Andy Free's Blog - Posts Tagged "creative-process"
Secrets of Motivation
"Writing, after all, is an act of faith. We must believe, without the slightest evidence that believing will get us anywhere." - Dani Shapiro, in Still Writing: The Pleasures and Perils of a Creative Life
My view is different. Properly understanding belief and faith, among other things, leads to real motivation. The idea that we can believe with no evidence actually undermines the concept of faith. Faith always has an element of proof, of reasons why we believe someone or something. There is no such thing as “blind faith.” Blind faith is not faith, it is merely an unsupported belief about something, and as such has no motivational value.
Why is this important? Because any writer that has no belief that his or her effort will “pay off” (be worthwhile in one sense or another) will be an unmotivated writer at best, and a depressed or even suicidal writer at worst.
In practice, with the flood of print and electronic media in today’s world, there are many reasons why a writer might despair. It is, in fact, difficult to get readers and even harder to get reviews. But it is not impossible. Even if the glass is only one quarter full, it is essential to concentrate on the full part. This is true because basic psychology has shown that what you concentrate on dominates your thoughts and, more importantly, your feelings. Focus on lack and difficulty and they will be magnified, sapping your strength and optimism. If instead, you focus on thankfulness for what you have and the possibility of success – via the value of continued hard work – you will gain strength and optimism.
There is one other factor that is important: Having enough objectivity to know whether you are an effective writer or not. Though difficult, this inward and balanced view – neither optimistic nor pessimistic – looks for objective evidence that you have mastered the skill of writing. This body of objective evidence then becomes the set of reasons why you believe in yourself and your writing.
There is also value in redefining success in terms more suited to individual effort (enjoyed for its own sake) rather than commercial success. Commercial success as a writer is not easy to come by, and is chancy enough where it may not be feasible as a full time effort. This is why I chose to work a good day job and write part time – I have no interest in the exhausting commercial struggle that a full time writer usually experiences in getting established. Admittedly, this part time choice is not without a downside – it automatically limits the time I have to write, extends the duration of writing projects, and reduces the time I have for marketing what I have written.
I write what I do because it will be my legacy, a part of what I have done in my life that is unique. I like the world of imagination, the flow of words and dialogue, and getting a scene down on paper that is exactly what I saw in my head and felt in my heart.
For examples of my writing see:
Avalon: Companions
Avalon: Kings and Queens
Book 3, Avalon: Ravenna Rising, is coming soon in 2018.
My view is different. Properly understanding belief and faith, among other things, leads to real motivation. The idea that we can believe with no evidence actually undermines the concept of faith. Faith always has an element of proof, of reasons why we believe someone or something. There is no such thing as “blind faith.” Blind faith is not faith, it is merely an unsupported belief about something, and as such has no motivational value.
Why is this important? Because any writer that has no belief that his or her effort will “pay off” (be worthwhile in one sense or another) will be an unmotivated writer at best, and a depressed or even suicidal writer at worst.
In practice, with the flood of print and electronic media in today’s world, there are many reasons why a writer might despair. It is, in fact, difficult to get readers and even harder to get reviews. But it is not impossible. Even if the glass is only one quarter full, it is essential to concentrate on the full part. This is true because basic psychology has shown that what you concentrate on dominates your thoughts and, more importantly, your feelings. Focus on lack and difficulty and they will be magnified, sapping your strength and optimism. If instead, you focus on thankfulness for what you have and the possibility of success – via the value of continued hard work – you will gain strength and optimism.
There is one other factor that is important: Having enough objectivity to know whether you are an effective writer or not. Though difficult, this inward and balanced view – neither optimistic nor pessimistic – looks for objective evidence that you have mastered the skill of writing. This body of objective evidence then becomes the set of reasons why you believe in yourself and your writing.
There is also value in redefining success in terms more suited to individual effort (enjoyed for its own sake) rather than commercial success. Commercial success as a writer is not easy to come by, and is chancy enough where it may not be feasible as a full time effort. This is why I chose to work a good day job and write part time – I have no interest in the exhausting commercial struggle that a full time writer usually experiences in getting established. Admittedly, this part time choice is not without a downside – it automatically limits the time I have to write, extends the duration of writing projects, and reduces the time I have for marketing what I have written.
I write what I do because it will be my legacy, a part of what I have done in my life that is unique. I like the world of imagination, the flow of words and dialogue, and getting a scene down on paper that is exactly what I saw in my head and felt in my heart.
For examples of my writing see:
Avalon: Companions
Avalon: Kings and Queens
Book 3, Avalon: Ravenna Rising, is coming soon in 2018.
