Poppy asked Sarah Noffke:

I'd love to write my own novels, but have trouble committing to any ideas for a long time, as I always seem to lose inspiration and interest. Do you have any tips to keep your motivation and interest in your novel?

Sarah Noffke Hi Poppy! This is a great question that I think many can relate to. I know that I suffered stress for years because I had incomplete manuscripts. Here's my idea on this: If you're not passionate about the idea then you're not going to write something that compels readers. So this means you have to keep searching until you find the idea for a book that makes you want to stay up late writing. Maybe you have an idea for a book but haven't felt committed to it. Can you push the boundaries of this idea? Think about your favorite book and think about how that writer must have felt when writing. That's the story idea that you want to find and then you'll have a stronger motivation to write.

Here's a litmus test that you can use: does the idea for your novel monopolize your thoughts? Do you find yourself intrigued with how your story is going to turn out? Are you in love with your characters? Do you want to protect them and do you worry about them constantly? If the answer is no then you have some development to do on the story idea and the characters.

It took me a long time to find an idea for a book that made me want to shut myself away from the world. The key is to entertain all ideas. Give them a chance to cart you away to a new world. Keep doing that and one day you'll find yourself transported. Then you'll have no problem writing. You won't just be motivated, you will be absolutely driven.

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