Alright, calm down.
For the last couple of weeks, and for no good reason except that this is something I often do, I’ve been abbreviating the word ‘motivation’ to ‘mote’.
I’ve taken this as a sign from the writing gods that this is A GOOD THING and something I NEED TO USE.
So from now on, your Monday motivational post is called Your Monday mote (to rhyme with boat).
Also, in olde English, a mote means a speck or particle, and that’s what I’m offering you here every Monday morning as long as you stick with me; a particle of inspiration to set you on your writing journey this week.
I tend to schedule my writing time because I like to figure out my week in advance.
Life gets in the way, work is busy, and if you’re lucky, there’s a social life to cram in there somewhere. Around all of that, I try to find gaps; those precious moments of calm when I can turn my mind to my writing - and only writing.
This works for me because once I’ve written down or diarised what I intend to do, I generally end up doing it. Structure helps in spades. We can’t all be like Jack Kerouac, who apparently wrote On The Road, in just two weeks, high as a kite on speed. Some of us prefer tea and biscuits.
So before you get going today, take a look at your week ahead and try to figure out where, amongst the madness, you can find the time to push your project forward.
Then set yourself a goal. Nothing too lofty, mind. Make it small and achievable.
Do you want to finish a chapter?
A few pars? A monologue?
Refine a character bio?
Lock down your chapter titles?
Make it something you know you can do because getting to the end of the week with a line crossed through that one particular task on your writing to-do list will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
And who doesn’t want to feel warm and fuzzy in January, especially when our heating bills are still so high!*
Have a productive week, everyone.
Lisa