What are words? What ARE words? Do we know what words are? I don't think so.
(The sound of a pen scratching.) LOGO.
Hellooo, everybody! It's a brand new year! FINALLY! Goodbye 2020,
you crazy bitch! I took a poll over on Instagram asking you guys what your number one goal
for the new year is, and the winning vote by a landslide was to either start, or both
start and finish, a novel. Didn't see that coming at all... If you've been following
me for a while, then you know I talk a lot about motivation and how it's unreliable and
fleeting. Thus, it's a MUCH better idea to focus on building habits, as opposed to exclusively
relying on motivation. But that doesn't mean motivation is useless. Let's be real, it's
A LOT easier to write when you're motivated. Again, I DON’T suggest you rely exclusively
on motivation; habit will always be your best bet. But motivation makes the process quicker,
easier, and a lot more fun, so let's find different ways to harness it for future use.
Before we get started, shout out to Skillshare who has generously sponsored today's video!
Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of inspiring classes, specifically
for creative people. They've got a wide range of classes from illustration to marketing,
mailing lists to graphic design, and of course, they have classes in creative writing! What
I like best about Skillshare is that it's curated specifically for learning. That means
there are NO ADS! Plus the classes are divided into bite sized chunks, which makes them super
easy to fit into your schedule. I have a SUPER busy schedule, so this is a huge plus for
me. On top of that, they're constantly releasing new premium classes so you can pick up new
skills all the time. I'm not only a student at Skillshare, I'm also a teacher! I have
two classes available. One is Digital Marketing for Writers: Grow Your Audience and Author
Platform, where I teach you how to create a successful writing platform. The second
is Digital Marketing for Writers: Planning a Successful Book Release, where I give you
marketing tips so you can make a splash when releasing your book. And I may or may not
have a new class coming out this month, just sayin’... Whether you're a novice looking
to improve your craft, you're a pro trying to grow your skill set, or you want to pick
up some brand new skills altogether, Skillshare has got you covered! Skillshare is super affordable
- an annual subscription is less than $10 a month. However, I've got a special
deal just for you guys! I will be announcing it at the end of today's video, so stick around!
Before that, don't forget to subscribe to my channel and ring that bell. I post new
videos on Wednesdays with bonus content on Mondays! It’s awesome here! We have a good
time. You should subscribe! And check out my number one best selling dark fantasy romance
series, The Savior’s Series. The first two books in the series are available right now
all over the place! There's The Savior's Champion and The Savior’s Sister. Pick up a copy
today! Now on to my 10 tips for wrangling up your motivation so you can finish your
book this year! Number One (1): Be self indulgent. I'm not telling you to write self-insert erotic
fanfic, but I AM telling you to write something you really, REALLY love. Something you wish
you could find in a bookstore. Writing is absolutely a business, but it's also artistry
and passion. Some people forget about that last bit, which causes them to write a genre
or concept that's really, really popular, even if it's not exactly what they're into.
Here's a harsh reality: a vast majority of writers don't make that much money off
their work. So if you're gonna bust your ass writing a novel that may or may not sell,
you might as well take the risk on something you love. A story that you have fun creating!
Not only will this absolutely increase your motivation, it'll also increase your odds
of the book selling, because if you're excited about the story, chances are there's an audience
for it somewhere. Number Two (2): Find your YES points. Again, writing is a business.
You still gotta sell this book. Let's not get so self indulgent that we create something
completely plotless and 100% wish fulfillment. In order to write something that appeals to
ourselves as well as others, we gotta think about our YES points. YES points are what
I like to call pieces of media that get you amped. This can be anything from genres, to
tropes, to entire concepts or themes. For example, my YES points are healthy, swoon-worthy
romance. YES! Bloodthirsty violence or themes of darkness and death. YES! A colorful world
with colorful fashion. YES! Magic that isn't too complex or overpowering of the character
arcs. YES! And good old fashioned stories of heroism with character centric storylines.
YES! These are elements of fiction that get me hyped and combining them would create a
story that is perfectly suited for me, which is exactly what I did with The Savior’s
Series! Find your YES points and you will have a great concept for a story you are excited
to write. Number Three (3): Channel your inspiration. We all grab inspiration from different places.
Some people feel inspired when they read or when they watch movies. Others feel inspired
by nature. Some people take inspiration from people watching. Pay attention to the activities
that make your imagination fire off. For me, it's listening to music. So if I want to get
some writing done but I'm not exactly feeling inspired, I'll take an hour or so to close
my eyes and listen to my writing playlists. This activity alone elicits so many story
ideas, either for my work in progress or future books. And once my imagination is activated,
you know what usually follows suit? That's right! Motivation! Number Four (4): Strike
while the iron’s hot. Let me make one thing clear: DO NOT under ANY circumstances ONLY
write when you're feeling motivated. You'll never finish a book that way. However, if
you DO feel motivated at random, by all means get to work! So many writers tell me, “I
really want to write right now, but I'm supposed to be cleaning the shower.” Can’t the
shower wait for like an hour? We don't always get this rush of motivation, so when it's
here, why not try to capitalize on it? I know sometimes it's not possible, but I am the
queen of reorganizing my schedule. If a window opens up for me to crank out some words, I'm
gonna find a way to make it work! Number Five (5): Mini goals. The quickest way to squash
your motivation is to overwhelm yourself. I've lost track of the number of writers I've
known who have bailed on a manuscript, because the thought of completing a full length novel
was just way too daunting. There's a very easy solution to this: stop seeing it as writing
a book. You're not writing a manuscript, you're writing a chapter, or an act, or hell, 10
pages! Break up your goal into smaller, more achievable parts where the finish line is
clear in sight, because being able to see the finish line is SUPER motivating! When
you tell yourself, “I have to write a 300 page book,” when you're on page 1, that's
299 more pages to write. Terrifying! But if you tell yourself, “I have to write a chapter,”
you've only got about 10 pages left. That's no big deal! You can absolutely achieve that!
Number Six (6): Take care of yourself. Another surefire way to destroy your motivation is
to work yourself into the ground. Trust me, I know this from experience. Shitty mental
health can wreak havoc on your motivation. This is why so many people refute the lie
that torment and depression fuel artistry; it actually does the OPPOSITE. If you feel
like your motivation has been dead and buried for months, you're probably exhausted. Motivation?
Who's that? We don't know her! The key is to take care of yourself. And no, I'm not
talking about face masks and bubble baths. I mean make sure you're getting enough sleep,
spend some time relaxing, make sure you're eating regularly. Give your body the care
and attention it's been lacking! Find some way to de-stress. And if you need to talk
to a mental health professional, go for it! You deserve to feel good! Sometimes the key
to getting back to work is to stop working, at least for a day or two. Number Seven (7):
Rewards. If you're writing a scene that is giving you a ton of grief and no amount of
music or goal setting is motivating you to finish it, then it's time to resort to some
good old fashioned bribery. “If I finish writing this fuckhole of a scene, I get to order a
pizza!” I don't know about you, but that would motivate me! It sounds like such a cop out,
but that's because it IS a cop out. No matter how much you love and adore your manuscript,
there are going to be parts of the writing process that make you want to jump out a window.
For those moments, you gotta dangle the carrot. Promise yourself tacos, the newest Brad Mondo
video, a bath bomb, or hell, porn. I don't care. Do you! Number Eight (8): Up the pressure.
Some folks work AMAZING under pressure, and if you're one of those people, have I got
a plan for you! Crank up the heat! An easy way to up the pressure is to make your goals
public. I personally post my goals every three months on social media. That way if I achieve
them or if I fail, everyone knows. This means I can either be really proud, or really embarrassed.
Like I said, pressure doesn't work for everyone, but for some, public humiliation is a VERY
effective motivator. Number Nine (9): Spite! Spite may not be the most pleasant of traits,
but goddamn is it a miraculous tool for motivation! As a writer or a creator of any kind, you
are going to come into contact with people who do not believe in you. They're going to
tell you that it's a stupid, worthless dream that will never amount to anything. My seventh
grade math teacher told me in front of the entire class that if I were to pursue writing
as a career, I would end up, and I quote, as a “homeless failure.” Now I'm a successful
author, and she’s...well, probably dead, but that's beside the point! You can allow
these assholes to drag you down, or you can get mad. So mad that you're DETERMINED to
prove ‘em wrong. I WILL finish that book! I WILL succeed, and you can SUCK IT! It's
not wholesome or cute, but I'm not here to be either of those things. I'm here to be
honest with you. For every dickhole who tells you you're going to be a failure, channel
that anger, harvest it, and let it motivate the shit out of you! And Number Ten (10):
Perspective. Sometimes a lack of motivation comes from a lack of perspective. “I don't
feel like writing. I want to play video games or binge watch Netflix!” You're totally
welcome to do that, but one day you're gonna die. Oh, I went there! Do you want to leave
this world knowing that you watched a whole lot of TV, or do you want to leave this world
knowing that you finished a novel that's available for the masses? You may die one day, but your
words can live on forever. I know this is a hard pill to swallow, but I've been in life
or death situations, so mortality is always on my mind. And it is SO MOTIVATING. When
you accept your impermanence, it’ll a light a fire under your ass. Clock is ticking! One
day you're gonna be old, and the arthritis will make it really hard to type. You don't
have all the time in the world. Accepting this fact can be a downer, or it can be something
that motivates and fuels you to live a life of PURPOSE. So that’s all I got for you
today! Thanks again to Skillshare for sponsoring today's video! Like I said, I am not only
a student there, I am also a teacher. They are the perfect platform for honing your skills
or creating new skills. Skillshare is super affordable, but right now, the first 1,000
people who click the link in the description below will get a free trial of Skillshare
Premium Membership! That's a FREE TRIAL for you to explore your creativity! But only 1,000
people are gonna get it, so don't wait! Get to it! Click right now! Don't forget to subscribe
to my channel! I post new videos on Wednesdays, and if you want to be alerted as SOON as I
upload, ring that bell! The first two books in The Savior’s Series, The Savior's Champion
and The Savior’s Sister are available all over the place right now! I got ‘em linked
below! And be sure to follow me on social media! I'm on Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook
- and of course, you can Tweet me @JennaMoreci! Bye! (Rumbling Male Voice) This is Brontes.
Why, the fuck, haven't you subscribed to Jenna's channel? Do you really want to face me? If
you don't do it, you know what will happen. I'll rip out your tongue, torture you, then
leave your rotten corpse out for the birds to feast on it. Now press the goddamn button. And the bell, too...