I’ve used a lot of things to try to motivate myself to write in the past. But, this semester, I have a new method that has proven very, very effective. It’s an idea I stole from my thesis advisor. If I don’t make my target number of pages each month I have to donate $50 to a political campaign I don’t believe in. When she gave this advice back in October … I honestly didn’t think Trump would still be a considered serious candidate. But if every cloud has a silver lining, my silver lining is that the idea of giving money to his campaign is pretty much the best writing motivation I’ve ever had.
Last week, I had the flu and wasn’t sure if I was going to make my fifty pages. But despite a fever I pushed through and got those final pages written. And, friends, I’m excited to tell you it paid off – and not just because I didn’t have to pay up.
A few weeks ago, I wrote about starting over on my thesis manuscript. I tried to make the post sound positive and enthusiastic, but I wasn’t always feeling that way. But this week I met with my advisor with 50 revised pages and whole new outline and ….
The current direction is working. I was half expecting her to say that I should find a new project or start over again. But besides a few notes, I’m moving forward. And I’m thrilled about it. For a long time I was resistant to change, but the changes have honestly made the story feel so much more natural and organic. I’m having more fun writing now than I have in a long time!
So now it’s time to motivate myself forward again. 75 new pages in the next three weeks or $50 to Donald Trump. Of course there is more than just that motivating me. A love of writing. A love of this story and these characters. A dream. But the Donald Trump thing helps too. And it’s getting some of the people around me to be extra encouraging!
***Also to any conservatives who’ve somehow stumbled upon my blog, I’m sure this would work just as well for you with Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton or Planned Parenthood. Please take no offense! Or do! I mean really the things this man says… well, that’s getting off topic. ***
Do you have fun or funny ways of motivating yourself to write? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!
Alison Doherty 
I traditionally vote conservative … but I ABHOR Trump. WRITE, WRITE, WRITE, WRITE, FRIEND!
I figured even most conservatives would be on board with this message (at least ones that I know).
(At least ones you WANT to know? Too far?) 🙂
Not too far for me…obviously!
That seems like great motivation! I hope you’ll do well with your thesis. Sometimes it’s better to start over, than to keep with the same idea and end up with a worse result…
As for Donald Trump. Sigh. I feel like the rest of the world (like me, in Belgium) is waving their arms and yelling: PLEASE NOT HIM! PLEASE NOT HIM! I can’t imagine a worse politician (in my honest opinion).
I can imagine worse, but it’s really really hard. Everything is just going really crazy right now over here.
Please, please make your page count! I’m begging you!
I’m ahead of pace to make the page count! Don’t worry. I really, really, REALLY don’t want to give Donald Trump any money.
of course like your web site but you need to test the spelling on several of your posts.
Many of them are rife with spelling issues and I in finding it very bothersome
to inform the truth however I’ll definitely come back again.