Motivation.

[smw]

I’d like to talk about motivation, what prompts it, what knocks it down. At the moment, I have two primary projects – the sequel to my first novel and a sprawling project by the name of To Love the Sky that I’ve had brewing for years upon years. While the sequel has a great deal going for it – sorceress main character! curses! madness! my stoical badass favorite woman I’ve ever written! – it’s the sprawler that’s getting my attention. Part of this is due to a name change in the first volume of the duology (it used to be Barter and is now Sea Change, which means it doesn’t match with Palter, the sequel’s), but it’s also tied to the fact that I have made the decision to post TLtS online for a small audience. That means people exist who I’m storytelling to, and that is far more pleasant than the possible money-making venture and source of wider readership that is Palter.

So, y’all: what gets your enthusiasm for a project revved? What shuts down the creative engine?

Comments

[gehayi]

Talking about projects. Talking about them is the surest way ever to be certain that the story won't be written. Once I figure out how the story ends and tell someone, I no longer need to write it. I'll talk once I get the first draft done--but I need to get that written first.

It drives me crazy, because all the writers I know LOVE to talk about their projects and I can't do that. And sometimes they don't like that very much. *sighs*