February 12, 2010

Does your current writing project excite you, pulling you magnetically to the keyboard, eager to get to work? Or does it (let’s be honest) sometimes simply bore you?

It could boil down to the reasons you chose this project.

What’s Your Motivation?

Instead of a project that challenges you as a writer, you may have chosen a project that is “comfortable.”   (Perhaps you’re writing another formula teen romance because you’ve written half a dozen of them and know it will sell.) Instead of choosing a project that promises personal growth as a writer, your only goal is that the end result bring fame or money.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with fame or money, nor is there anything wrong with writing something that is on the current popularity band wagon. But unless the subject personally excites you, your writing days will drag and you’ll probably produce a lackluster manuscript.

Why is this?

Adventure on the Journey

I was reminded of the need we have for a challenge when I read something this morning, courtesy of Elizabeth Crews. It was about Sir Francis Drake, the British explorer in the 1500′s, who was trying to round up a crew for a mission. (Remember: writers, like Drake’s crew, are explorers into the unknown.) Read this intriguing account below.

Many years ago, the great explorer Sir Francis Drake was attempting to recruit a number of young men for an upcoming exploration. Drake gathered the group of would-be adventurers around his ship and told them that if they came with him, they would see some of the most marvelous things their eyes could possibly behold. They would discover azure waters, sandy white beaches, lush tropical forests, priceless treasures, exotic foods, and friendly natives. Paradise was beckoning–and this incredible experience could be theirs if they came with him. Not one of the men in the group enlisted for the journey that day.

The next day, a different group of men came out to hear what Drake had to say. Drake told them that if they came with him they would encounter storms that would terrify them and fierce winds that would blow them off course for months. The sea would be rough and stormy, and, if they made it to shore, the natives would be fierce and the food would be unfamiliar. Drinking water would frequently be scarce-why at times they would be so thirsty that their very souls would cry out for just one drop of water. In short, danger would be their constant companion. Drake concluded by declaring that if the men could handle these things, the joys of exploration would exceed their wildest dreams. Every single one man in the group joined Sir Francis Drake that day. Some did not even go home to say goodbye to their families, but instead just boarded the boat, eager to begin the journey.

What made the difference in these two groups? Why did the first group turn down the mission and the second jump at the chance? Was the second group different and more adventurous than the first? The answer is no. It was not the men who had changed; it was Drake’s message. The first message presented comfort while the second offered change; the first spoke of rewards while the second spoke of challenges. The first tempted them with things; the second promised them an experience unlike any other.

Do You Long for Adventure? 

Which group do you belong in? If you’re stuck in the “comfort” group, how can you move to the “challenge” group so that you become eager for the writing journey?

Writing can be difficult, so be sure that you’re doing everything in your favor to keep enthusiasm alive!

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