paperbag books
paperbag books asked Amy Engel:

hey i've got another question for you how do you keep yourself motivated to keep writing, see i am writing a book but i cant seem to get myself to work on it as often as it needs to be any advice?

Amy Engel Aaaah, that's a great question. Most of the time, when I'm writing I'm so excited about the story that motivation isn't too much of a problem. But there are times when the words just aren't flowing or I procrastinate. For me, the key during those times is not waiting for motivation to strike. It's like when I don't feel like going running; I force myself to do it anyway. I think writing takes that same kind of discipline. When I'm working on a book, I set a word goal for the day. And I don't let myself stop until it's met. Some days the words are crap. That's okay. I can always delete or revise later. The important part is getting my ass in the chair and writing. I write my novels straight through, start to finish. But I know skipping around within the story helps some writers when they are struggling, so you might try that. But honestly, I think the only answer is just to do it, hard as it can be some days. And congrats on writing a book and good luck!

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