***WARNING THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO ONE OF MY FAV GLEE EPISODES EV.ER***
Hey – it’s blog chain time again. The amazing Amanda started us off (and yeah, she is a GLEEK too) with the following question:
What do you do to keep yourself motivated when you feel like you’re not making any progress in your writing career?
Holy Cow! What a perfect question for me. I’ve been wrestling a lot with staying motivated over the long run – you know, when things get hard or change; when the good news around you makes you feel somehow … less.
Now, since I am a total GEEK and a GLEEK….I thought I would show you HOW I find motivation when it all goes to heck! BE WARNED…You are venturing INTO my head now, and it is a scary scary place!
Okay – first I start off all excited, confident, and secure.
But, things change when my goals are taking too long – when I begin to doubt they will ever happen. And the dream dies a bit. Or maybe a lot…
Just like this… (just listen – it’s freakin’ awesome!)
Yeah, I know – a little dramatic. I warned you my head was a scary place.
My amazingly awesome super online BFFs save me from this place!
They send pictures that make me laugh ( like a mocked up “cover” to my book),
words that make me cry (all motivational, and caring, and stuff),
and loan me their confidence (I really could not have stayed in this game this long w/o them)
After a while, I begin to feel a little better. Suddenly, magically, I think that maybe I CAN do this.
I write my feelings down. Let them lead me to a new story.
That good feeling grows, so I write MORE.
Before long, I’m excited – determined.
And then I start singing this… (man these two ROCK!)
(no really, I do)
“Dream on, dream on, dream on, dream until the dream comes true”….oops, got carried away…
Okay – I think I’ve tortured you enough…Remember, I DID WARN YOU!!!
What do you do to find your motivation to keep going in this biz? Be sure to check out Michelle H’s very thoughtful answer yesterday and Margie’s answer tomorrow.
Have a great holiday weekend! I’ll be finding a little extra motivation while having dinner with the amazing Gretchen McNeil! If a little writerly time doesn’t help with my inspiration and motivation, nothing will!!!
Intense Life Coaching 
My critique group keeps me motivated. And so do my blogging buddies. I can’t imagine trying to do this without others writers along for the ride.
Now that was an entertaining ride through your mind! Ah!! The song is stuck in my head!
Great post! I need to start realizing there are people around who can be inspirational and keep me motivated. I’ve certainly found my share on the Blog Chain!
I srsly would not still be in this game w/o my writerly buds. Really!
I too am a GLEEK. My favorite epi so far though was the one with Artie and the Safety Dance. Classic.
I’m going to be singing DREAM ON all day now!
My husband keeps me going (and all the other friends and critique groups and other supporters). What would I do without them?
Sweet post! And say hi to Gretchen for me. She mailed me a copy of ASH that I won and I just finished reading it!
Sweet!
As a Beatles fan, all I can say is I Get By with a Little Help From My Friends. 😉 Sounds like you do too!
Loved this post. What keeps me going is a drive to hone this craft, man. This craft. That’s the only thing that keeps me going forward – I want to get the WRITING right. LOVED the videos!!!
I’ve yet to meet a writer whose mind *wasn’t* a scary place! I keep telling people, “I live in my own little world, but that’s okay – they know me here.” 😉
Oh man, I hear you. I own a time-share in “That Scary Place.” So I can totally relate. Great post, btw!
Great post, Christine! That was the best ever episode of Glee 😀
I love that your friends send you funny pics! When I was working on my book a crit partner picked out a funny sentence. Something along the lines of my protage “smelling” the presence of her own kind. Within minutes he’d sent me a mock cologne ad complete with my book title as the label. Crit partners and on-line buds can be that life-line pulling you back from the brink. SO glad you’ve got friends in your corner! 😀
DUDE. I can see why Glee’s version of Dream On keeps your motor runnin’. Awesome. And thanks for the trip into your mind. 😉
That was the first episode of Glee I’d seen. Love it.
Love your post, too. I have several writer friends who keep me motivated. That plus my kids and husband. All are wise to the realities of publishing (even the 6 and 7 year-olds), but they keep me going. Always ready to cheer me on. 😀
Great post, Christine! I DEFINITELY agree, it’s our supports (our friends, cheerleaders, and tough love givers) that help keep us going in the “down and out” times! 😉
You’re going to be riding cloud nine before long, my friend.
Just keep writing! 🙂
I loved this post! That was such a good Glee episode and so inspiring!
Lol, loved this post! Very inspirational. 😀
yep. I’m a gleek too–and the number with Idina Menzel and Lea Michele made me CRY! Gawd, they are such beautiful vocalists! I loved the “Dream On” number too! I LOVE Neil Patrick Harris–(Shout out to Dr. Horrible!) and Matthew Morrison–Mrorw! Oh, wait, I think I got sidetracked….Yes, actually, it was inspirational. I think the journey is what really counts. Reaching the “dream” is icing! 🙂 (though sometimes, I do like to eat the icing first…) 😉
I’m not much of a Gleek, but this was a really entertaining post. And quite motivational, too!
I wouldn’t call this post torture. It was fun getting a glimpse of you. And I for one am glad you’re constantly being motivated.
Any blog post featuring clips from Glee is a-okay with me! And yeah, I’ve had my “I Dreamed a Dream” moments too;)