion which means allowing yourself to suffer for it. When we are passionate, it is said that Cupid strikes an arrow in us, and so we love it, but it also hurts... like we have an arrow inside of us.
I'm a very tactile person, so if I'm stuck, I'll often transition from laptop to pen and notebook. If I think I'll be stuck the next day, I'll wait to type what I wrote for later. Sometimes typing something that I've already written can help, because I'm already in the act of typing for the story, so it gets me immersed while not having to think as hard as I would if I were staring at a blank screen.
What motivates me...that dissapointed feeling at the end of a tv show or movie...i sit there going why? And then later that night, WHY? 😅😅. Great video Abbie Thanks. keep up the good work.
What makes me motivated is making sure I watch the channels of the youtube authors who I've found and like. Plus a whole bunch of sticky notes with things like goals, pomdoro, ect.
Hello! I swear your videos help me so much! The one that helped actually come up with the plot got me started and really motivated me to write! But, when and if I get my book published I was wondering if you would like to read it and maybe review it? I think I am going to call it a Throne of Crows. I am only thirteen and this is my first book that I am actually sticking to because I feel in love with it and I need to know what to do better if I write a sequel or turn it into a series. I will keep you updated on when it will come out if that actually happens and if you are interested in reading and reviewing it!
Writing is something that I know I can do but haven't done it well since I was a child really and my stories were always derived/ very heavily inspired by something I was reading at the time. I recently watched your video on coming up with story ideas and I have used the master list and the idea template to great effect over the last week, coming up with 10 ideas (of varying quality) and one keeps coming up in my head whenever I think about taking an idea forward
Good afternoon, Abbie. To be honest, there isn't a number 1 thing that keeps me motivated to write my story, since the story, the scene or something is always changing which makes it difficult. I've recently made character sheets for the story as I was writing in Third Person POV, but now I switched to First Person POV to try it out. I just might write the story the way I want it instead of following POV'S and let you guys figure it out for yourself. Have a wonderful day and happy writing, Abbie.
Okay, Abbie...this is great per usual... and an idea for your viewers, (this is one of my favorite parts of writing)---the ebb and flow of rhythm in writing and how to do it. Some of the best writing has this secret sauce --it flows so well, and you're not sure why? Do you have a formula?
I don’t know if you will ever read this but if you do, you might appreciate knowing what I call you: Abbie-Wan ! 😂😂. And I promise I will never fall victim to the dark side. YOU matter! You inspire so many people with such specific knowledge and guidance and you share it with your endearing personality on full display! Thank you so much for awakening the long dormant writer in me by providing a path to follow. Everything you teach makes perfect sense but most importantly, you make it sound DOABLE. That made all the difference in the world in getting me off the sidelines and into the game! 😂 I’m almost ready to start crafting but I am so enjoying the process of learning from your videos. I really want to have the important concepts nailed first to cut down on rewriting. Continued success to you and thanks again Abbie-Wan! I’m rocking on! swooshhhhh😂
I don’t know if you’ve heard of the good-bad life principle. I’ll give the TLDR - good lives take sacrifice at the beginning (accepting pain as normal and natural), but over time and effort, your results will start compounding and create a life a real meaning and possibilities. Bad lives start with boosts, because who really wants to put in effort (minimizing pain), but at the end, if you don’t exercise and eat fast food all the time, and never work hard at anything, you are likely to be a one way train for a heart attack. So, I tell myself, I need to do this. Whether I want to do it or not, I need to do it. That is what gets me motivated. Nobody can create the life I want but me, so I better keep going.
Thank you Abbie! I've been having a hard time being excited while writing, I feel like it's more of a chore even when I love the story I'm telling, I feel like it's not coming out well, but this video makes me feel better about pushing through!
I don't know ( for sure ) what keeps me motivated to keep writing , as I haven't written a full story since my primary/Elementary school 🏫 days . If I really had to say now : Inspiration of the story without any writer's block and ( also ) success . A lucky day can work wonders for my reputation for under-achieving . ♑️✍️🇳🇴🇦🇺
One thing I do sometimes is I take a scene from my favorite book or TV show and replace the characters with characters from my book. Like I take the scene from Rapunzel's tangled adventure where we first met Varian, and I dump my characters into that scene. As an example I can end up with a nerdy Aurora talking excitedly about drawing techniques while Fauna and Amira are getting angry with her and Kathy is just listening politely, thinking Aurora's passion for drawing is cute. That's one silly idea, but it doesn't have to be perfect. This is just to make me write down words on a piece of paper.😅
Fashionably late squad. (*works graveyard) I've slacked a lot. Only got 23,096 words done in my wip over the last three weeks. Taking notes. Thank you, Abbie! Always excellent. 1. Limit phone and internet access. 2. Mood playlists and immersive writing sessions. 3. Writing Sprints. 4. Shift into a creative mindset. Rewrite pain in my head, get an accountability partner, get gritty. Hmmm. in answer to your question, the number one reason I write? I write to keep myself sane. If I didn't, the stories I feel, and experience would make me nuts. And then there's all the other stressors of life adding heat to my boiler. Writing is my safety valve.
ONLY you say? ONLY 23 THOUSAND? ... *insert the shame I feel as I check the word count of the wip I've been working on for 3 months and see only 14,000*
@NeonAGC You know what? Your right.. I've been slacking. Heres something to consider. the cutting room floor in Hollywood. in other words.. Write through the bad, until you write the good. then brace yourself for the rewrites down the road. then the line edits. and be prepared to shelve it and move on to the next. love ❤️ the process.
You looked gorgeous today. Love the outfit. You are like the human version of a Disney princess. 😄 Thanks for all your teachings and tips. They’re helpful
If I usually get stuck, I try not to get into that mentality that it's impossible. Also you might just have other stuff going on in your life and don't need to feel bad. I usually try and skip parts of my book, and write the next part I feel motivated to do. Immerse myself as much as possible. If that doesn't work, I write something completely not related to my book to try and warm up... If THAT doesn't work, I scroll through Wikipedia on any of the topics I'm writing about. That usually gives me something interesting to work off. Usually find some hidden gems, that make you write something great and feel better. Even if it's a bit of dialogue. New fresh ideas (especially in the second or third act of a book) can really push you forward!
Even though I didn't know I wanted it, this video helped me a lot, as I've always been trying to write, but the spark of creativity never came into me. Thank you for another great video, you just earned yourself another subscriber!
Thank you! For me, the kick if motivation would be how in the world am I going to attract enough readers to my blog (which I'm planning to segue from home decor into writing and books, or maybe combine the two), and actually sell my book? No matter how great it would be, if I can't get people to read it or but it, what's the point? You mentioned "ARC" in an interview. How did you get into that, and what is it exactly? I hope I wouldn't have to spend thousands or even hundreds on marketing and pushy SEO tools. It seems like marketing it to even make it matter is going to take longer and be much more difficult than actually writing it lol. Thank you!
I always type my stories on the laptop and I leave open notepad to type what I’m doing or thinking or frustrations or just vent of what’s be bothering me and eventually clear my mind enough where I can’t get back to my story or realize that I’ve started a new story so I copy and paste under a new file. It don’t help all the time but most of the time it does.
Abbie!!! when are you going to release the lighthouse book??? i am a huge fan of your writing and I really want more to read from you!!! (also this video came out at the right moment! I was struggling to find motivation to write LOL)
Good advice, the only method I use is stop writing and visualize the events in any story as a self-told monologue, I just view the world and individuals involved. I just like to see what they're up too.
Thank you so much for the video... I'll probobly try these methods ( sorry for mistakes - I'm still learning english...), though I have a inspiration crices more often... Though I have a solution for that - I listen to music while making circuls in my room... This also helps when I have no motivation to write and other things are looking more interesting...
It's a bit hard to follow these rules, if you have a desk job that requires thinking. I really like writing, but I am just tired after writing documents or designing solutions for 8h monday to friday at my full time job. These advices are really good, but they won't work for everybody. It's like going to gym after 8h of demanding physical job.
It is the hardest to start. For coding, I have to be in the zone for 10 minutes before I start making any progress, but after that 10 minutes it's much easier to keep going and sometimes hard to stop.
Thank you for your videos, Abbie. Some great tips here. My main writing de-motivation comes when I try to write, and whatever I wrote is so bad I'm actively embarrassed by it and can't bear to continue. 😄
I'm gonna ask my boyfriend to check in with me every few days and ask me if I've written anything (or at least worked more on some outlines) within the last 24 hrs, starting today. He's already expressed interest in reading my writing, so this could really work out well. 😁
I loved the writing sprint I did with your channel in January, but the last one was while I was in school so I couldn't do it. I was so sad I had to miss it!
How messy is a first draft "allowed" to be? I'm 33k into the first draft of my first novel, it's the first time I've made it this far with a writing project and I feel really happy with it so far and like this is something I can actually finish and even publish one day. The first 10 chapters I kept going back and editing and tweaking over several months to make them better, but now I'm trying to just finish the book so i can move on to my second and third drafts and hopefully publish soon after. I'm trying SO hard not to edit or get hung up on things being written well when i first write them because my brain expects everything to be written like it's the final draft. How can I give myself permission for the first draft to suck? Is it still worth it if what I write sounds like garbage and I know i'll just come back to it later, just keep going and don't stop until it's finished? I know this is probably extremely subjective, but I just feel like everyone is probably writing amazing first drafts even though I know we all have a lot of work to do and I feel so far behind. Imposter syndrome is KILLER
I'm so late replying to your comment, but I really hope you didn't give up. I teach English, and I've been kicking myself the entire way through this draft because it's so incredibly awful that I'm afraid I'll die of shame if anyone sees it. I finally did what I always tell my students to do and gave myself permission to write badly. It's the worst first draft I've ever written. I've broken every plotting and story structure rule known to man, my dialogue is wooden, my plot twists are lackluster-- but I'm writing it. And when I'm finished with it, it's going to be the worst first draft ever. But it will be finished, and it will be mine, and I can edit it as much as I want until it's good enough (or nearly so). I hope you choose to do the same with your WIP-- even if it is truly awful, there's nothing a second draft can't fix. Good luck, stranger.
@@jenabrown8100 thank you so much for responding! Knowing an English teacher (professor?) is also GOING THROUGH IT actually helps so much. I haven't given up! I've made it to almost 45k since my comment and am treating myself to delicious Indian food when I reach 50k lol. I'm still struggling with letting it suck but the more I just sit down and write the more I just let it be and leave it as future mes problem lol. I hope we both continue and come to the end proud of ourselves for finishing and equally determined to move to the next step!
In times like this when I don't have any motivation to write, I just turn on some music. Sometimes listening to songs helps me create a short story in my head, even if it has nothing in common to my novel. It just helps to write something... 😄
There are times when I have to write even when I am struggling with writers block! I just make myself do it, plus I have a a list of ideas that go with my story.
Dorothy Parker said it best: "I hate writing; I love having written."
That's it. That's exactly it. Gold star.
this is exactly my feelings as an artist as well.
exactly it.
❤❤❤
Relatable ❤
That PART!!
I have this mantra: "If I only write one sentence the rest will follow." And it does work even when I'm not motivated. Since I work full time I need to write whenever it's possible. Right now I'm slow cooking potatoes for 90 minutes. Perfect time for writing (But I watched your video instead so not there are less minutes left) I love your videos so I call it inspirational time. Thank you for keeping me going forward, I've learned much by watching your channel!
This is what I've been doing the past few weeks. I just tell myself "It's only one sentence. You can do that, and after that sentence, you can quit." Sometimes, I do quit after that sentence. But most of the time, it leads to two or three sentences. And some days, I end up writing for an hour. I'm quickly learning that even though I'm "capable" of writing 1000 words in half an hour, telling myself that's what I'm going to do is a surefire way to make me stop. But telling myself it's just one sentence, or one wimpy monster (I use 4theWords), and I often end up with a lot more words that didn't make me feel like I was pulling teeth the whole time.
Test Comment
I have started writing a book. If anyone is interested in reading it, reply to this comment
It is the story of a 15 year old kid and his mother in the capital city of the kingdom after his father is murdered by a landlord
Good advice I'm gonna try this!
There is a quote by some writer (can't remember the name): “I hate writing, but I love having written.”
And that's how I feel most of the time 😄
This me to a T and is my favorite quote. The process of writing is torturous to me, just brutal. But after having finished something, its like a pure adrenaline rush. The problem with writing novels for me is that the adrenaline rush part of it takes A VERY LONG NEVERENDING AMOUNT OF TIME to reach! Gah!
Same here, except of course those few rare times when I'm purely in the zone playing with the words and the characters in a way that tickles me in the deepest places. Such a sensation that I wish was easy to reach.
- Dorothy Parker
It's 2 comments above you 😅
Might I add: watch your health! I thought I was losing my motivation because I couldn't drum up the energy to focus and write, and struggled to think through my story's structure and even keep my thoughts together. Turns out, I wasn't unmotivated! I had undiagnosed sleep apnea and after almost a year of prolonged fatigue, my brain was basically broken. Addressing some of the possible causes for my blocked airways has at least helped me get deeper sleep the past couple of weeks, and I'm surprised how naturally I'm daydreaming about my story and coming up with creative solutions to the narration problems I've had. If your energy isn't there and there's just this block even when you sit down to write, just check on your health. What has your body been telling you, but in a whisper almost too low to hear amidst all the noise?
I very much relate to this, but I know it's because of my health because I've been struggling with neural issues since before I even began writing. I'm just hoping someday I can live normally and my brain will function well.. for now, I'm making use of what I have and holding on by a threat to get out that next paragraph, and I'm proud of myself for each one.
Right on. You have to be working at optimal health, otherwise you will NOT be able to perform long-term.
@@NeonAGC Yes! Keep going!
This is definitely true, if you're a college student. You've just got done writing the longest boring essay for a class that you barely tolerate, as well as othe energy draining assignments. It's hard to write what you love when you've spent half the day, writing about stuff you care lass about.
I'm currently a creative arts student (majoring in creative writing), and I even feel this way. Not all of the assignments we get are interesting. While I understand they are to help expand my abilities, it's still hard to be motivated to write what I want after all that drainage.
I needed this recently, I've been having massive writer's block. Whether it be questioning if I've already written the best thing I'll ever write, or if I'm being too pretentious or don't have enough experience on topics to talk about it. But now, I think I can do this. Thank you abbie! Your channel is a lifesaver
I completely agree! I’ve been less motivated to write since I don’t feel like I can describe and show well really important scenes that should be brutal and the greatest parts of the book, if that makes sense. In other words, I don’t think I’m good enough :( But still!! We can do this, I’m praying our dreams and hard work will be payed off soon 🫶🏻🤍 until then, keep fighting and keep trying, putting just one word in front of the other, just that one little word! Remember, blank page can’t be edited, but messy, crappy one will always wait for you in that document to fix it.. Sending love and hope 🌷
@@aspiringwriter527 Awh, thank you! For sure, we got this. Sometimes I go back and look at things that inspire me, then take certain lines and give it my own twist and context so it hits _just_ right in a different spot. And for your description issues, try describing what's only important in the future, evoke the five (or six in this case) senses of your characters while moving the story forward.
(Six senses in this case: Touch, Smell, Taste, Texture, Thoughts, Sound.)
So take this for example:
Stale odor of urine and feces lingered, mingled with the sickeningly sweet scent of bleach. His palms ran against the scuffed wooden paneling, as he sunk into tiled floor. With each breath, he felt himself slipping a little further into a gray haze of smoke and confusion.
--
That's description, action, description again with a hint of somewhat of a metaphor starting. If you feel like your description might not hit sometimes, try describing it like it's extremely crucial to the story. And don't forget to inject characterization (and thoughts!) as well. Remember, a hand holding scene isn't as important if you don't describe what your PoV character is feeling that moment.
Is their chest tight, do they feel guilty? You might wanna show that, maybe tell the thoughts circulating their brain.
If you need any help, like knowing when to tell or when to show, don't hesitate to ask. Remember, you're a great writer and you can absolutely do this.
I feel this but my depression is blocking me from doing anything, especially writing. I have a book idea but not a plot for it. I can’t even progress because, I suck at writing scenes, feelings, and characters voices. All the descriptions everything.
Writing something is better than nothing. It's called editing and revisions. You always give good advice. Thanks Abbie.
I know it’s probably cliched at this point but my kiddo motivates me to keep writing, the reaction I get from telling my stories just makes me happy haha.
That is wholesome! Keep winning!
My method to getting motivated is kinda complicated. Sometimes the urge to write comes out of nowhere. Sometimes I can get myself motivated by listening to soundtrack. The ones you have are really great in motivating me. I recently got motivated and inspired to write a romance novel based on a song because I loved it so much. Or even just thinking about conversations/events that I think about with my characters gets me motivated.
My best additional advice is... Make it fun! Set up your surroundings for winning! For me this is 5:30 AM, with candlelight, a dip pen, or cool writing instrument, and in near darkness, letting my thoughts come out through my pen. I know, it's old school, but it could work for you...Momentum, my friends outstrips everything! I have done this now for 8 years/ And I've produced 4 books (One, 660-pge novel) and 4 TV projects in that time, just working 3 hours a day in the mornings...even when I had a full time job, I took my notes to work.
This took me out of a hard depressive episode. I seriously thought sitting with pain was easier, but writing even when I don’t believe in myself & find solutions ✍🏼 that makes me feel less painful 😓 😊❤
Hi abbie! I love your videos!
I'm a 13 years old writer and have been writing ever since pandemic started. I watched your videos for 3 years and it helps me out so much! English is not my first language but when I started watching your vids, I learned it little by little.
Thank you, abbie!
Girl the same , but the only difference that iam 14
SAME! Except English is my first language. 💀 This was 10 months ago, ur probably 14 now
Perfect timing! Just sitting down to write tonight and saw this video. I'm guilty of getting distracted during writing sessions to make them less painful! One way I've found to solve it and actually start actually writing is to just grab a pen and paper, and just try to get ink on paper. It takes a while to get going, but once you do I've found it's much easier to focus. Best of luck to everyone else on the creative journey!
ABBIE!! I just want to hug you! Seriously, you’re so so great 🫶🏻🫶🏻 the fact that you’re making time to teach people things that you’ve learned from your experience is wholesome! You have helped tons of people girl!! Your writing streams, these motivational videos, advices, words of comfort and encouragement keep me alive 🥹 I’m a teen writer but you’ve made me believe in myself more than ever before. Just so you know, if I ever publish my book, you’re the one to whom I’d dedicate it! Thank you for being my inspiration 💕💕
your work is so valuable! I love that you are not only writing yourself, which is huge, but also encouraging and helping others on their way to become writers as well ✨
It’s Wednesday, and you writers know what that means! *ADD* #HiAbbie The first story of my first tugboat book for children is coming along nicely. I have a dedicated hour of the morning to write. I have four hours in my morning from getting up to leaving for work. Hour One for breakfast, Hour Three for working out and Hour Four for showering and preparing for work. You may have noticed something. Where was Hour Two? Yep, that’s my writing hour. It’s how I do it and it works fantastically
Thinking about the JOY of making a short movie of my story, thinking about cinematography, editing and having fun on the set keep me MOTIVATED. Also thinking about the writing as a healing process, like an endless game, I want to play, Just one more time.
What works for me are:
1. Eat well / Rehydrate
2. Get enough sleep
3. Turn off social media
4. Listen to music that inspires you to write and related to your story
5. Know yourself. Write when you are most active and your mind is most creative whether youre an early bird or a night owl. Set aside mundane things at that time and write first! I used to have this way when I do all the chores first and stuff then when it comes to writing I'm already tired and unmotivated. Save your mental energy for the writing process.
❤❤❤
The social media one is legit. You have one hour: Do you scroll on youtube or write a few paragraphs...? Use this spare hour every day, you will either waste time or gain written gold, 50/50 chance. But you eliminate the first option, and vioala, you finish the book in a year.
Needed this both in my writing and, especially, my school work this week as a homeschool student! Thanks so much Abbie!!!
ADD and procrastination, bring it on! I'm ready! You've won thus far but you can't win every day!
thanks so much, abbie ! i recently revealed my plot twist for my novella/novelette and i was all “ooohhh.” then i was like… now what? too many circles to close! too much emotion and information to show and NOT TELL!! the work, sadly, was sliding to the back burner. 😮 but now, thanks to YOU, i’m hyped to pick it back up, tell my story, and keep with it!! i love my characters and im happy not to say goodbye to them! thanks for your vids, abbie! i hope ya have a fun day!
I either write while listening to a show I already watched and therefore memorized the scenes, or listen to music while writing. I also set a timeline for myself sometimes. What all have in common is that I try to rewrite my definition of pain, like you put it.
Spot on Abbie! I came up with pretty much the same four approaches and I call my 4th method "Lock Up Left Brain and Release Right Brain", which is becoming "prewriting" where I work on the plot, the outline, research, etc, so when I actually do sit down to write, I have already programmed what it is I need to write.
What motivates me is the soundtrack playlist that I have compiled to go with different themes/settings of my story. I listen to it and can imagine my story as a movie, and it excites me so much!
The one thing that keeps me motivated to write is that I care about my story so much that I want people to be able to read it one day. I’ve felt like quitting so often but I’ve come to care so much about the novel I’m working on and that keeps me going.
Just a little side note your outfit is gorgeous Abbie 😊
omgg yesss i love writing so that i can read what i wrote after! it’s so rewarding and fun to read what you actually want to read!
@@Leanne_13 Yes! What’s super fun and funny is reading scenes I wrote years ago for fun. I’m reading them with brand new eyes now. I literally read scenes I wrote and don’t remember writing😂😂😂.
I started writing again just a few months ago and even with some of those scenes it feels like someone else wrote them because the prose feels like something I’m seeing for the first time.
No I’m not disassociating and losing time 😂😂. It’s hard to explain but when I’m that far into my zone it’s like I step outside of myself. But on read back I can instantly tell if I was forcing myself to write and shouldn’t have or if I was in the zone because the difference in the quality is night and day.
Again these were just random scenes with no real plot structure or theme to connect them. I’ve been going back through them after finding Abbie’s channel and learning her approach.
She so inspired me with her passion for the craft of writing that it reminded me that I used to dream of writing a long time ago…and now I’m applying what I’ve learned to those scenes and beginning to craft them into something. It’s so exciting to be creative in this way!
Sorry so long. Just wanted to chime in on the joy of going back and reading what you’ve written. 😀
@@nikkinewbie6014 yess i love that! i kinda get the zone thing too, where it’s visible in the writing if you were forcing yourself to write at that moment
i just skip those parts of the stories when i get bored writing them because i know it’s visible in the writing when i’m bored myself.
but it’s soooo fun to reread what you wrote because i literally write what i want to read when i can’t find a good book😂 and then i can just reread and be like « yep exactly what i wanted to read » (often times it’s amnesia tropes lol)
@@Leanne_13 Yes!!! I’m over here raising my hand and nodding 😂. Writing what I would want to read! That’s absolutely where I LIVE. I’ve decided to take my original mc / protagonist from my random scenes and plop her down right in the middle of a fanfic ☺️. I figure a fanfic will be good practice for my first storytelling effort because there’s already source material there that I know exceedingly well and that I can build on.
I don’t want to say what fandom - super shy and keeping everything under wraps because I’m so brand new that I don’t know if I could sustain my resolve under criticism of the idea. I only revealed I’m doing a fanfic and not a 💯 original story because you seem really cool and not the type to look down on it😂😂.
I have original characters and ideas and I’ll move on to those after I complete my first ever project. But getting back to what you said about writing what you want to read, fanfic lends itself to that perfectly- it’s the very definition I’d say 😂😂😂.
My fanfic is based on a movie that I’ve seen probably fifty times or more and I’m switching up the events into a “what if” scenario! Thanks to Abbie-Wan as I call her 😂, I’ve been able to break down the original movie and isolate the midpoint plot twist.
It’s a MAJOR plot point in this movie and it changes everything as it should. In my story I change that plot point which changes the course of events from that point on including the ending and I pick up on that alternate ending a year later. And I am writing what I would have LOVED to have seen happen in the original movie! It’s sooooo satisfying!! 😂😂😂
Abbie-Wan’s channel has been the spark and the roadmap to getting my brain in create mode again. Now I know how to proceed.
I’ve got several themes I can go with and have to figure out the main one. Then I need to FURTHER develop my original character/ protagonist and reverse engineer how she will pair with the object of the fanfic in terms of the internal conflicts and what they will learn from each other and how they will turn out to be exactly the person the other needs to transform into their best selves and fall in love along the way.
But I’ve already engineered how they come into each others lives 😂 And I know a lot of the third act too so it’s mostly about plotting the middle after I have all the internals figured out for the protagonists and even a few of the secondary characters.
It’s going to be a romantic thriller. So
two protagonists and a whole mystery to solve. For my first project. 👀. Go big or go home, right? 😂😂😂
Gosh! I’m going on and on. But your enthusiasm was contagious so it’s all your fault! 😂😂😂😂
Do you have anything anywhere I could read or are you a beginner too? Just wondering but I respect if you don’t want to say ☺️.
Cheers!
@@Leanne_13 Amnesia tropes 🤔. Hmmm. Seems like that would be about self-rediscovery and CHANGE. Every memorable story I know that has a mc suffer from amnesia ends up being about how the character not only remembers who they are at some point but in that journey of remembering, they evolve PAST who they were into a better person. Almost like they lost their memory for a reason 😉.
Nice vehicle for transforming a character since that amnesia breaks the chains of who we tell ourselves we are and have to stay “being” (forgive the grammar but it conveys what I mean better) 😂😂😂
I found this video really helpful because often times when I have the most time to write I feel like I’m not in the right mindset and it’s just not happening. I’m definitely putting these tips in my tool box to help myself get more motivated!
It has been a hectic exam month. So after finishing them, I decided to pick up from where I left off, but I didn't have any motivation to write anything! I felt bad for my online readers and wanted to write as soon as possible, and who's best than Abbie? So I came to you for help and you always say what I need to hear and do my best.
Love your advice and your videos!
Thank you, Abbie.
You're totally right! I'm usually more in my writing mood while listening to certain music. I thought I was just imagining it.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who listens to instrumental/movie scores when writing. It helps me so much to get in the mood.
I have chronic neck pain. Nerve pain. I write to escape the pain. But when my pain level is high, I get brain fog, the very act of sitting down hunched over a lap top hurts me physically more. This winter has bee the absolute worst. I wanted to do the November writing challenge, but wasnt able to. In fact I've written maybe 5 times since November. I even have difficulty journaling due to brain fog and pain. It's all I can do just to get my chores done, the things I need to do to survive, like cooking and cleaning. It can be very depressing. So I binge watch tv shows that have characters or simalar themes as what I want to write, researching how to do my own story in a way that isnt too taxing on my body or mind. But it does make me feel awful not being able to write.
My characters motivate me a lot. Being able to see how my characters' stories develop further keeps me interested.
The thing that keeps me motivated to write is to remember that regardless of it's quality at the first, it is the very creation of story that matters the most to me rather than trying to impress people. I remind myself that a first draft is not a finished project and give myself a chance to make mistakes and be messy. A lot of times if I can't think of what to write, I write other things. Like nonsensical phrases over and over, so that I'm still writing even when I'm not writing my story, and it helps with not getting too comfortable doing nothing and making no progress at all
I love the voice you make when emphasizing silly thoughts XD
My favorite thinking that keeps me motivated through writing a manuscript is what I call the "spark". To me my "spark" is my undying love and passion for that specific story and it's plot/characters. I feel best when my "spark" has just been ignited and is burning so bright I feel like a firecracker.
your tip about listening to instrumental music versus lyrical music reminded me of a thing. if you listen to music in foreign languages you don't understand, it stimulates your brain the same way instrumental music would because your brain simply skips the whole word-processing thing because it knows it doesn't know that language. you also get the added benefit of hearing another human voice, which satisfies a social part of the brain. love music
Something that help me be motivated to write is story’s and shows. When I see a show I be inspired by story’s, books, movies, show sand ect. When ever I feel unmotivated to write I watch or read the story to get the motivation back!
Anther way that helps me stay motivated which is a trick one of my favorite show writers Matt Braly and he say to find your Northern star. What lesson do you want to scream to he world right now. What something that makes your want to write the story. What the theme? The Northern star for me is my theme of the story. Anytime I felt lost or unmotivated I always look at the star and remember that why I’m writing this story.
That two thing that keep me motivated at last. Thanks so much for making anther great video and have a great day.
As an educational scientist: motivation is much more complex than pain vs. pain but I appreciate the sentiment. The tips you give are good though.
I've been wathcing our channel a lot. As a person who likes to write, I've found your videos quite helpful. You have not only changed the way I write but, also the way I think. Your videos are amazing. Thank you for sharing tips with us. Hope you're doing well 😀😀
Do you know any ADHD people with tips for the same topic? Cause my brain literally shuts down without a little distraction unless I get hyper focused but can't manually flip the switch.
I find it easier to outline and even write/scribble one draft by handwriting. I love fountain pens so I use that as motivation. "Time to try out a new pen or ink today!"
My motivation is: "O boy, my novel is SOO GOOOD that I can't - just CAN'T - wait to show it to public. People NEED read this, immediately!" 🤣
To limit distractions, I bought a laptop dedicated to running Scrivener, to get away from my work (and game) station at home. It has helped a ton with cranking out about 250k words of draft.
I'm making one hell of a Lore Bible when it comes to my current WIP and as I'm going about the building of background details I'm starting to see my characters and their world come together, even while the chapters aren't going anywhere at all. 😅
I love going to the library to write. Idk why but I focus so well there and just feel inspired surrounded by books.
I love your sci-fi immersive writing session as I use it regularly
The pain vs pain thing makes so much sense given how the word passion derives from the latin word patiere aka to suffer. Passion quite literally means suffering for something. Same way compassion means suffering with, and the word patient means 'they suffer.' Being impatient for a final result is being intolerant to suffer for it, while being patient means waiting = suffering (which it does for many people). So motivation to do something, is being patient to work through the process, and is allowing yourself to do your passion which means allowing yourself to suffer for it.
When we are passionate, it is said that Cupid strikes an arrow in us, and so we love it, but it also hurts... like we have an arrow inside of us.
Sprint writting is awesome, i like it!
I'm a very tactile person, so if I'm stuck, I'll often transition from laptop to pen and notebook. If I think I'll be stuck the next day, I'll wait to type what I wrote for later. Sometimes typing something that I've already written can help, because I'm already in the act of typing for the story, so it gets me immersed while not having to think as hard as I would if I were staring at a blank screen.
What motivates me...that dissapointed feeling at the end of a tv show or movie...i sit there going why? And then later that night, WHY? 😅😅. Great video Abbie Thanks. keep up the good work.
What makes me motivated is making sure I watch the channels of the youtube authors who I've found and like. Plus a whole bunch of sticky notes with things like goals, pomdoro, ect.
Hello! I swear your videos help me so much! The one that helped actually come up with the plot got me started and really motivated me to write! But, when and if I get my book published I was wondering if you would like to read it and maybe review it? I think I am going to call it a Throne of Crows. I am only thirteen and this is my first book that I am actually sticking to because I feel in love with it and I need to know what to do better if I write a sequel or turn it into a series. I will keep you updated on when it will come out if that actually happens and if you are interested in reading and reviewing it!
Thanks for this video, I’m 6 weeks into a project and am struggling to get anything out. I feel so tired and overworked.
Writing is something that I know I can do but haven't done it well since I was a child really and my stories were always derived/ very heavily inspired by something I was reading at the time. I recently watched your video on coming up with story ideas and I have used the master list and the idea template to great effect over the last week, coming up with 10 ideas (of varying quality) and one keeps coming up in my head whenever I think about taking an idea forward
Writing sprints and your immersive writing sessions ALWAYS help me make a lot of progress on my WIPs!
My story needs me for it to come to fruition. I'm the chosen one. I'm the only one who can do this -- I'm the hero my story gets!
Community writing sprints probably help me the most!
Good afternoon, Abbie. To be honest, there isn't a number 1 thing that keeps me motivated to write my story, since the story, the scene or something is always changing which makes it difficult. I've recently made character sheets for the story as I was writing in Third Person POV, but now I switched to First Person POV to try it out. I just might write the story the way I want it instead of following POV'S and let you guys figure it out for yourself. Have a wonderful day and happy writing, Abbie.
Focus on yourself this is really we need. its motivation magnet
Okay, Abbie...this is great per usual... and an idea for your viewers, (this is one of my favorite parts of writing)---the ebb and flow of rhythm in writing and how to do it. Some of the best writing has this secret sauce --it flows so well, and you're not sure why? Do you have a formula?
You beautiful and talented woman. Thanks for this!
Your channel is a gem. You deserve more subscribers ❤
I don’t know if you will ever read this but if you do, you might appreciate knowing what I call you:
Abbie-Wan ! 😂😂.
And I promise I will never fall victim to the dark side.
YOU matter! You inspire so many people with such specific knowledge and guidance and you share it with your endearing personality on full display!
Thank you so much for awakening the long dormant writer in me by providing a path to follow. Everything you teach makes perfect sense but most importantly, you make it sound DOABLE. That made all the difference in the world in getting me off the sidelines and into the game! 😂
I’m almost ready to start crafting but I am so enjoying the process of learning from your videos. I really want to have the important concepts nailed first to cut down on rewriting.
Continued success to you and thanks again Abbie-Wan!
I’m rocking on! swooshhhhh😂
You must’ve read my mind. Was about to close my laptop and stop writing then I got a notification from your channel😂😂
I don’t know if you’ve heard of the good-bad life principle.
I’ll give the TLDR - good lives take sacrifice at the beginning (accepting pain as normal and natural), but over time and effort, your results will start compounding and create a life a real meaning and possibilities. Bad lives start with boosts, because who really wants to put in effort (minimizing pain), but at the end, if you don’t exercise and eat fast food all the time, and never work hard at anything, you are likely to be a one way train for a heart attack.
So, I tell myself, I need to do this. Whether I want to do it or not, I need to do it. That is what gets me motivated. Nobody can create the life I want but me, so I better keep going.
Thank you Abbie! I've been having a hard time being excited while writing, I feel like it's more of a chore even when I love the story I'm telling, I feel like it's not coming out well, but this video makes me feel better about pushing through!
I don't know ( for sure ) what keeps me motivated to keep writing , as I haven't written a full story since my primary/Elementary school 🏫 days . If I really had to say now : Inspiration of the story without any writer's block and ( also ) success . A lucky day can work wonders for my reputation for under-achieving . ♑️✍️🇳🇴🇦🇺
Just discovered your channel...what a great help!!
Pain vs pain... Wow. That enlightened me beyond any writing blockage I may have had. Thanks, Abbie :)
One thing I do sometimes is I take a scene from my favorite book or TV show and replace the characters with characters from my book.
Like I take the scene from Rapunzel's tangled adventure where we first met Varian, and I dump my characters into that scene. As an example I can end up with a nerdy Aurora talking excitedly about drawing techniques while Fauna and Amira are getting angry with her and Kathy is just listening politely, thinking Aurora's passion for drawing is cute. That's one silly idea, but it doesn't have to be perfect. This is just to make me write down words on a piece of paper.😅
Fashionably late squad. (*works graveyard) I've slacked a lot. Only got 23,096 words done in my wip over the last three weeks. Taking notes. Thank you, Abbie! Always excellent. 1. Limit phone and internet access. 2. Mood playlists and immersive writing sessions. 3. Writing Sprints. 4. Shift into a creative mindset. Rewrite pain in my head, get an accountability partner, get gritty. Hmmm. in answer to your question, the number one reason I write? I write to keep myself sane. If I didn't, the stories I feel, and experience would make me nuts. And then there's all the other stressors of life adding heat to my boiler. Writing is my safety valve.
ONLY you say? ONLY 23 THOUSAND? ... *insert the shame I feel as I check the word count of the wip I've been working on for 3 months and see only 14,000*
@NeonAGC You know what? Your right.. I've been slacking. Heres something to consider. the cutting room floor in Hollywood. in other words.. Write through the bad, until you write the good. then brace yourself for the rewrites down the road. then the line edits. and be prepared to shelve it and move on to the next. love ❤️ the process.
Thank you, Abbie!
You looked gorgeous today. Love the outfit. You are like the human version of a Disney princess. 😄
Thanks for all your teachings and tips. They’re helpful
If I usually get stuck, I try not to get into that mentality that it's impossible. Also you might just have other stuff going on in your life and don't need to feel bad.
I usually try and skip parts of my book, and write the next part I feel motivated to do. Immerse myself as much as possible. If that doesn't work, I write something completely not related to my book to try and warm up... If THAT doesn't work, I scroll through Wikipedia on any of the topics I'm writing about. That usually gives me something interesting to work off. Usually find some hidden gems, that make you write something great and feel better. Even if it's a bit of dialogue. New fresh ideas (especially in the second or third act of a book) can really push you forward!
Yes you say true we brain avoid pains
This came out at the perfect time!
I really needed this video. Amazing stuff.
Even though I didn't know I wanted it, this video helped me a lot, as I've always been trying to write, but the spark of creativity never came into me. Thank you for another great video, you just earned yourself another subscriber!
Thank you! For me, the kick if motivation would be how in the world am I going to attract enough readers to my blog (which I'm planning to segue from home decor into writing and books, or maybe combine the two), and actually sell my book? No matter how great it would be, if I can't get people to read it or but it, what's the point? You mentioned "ARC" in an interview. How did you get into that, and what is it exactly? I hope I wouldn't have to spend thousands or even hundreds on marketing and pushy SEO tools. It seems like marketing it to even make it matter is going to take longer and be much more difficult than actually writing it lol. Thank you!
I always type my stories on the laptop and I leave open notepad to type what I’m doing or thinking or frustrations or just vent of what’s be bothering me and eventually clear my mind enough where I can’t get back to my story or realize that I’ve started a new story so I copy and paste under a new file. It don’t help all the time but most of the time it does.
Abbie!!! when are you going to release the lighthouse book??? i am a huge fan of your writing and I really want more to read from you!!! (also this video came out at the right moment! I was struggling to find motivation to write LOL)
Good advice, the only method I use is stop writing and visualize the events in any story as a self-told monologue, I just view the world and individuals involved. I just like to see what they're up too.
Thank you so much for the video... I'll probobly try these methods ( sorry for mistakes - I'm still learning english...), though I have a inspiration crices more often... Though I have a solution for that - I listen to music while making circuls in my room... This also helps when I have no motivation to write and other things are looking more interesting...
You're such a great motivator, Abbie. Thanks so much for this wonderful video and please keep motivating! 😉👍
I make a playlist based on each story's plotline. Or I listen to Shire or Narnia music instrumentals
It's a bit hard to follow these rules, if you have a desk job that requires thinking. I really like writing, but I am just tired after writing documents or designing solutions for 8h monday to friday at my full time job.
These advices are really good, but they won't work for everybody. It's like going to gym after 8h of demanding physical job.
It is the hardest to start. For coding, I have to be in the zone for 10 minutes before I start making any progress, but after that 10 minutes it's much easier to keep going and sometimes hard to stop.
Hiiii, I love yours videos, seriously. My english is so bad, but you make me do watch.
By your Brazilian subscriber🇧🇷
Thank you for your videos, Abbie. Some great tips here. My main writing de-motivation comes when I try to write, and whatever I wrote is so bad I'm actively embarrassed by it and can't bear to continue. 😄
I'm gonna ask my boyfriend to check in with me every few days and ask me if I've written anything (or at least worked more on some outlines) within the last 24 hrs, starting today. He's already expressed interest in reading my writing, so this could really work out well. 😁
>Forth advice
Goddamn I was looking for you my whole life
I loved the writing sprint I did with your channel in January, but the last one was while I was in school so I couldn't do it. I was so sad I had to miss it!
Ovethinking is really bad when you are a writer. Abbie just solved it 👌.
My way to stay motivated is actually well plotted anime with deep feelings
Thanks Abbie....needed this
How messy is a first draft "allowed" to be? I'm 33k into the first draft of my first novel, it's the first time I've made it this far with a writing project and I feel really happy with it so far and like this is something I can actually finish and even publish one day. The first 10 chapters I kept going back and editing and tweaking over several months to make them better, but now I'm trying to just finish the book so i can move on to my second and third drafts and hopefully publish soon after. I'm trying SO hard not to edit or get hung up on things being written well when i first write them because my brain expects everything to be written like it's the final draft. How can I give myself permission for the first draft to suck? Is it still worth it if what I write sounds like garbage and I know i'll just come back to it later, just keep going and don't stop until it's finished? I know this is probably extremely subjective, but I just feel like everyone is probably writing amazing first drafts even though I know we all have a lot of work to do and I feel so far behind. Imposter syndrome is KILLER
I'm so late replying to your comment, but I really hope you didn't give up. I teach English, and I've been kicking myself the entire way through this draft because it's so incredibly awful that I'm afraid I'll die of shame if anyone sees it. I finally did what I always tell my students to do and gave myself permission to write badly. It's the worst first draft I've ever written. I've broken every plotting and story structure rule known to man, my dialogue is wooden, my plot twists are lackluster-- but I'm writing it. And when I'm finished with it, it's going to be the worst first draft ever. But it will be finished, and it will be mine, and I can edit it as much as I want until it's good enough (or nearly so). I hope you choose to do the same with your WIP-- even if it is truly awful, there's nothing a second draft can't fix. Good luck, stranger.
@@jenabrown8100 thank you so much for responding! Knowing an English teacher (professor?) is also GOING THROUGH IT actually helps so much. I haven't given up! I've made it to almost 45k since my comment and am treating myself to delicious Indian food when I reach 50k lol. I'm still struggling with letting it suck but the more I just sit down and write the more I just let it be and leave it as future mes problem lol. I hope we both continue and come to the end proud of ourselves for finishing and equally determined to move to the next step!
In times like this when I don't have any motivation to write, I just turn on some music. Sometimes listening to songs helps me create a short story in my head, even if it has nothing in common to my novel. It just helps to write something... 😄
i needed this! i‘ve been struggling a lot these past few days & i know this video will help me, thank you
Hey Abbie!! I loved this video and I love your channel! :) I wanted to ask you if you could do a video of how to Traditional Publish our book.
Also in the video, you reminded me of Belle from Beauty and the Beast.
There are times when I have to write even when I am struggling with writers block! I just make myself do it, plus I have a a list of ideas that go with my story.