Motivate Your Monday

 What Motivates You?


Slow writers are apt to have far too much time to think. Eyes glazed over, we languish from a surfeit of blogs, an overload of information.


We haven't finished our book, We have nothing to promote but ourselves and we're fast losing confidence in doing that.


Recognize the scenario? You need to get your work out there. You need to know someone else appreciates what you do.


Motivational Ideas: First Steps First

As a suggestion for rethinking your life, try The Kaizen Plan. The word is  Japanese and embodies the concept of continuous improvement through taking small steps--perhaps only a ten minute change daily to help you focus on and achieve your goals, whatever these may be.


Although I've used one of the writing links, you can scroll down the righthand side menu under categories and start from week 0 if you like.


Interesting as a displacement activity, the plan consists of some worthwhile ideas to keep you on track. Stop beating yourself up about the goals you haven't achieved. Think of the ten-minute steps you can take to boost your output starting now.

Writing Contests

Writing contests are a  good source of ideas as well as a motivator to speed up your writing. No use planning on doing one in three years' time. Bit the bullet. Get started and enter for something now. At worst, you will have one piece of work completed. At best, you may earn yourself a useful critique or even a following.

Two competitions  closing soon are The Writers' Village Autumn Award 2011, closing date September 30,  and two Wattpad contests with same closing date and, while you're on that page, check out the Watty awards. Maybe a bit late to gather a fan club by the Round One closing date but this is one you could be starting early for next year.


Always read past winning entries too, to give yourself a flavour of the writing that does well in the particular contest you decide to enter.


If you're really after a displacement activity try the Writing Contests page at Manuscript Editing dot com. Keep you busy for months.



Help Market Other Authors with your Blog


If you're finding it difficult to motivate yourself when it comes to blogging, have a look at a couple of authors who might just tempt you to write another post or two.


I  mentioned Terri Main's  website and blog last week but her offer still stands and it really is worth making the effort for this one.

Email her with "Free Book" in the subject line to receive a free e-copy of her Creative Calisthenics workbook, worth five dollars as well as an anthology of Carolyn Masters' Mysteries called Lunar Calendar. It includes one story never before published introducing a pintsized genius and a robotic cat, an exclusive excerpt from Dark Side of the Moon, and a $20 pre-launch discount on premium upgrades to courses offered on the new EducationWantsToBeFree website.

Her blog posts give a flavour of the book and it seems more than probable that her ideas, as promised, will start your imagination working overtime.

New to me was author Scott Nicholson's marketing technique. 

Promote his books this month and earn gift cards, freebies, and other great prizes! He says he'll be giving away 15 percent of his ebook income in September as a thanks to  readers and bloggers who spread the word about his books. His initial dollar giveaway for week one has ended. Now the giveaways are all on the sites listed in his main blog.

 

Interesting idea. And it looks like it's making him sales. 

Let me know if you find anything new to do after reading this. The Kaizen Plan is so far working for me. After all, what's ten minutes every day if it helps you crack on with something new?