Hello everyone! Thanks so much for joining me here for #notRWA17. I write contemporary romance for @smpromance. #notRWA17
I’ve pubbed 7 books, 8th next month. You can find out more about me here www.nicolemclaughlinbooks.com #notRWA17
I chose this topic not because I’m a word count guru. But I am constantly looking for ways to motivate myself. #notRWA17
All of these won’t work for everyone, but if even one of these tips inspires, than yay! And please feel free to ask ?’s #notRWA17
Okay, let’s get started. And hope you don’t mind, I made some graphics. #notRWA17
Don’t set too high of a goal! If you think you can hit 1k per day, make your goal 500. Or whatever works for you. #notRWA17
Continually letting yourself down doesn’t do the creative process any favors. Better end feeling like a badass. #notRWA17
It’s tempting to get your ducks in a row before work. DON’T. Your brain is at its highest level when you first get started. #notRWA17
Don’t waste energy/motivation on tasks like email and social media. Those things can wait. Start writing straight away. #notRWA17
Who doesn’t like to candy/Little Debbie treats? But I promise your brain & characters will benefit from protein/healthy fat. #notRWA17
Cheese/crackers, almonds, avocado toast, yogurt, peanut butter/celery, smoothie, seeds, turkey roll-up…you get the idea. #notRWA17
In addition to that, make sure you’re getting up and moving occasionally. Sitting for too long is hard on your back, legs, heart. #notRWA17
Set small goals. I tell myself I can read a chapter of my current read after I meet my daily goal. #notRWA17
Buy a new book after a chapter is complete. Get nails done. Go see a movie. Give yourself small goals for small chunks of work. #notRWA17
Commit to small increments. It’s less daunting. Easier to start. Then STEP AWAY. Don’t break your deals with yourself. #notRWA17
I love using my Datexx cube for this. Get up, walk around, come back start again. It’s life changing. #notRWA17 http://amzn.to/2eQUFfL
Do you always sit at a desk? Maybe sit on the couch. In bed. On the porch. Esp when you’re stuck, a new view can work wonders. #notRWA17
I bought a small foldable table at Target for like $15 and use it frequently in my living room. #notRWA15
This won’t work for everyone, but if you’ve never tried music, try it on repeat. I find a song that fits the “mood” of my scene #notRWA17
And then play it on repeat. After a time or two it just melts into the background and becomes noise. But moody noise, if you will. #notRWA17
When I come back to edit that scene, I always recall what song was playing and put it in again to get right back in scene. #notRWA17
I used to try and finish up a scene, but I’ve learned that starting fresh on a scene the next day feels daunting. #notRWA17
Coming back into the action is a lot smoother for me. And I’m usually excited to get back to it, so I’m more likely to get to work. #notRWA17
Leaving a finished scene doesn’t always offer motivation to return. #notRWA17
Which leads me to #9. I make myself a few notes, sentences, about where I’m going to pick up. I’m usually in the zone. #notRWA17
Things like “he’ll walk in and see her”- “they argue”. Brief notes, but enough to let me pick right back up in my own head. #notRWA17
Plus, you may think you’ll remember-but we ALL know how that usually goes. Our minds are full. WRITE IT DOWN. #notRWA17
Keep track of your progress! It seems simple, but the mere act of writing down what I did for the day is inspiration in itself. #notRWA17
Keep track in a planner, put stars on the wall, whatever. But keep a visual reminder of your progress. #notRWA17
I’ve noticed @alexisdaria is really good at this. Check her out for some inspo. #notRWA17