Motivation

As I mentioned in my initial post, I'm home recuperating from surgery. I have three and a half more weeks to be at home, and I wanted to use this time to get back into my writing. My third novel, "Words Will Never Hurt Me," is shaping up nicely, but it needs a few more thorough edits. While it's understandable that up until now I didn't feel like writing anything, I'm now feeling better and ready to start.

But something is holding me back. Why is it that the motivation we need doesn't appear when we need it? Why do we wait for some kind of catalyst to get us started?

Sometimes that "thing" we need never does appear, and we just have to decide that today is the day we'll get started. If we're lucky, though, something comes along to kick start our motivation. Yesterday, I was lucky. One of my writing friends asked me to judge a small writing contest. Me? A writing judge? I briefly questioned my qualifications, but I decided I'd try it.

The entries are short essays on a theme chosen by the arranger of the contest. Just seeing others' creativity on the printed page has put that "thing" (whatever it is) into my heart that says, "See, you can do this, too! Get going!" So I'd like to thank my friend for asking me (you know who you are) and also thank the writers who submitted their writing. Without knowing you did it, you've helped nudged me toward that novel sitting on my writing desk.

Okay, so pardon me while I log off and pick up that novel....