How to get in the Mood to Write
Photo credit: guy.p
I have discovered the secret to getting yourself in the mood to write, and, surprisingly, it has absolutely nothing to do with magic mushrooms.
I want to make the distinction right away that what we’re discussing here is not writer’s block; we’re discussing how to get motivated to write. If you are already raring to go, but find yourself unable to put words down, I suggest you read my previous post: Captain Trips and the Permanent Cure for Writer’s Block.
OK, let’s get started.
Some of my regular readers may have noticed that I haven’t stuck to my regular schedule of posting at least once per week. For some reason, I just couldn’t get in the mood to write. I’m not exactly sure what my problem was, but my lack of motivation got so bad that I panicked and ordered a book from Amazon called, Write Is a Verb: Sit Down, Start Writing, No Excuses
The book is written by a fellow named, Bill O’Hanlon, a psychotherapist turned writing coach that, in the book, not only examines the reasons writers put off writing, but also, as indicated on the back cover, helps you to discover “what uniquely motivates you to write.”
The book is filled with information that would help a lot of unmotivated writers, but seriously, as long as your problem is a lack of motivation and not writer’s block, I believe I’ve found the real secret, and you won’t have to buy the book to learn it.
The last time I had a serious bout with “lack of interest in writing” I applied the secret and didn’t even know it. I had signed on to participate in last May’s Bloggers Unite for Human Rights, a joint effort by Bloggers Unite and Amnesty International which encouraged the entire blogosphere to take a day, May 15th, and write a post involving human rights. When I had made the commitment a month-and-a-half earlier, I was full-on motivated to participate in such a worthy cause.
Flash-forward to May 14th, 8:30 pm on the night before the big day: I hadn’t even started writing. In fact, I didn’t even know what I was going to write about. Besides, I’m a humor blogger, how am I supposed to write about the atrocities of human rights violations and make it funny? I considered giving up on it all together.
But, when I commit to do something, I do my best to keep my word. So, I sat down and forced myself to write. By 10:00 pm I was finished and posted the human rights article to my blog. In my opinion it was not my best work–I would’ve liked to have spent more time on it–but at least I fulfilled my commitment and felt good that I contributed to the project.
It turns out that if I had given up on that particular post it would’ve been one of the biggest mistakes of my life. The next morning, I turned on CNN and saw Dead Rooster and my hastily written blog post featured in their story about the Bloggers Unite project. I got some of the best exposure you can get from a post that I almost didn’t write because I couldn’t get in the writing mood.
So, how did I finally get motivated?
The secret, in my opinion, can be summed up in the short quote by Joyce Carol Oats on page 37 of Write is a Verb:
“One must be pitiless about this matter of ‘mood.’ In a sense, the writing will create the mood. …I have forced myself to begin writing when I’ve been utterly exhausted, when I’ve felt my soul as thin as a playing card, when nothing seemed worth enduring for another five minutes…and somehow the activity of writing changes everything.”
Writing creates the mood.
The next time you don’t feel motivated to write, sit down and begin writing anyway. Get your fingers moving and watch what happens. It is almost magical the way it works. In my Bloggers Unite example above, it was the deadline that forced me to start typing; but, it’s not a deadline that gets you in the mood, it’s the activity of writing.
No one ever said it better than Ray Bradbury, “Go to the edge of the cliff and jump off. Build your wings on the way down.”
Dead Rooster is the online home of 
If it would help, I’ll send you assignments.
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William McCamment
reply on July 29th, 2008 9:11 pm:
Sure! Send them to:
LOBO
Predator Press
Blogspot, Dot com
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Very true – I’m finding that it’s harder to find time to write, though. The sad economy is forcing me to spend more hours elsewhere (like cutting, splitting and stacking ten cord of firewood). I still force myself to spend at least a half-hour every day in front of the keyboard, though … after all – I have a sequel to finish!
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William McCamment
reply on July 30th, 2008 3:23 am:
I wish I could find the exact quote, but there’s just too much material to sift through…anyway, Harlan Ellison once wrote something to the effect of: “A true writer can ALWAYS make money, whether it be from writing, digging ditches or laying bricks.”
…and, apparently, splitting firewood.
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That was a cool day on CNN wow time flys.Speaking of time I set my clock by your post So DO NOT stop writing.
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William McCamment
reply on July 30th, 2008 8:32 am:
If you’re setting your clock to my post schedule, you are in a lot of trouble! LOL
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Wow! I never thought about it but you’re absolutely right! When I actually sit down and write it makes me happy and I realize why I like it so much! Thanks!
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William McCamment
reply on July 31st, 2008 6:51 pm:
It makes me happy when you write too! I love your blog.
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Dead on, whenever I sit and begin writing, anything, I’ve noticed my mood change from whatever it was before, to something else. There must be some brain activity that starts the ‘juices’ flowing differently.
Too bad it wasn’t mushrooms…that would be interesting.
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William McCamment
reply on July 31st, 2008 6:52 pm:
LOL Well, I haven’t tested it yet, maybe mushrooms WOULD work!
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Writing when you’re not in the mood is absolutely necessary. I learned this the hard way, because I work writing for an online marketing company where every deadline, by the time it filters down to me, is “ASAP.” To paraphrase Yoda, “There is no mood, only do.”
This helps with blogging, too.
Another tip is to keep a list of ideas– or even half-started, not roughed out, blog posts from when you ARE in the mood. This at leasts means you don’t sit there staring at blank screen. it gives you a starting point.
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William McCamment
reply on July 31st, 2008 7:06 pm:
Believe it or not, I think writing ads for a living would be SO COOL! I’ve always been interested in their psychological aspect. I’ve read all the big name advertising books: John Caples, Eugene Schwartz, Robert Collier, etc. I’m fascinated with it.
I really should take your advice and keep a list of ideas. I usually have no trouble coming up with something, but once in a while, I go brain-dead.
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Hey, great article. Consider sending it into the WOOF Contest at PlotDog Press (http://plotdog.com).
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William McCamment
reply on July 31st, 2008 7:06 pm:
I will definitely take a look at that, thanks!
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Thank you, this post changes everything.
As Gurney Halleck (in Frank Herbert’s Dune) says:
“Mood? What has mood to do with it? You fight when the necessity arises — no matter the mood! Mood’s a thing for cattle or making love or playing the baliset. It’s not for fighting.”
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William McCamment
reply on July 31st, 2008 7:20 pm:
Dune is a real treasure, especially the super scarce (true) first printing. Yum! (Can you tell I’m a rare book dealer?)
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You’ve been royally tagged by Mimi Queen of Memes (aka I-hear-the-dungeon-is-really-hot-this-time-of-year)…
Somebody Get Me Out Of This Corset: The Needs Meme
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William McCamment
reply on July 31st, 2008 7:22 pm:
I read your meme and it is quite hilarious–looks like fun; however, I’ve resolved to never do one again. Sorry.
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I started this blog during a difficult time.. Writing it has changed my life.
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William McCamment
reply on July 31st, 2008 7:37 pm:
Writing can be very therapeutic. It sometimes helps to get my leaking scrambled-egg brain packed back in my head.
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cool, thanks for sharing.
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William McCamment
reply on August 1st, 2008 4:10 am:
You are welcome.
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There must be something in the air; although I didn’t come up with anything concrete, preferring just to whine about it, I had a similar “I can’t get it together in my writing” post. Of course – I, too, have a book to recommend (hey, in fact, I’ll do this on my blog, too – that’ll be a post). But anyhoo . . . “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield. It’s a quick read and definitely one you can pick up again when you’re unmotivated again (because sure as duck butter, it’ll happen again). Similar thesis – that writing will, itself, create the mood (or not) – but in any event, just do it. If you read my post, you’ll see my big hang-up is perfectionism which is something I’ve struggled with on and off my whole life. It’s just showing up in my blog now. Before it was completing a knitting project, or a work project, or …. whatever.
Your post is VERY diggable and I’m happy to do so. Essential reading for all writers (and other creatives).
Thanks again
~Laura
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William McCamment
reply on August 1st, 2008 6:43 pm:
Perfectionism is the killer. LOL
I can certainly sympathize with you on that one. It has cost me so much in my life. Luckily, I finally recognized that I have a problem (after reading a dozen procrastination books) and have learned to accept my crappyness and share it with the world.
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I agree … most times once you start, the rest is history.
I’ll go vote for ya!
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William McCamment
reply on August 4th, 2008 4:06 am:
Thanks!
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Loved the post but now I probably won’t be able to get the line “felt my soul as thin as a playing card” out of my head for the rest of the day. My problem isn’t so much the inspiration. I’ve got plenty for it – truly. But the reality is that I have little time for writing and then, there IS that insidious little voice that always tells me the truth: I’m okay as a writer but nothing special. That inescapable fact depresses me enough to not wish to write sometimes.
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William McCamment
reply on August 4th, 2008 4:21 am:
Entire books are written about making time to write. I think one is called, A Writers Time. I’ve never read it so I can’t tell you if it’s any good, but maybe you should check it out.
Harlan Ellison used to get peeved when people called him a science fiction writer. He says he writes Harlan Ellison stories and no one writes Harlan Ellison stories better than he does. Maybe you should just write Milena stories and know that you write Milena stories better than anyone else.
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I’ve probably written my best stuff after I’ve dragged myself kicking and screaming to the keyboard. Mind you, I’ve also written some crap, but at least I tried!
You never know where that blank page will take you.
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William McCamment
reply on August 4th, 2008 4:25 am:
You’re right! I was not in the mood to write when I wrote this post and I had no idea where it was going. LOL
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StumbleUpon brought me here and I’m glad it did. Bradbury got it right and Bill McC nailed it as well.
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William McCamment
reply on August 4th, 2008 4:26 am:
Thanks! I appreciate that.
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It’s handy to have a range of places on the go when the enthusiasm fades. A blog, Flikr, a piece of paper. Somewhere you can write outside the frame of the project that is causing you to feel uninspired. I have found forcing myself to write will get something down. Something wooden and unfeeling usually, but it can be repaired later. Its also a good time to edit.
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William McCamment
reply on August 4th, 2008 4:27 am:
Good advice, Michael. Thanks!
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I wish I had seen this post a few months ago. It seems when it comes to anything creative, if I feel forced into it in any way, it all dries up and becomes nonexistent. I stumbled on just what you said though. This morning, I just started writing and it flowed. Thank you for the great article!
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William McCamment
reply on August 4th, 2008 3:12 pm:
Hi Theresa, I feel the same way you do–I don’t like being forced into it. That is a sure way to kill the desire. However, as you’ve just discovered, simply sitting down and writing can work wonders.
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CNN exposure? How awesome is that?!!?
You’re absolutely right about “just start writing”. It’s almost counter-intuitive, perhaps even Zen-like. What is the sound of one pen clapping? Or something like that.
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William McCamment
reply on August 28th, 2008 6:51 am:
The CNN exposure knocked me for a loop! I wasn’t expecting it.
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I’ve always thought just the opposite. It’s way too hard to write a post/ script/ birthday card/ or whatever, when you’re in the wrong mindset. I can’t blog funny when I’m pissed at the kids for what they did to the cat.
I’ll try it though.
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William McCamment
reply on August 28th, 2008 6:53 am:
Well, I’m interested in what they did to the cat. Maybe you should blog about that.
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Life became hard and people rush for making money however this doesn’t mean to stop writting especially for motivated writters because what last after man’s death is what he think not how much he left behind!
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William McCamment
reply on December 17th, 2008 1:55 pm:
Well said. (I think).
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Fantastic post. I loved it. I’m also a passionate blogger in writing but I find my satisfaction in writing English. I’m from Bangladesh, so English isn’t my primary language. As a result, I face lots of difficulties while writing something though they can’t stop me. It’d be really helpful for me if you give me some online resource to improve English writing skill. My aisajib.com technology blog will give you an idea about how I write.
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William McCamment
reply on July 26th, 2009 12:51 pm:
Thanks Aminul!
I took a look at your blog and, to me, it looks fantastic! Your English writing skills are actually pretty good! Believe me, I’ve seen a lot worse.
Anyway, my own writing skills are not so perfect either. In fact, I’ve never had any formal training aside from some high school English classes that I mostly slept through.
The best advice I can give is to read a lot of the type of writing in which you’re interested and try to emulate the various authors.
That’s pretty much how I learned.
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Love your advice, i took it and got twelve chapters of a book i’ve been struggling on ever since i started it.
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William McCamment
reply on January 31st, 2010 5:31 am:
That’s GREAT Cory! Good luck on finishing your book!
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