Writer Rx: Sometimes You NEED Encouragement

There are days where I doubt myself to the point of distraction. Don’t even ask my family and friends because they would most likely roll there eyes and then say, “Oh that’s Lisa’s process. She gets a great idea, falls in love with it, then falls off the wagon with worry.” I don’t think I’m alone. And it is true I do fall hopelessly in love with my story ideas. I know how the story should��go, and then I flake out right at the ending.��

I discussed this phenomenon with my (wonderful, amazing, loyal) husband. I don’t want the story to end. Like never. Ever.

I do this kind of thing when I read series too!��I admit to being a bit weird. Example: I read ALL but the last Dragonlance books involving Raistlin Majere���I read the Raistlin Chronicles: The Soulforge and Brothers in Arms, the Chronicles series: Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Dragons of Winter Night, and Dragons of Spring Dawning, the Legends series: Time of the Twins, War of the Twins, and Test of the Twins���BUT could not bring myself, to this day, to read the last one���Dragons of Summer Flame.

Please don’t disown me. My husband had a hard enough time with this confession.

I have no logical reason to not pick that book up off the shelf and read it…none, yet it still stares at me from behind the dust bunnies…waiting.

Now you know my secret shame. It is worse than being a quitter. A quitter has a completed task. They are done with it, never to return, but I languish.����

Ok so far this post hasn’t been encouraging, but I swear I’m getting there. :) You see I found myself, yet again, in this hole of despair over a short story this very weekend. It is part of my process. I understand. I know I have to fight my way through it. I know. But here is the key to my ability to move forward…Encouragement.

You have��to go out and fill this void for yourself, although it is nice if you have a peanut gallery full of helpful souls. You have to be able to encourage yourself. You have find that thing, whatever it is, that makes your heart sing with renewed vigor!

For me I get the best encouragement from other writers. Ones��who have been in the business for a while know the right things to say. They have trodden these steps before and know how emotional it can be to put yourself out there in today’s critical market and let your flag fly. So one of the things I do with this blog is interview others, and they in turn encourage me to be all I can be. They have seen the other side and know the way. You can learn so much from the wisdom of those who have gone on before you. Here is a link to all my interviews on the site. I hope they encourage you as well.

Another thing that really gets me motivated are the cool memes that people are making these days with author quotes. The��Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing Facebook page is full of great ones. I follow them on FB mostly for the memes rather than the info.

Do you have ways to encourage yourself? Even if you aren’t a writer I would love to know how you keep yourself motivated and working toward your goals. Who knows you might be my next inspiration! :)