Comments on: Staying Motivated and Cake! http://www.annastan.com/2010/04/staying-motivated-and-cake/ Author of Books for Children and Young Adults Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:43:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: annastan http://www.annastan.com/2010/04/staying-motivated-and-cake/comment-page-1/#comment-2541 annastan Fri, 16 Apr 2010 12:58:56 +0000 http://www.annastan.com/?p=2116#comment-2541 Ruth, I've found that varying the setting can help too. Sometimes just getting away from my desk helps. And yes, bribery is always an option. :-) Ruth, I’ve found that varying the setting can help too. Sometimes just getting away from my desk helps. And yes, bribery is always an option. :-)

]]> By: Ruth http://www.annastan.com/2010/04/staying-motivated-and-cake/comment-page-1/#comment-2533 Ruth Fri, 16 Apr 2010 03:12:05 +0000 http://www.annastan.com/?p=2116#comment-2533 What an awesome cake! I stay motivated by varying my setting--(my own, I mean, not my novel's). It helps to go out to a coffee shop, the library, or just a different room in my house. Oh, and sometimes I bribe myself. What an awesome cake!
I stay motivated by varying my setting–(my own, I mean, not my novel’s). It helps to go out to a coffee shop, the library, or just a different room in my house. Oh, and sometimes I bribe myself.

]]> By: annastan http://www.annastan.com/2010/04/staying-motivated-and-cake/comment-page-1/#comment-2532 annastan Fri, 16 Apr 2010 03:07:16 +0000 http://www.annastan.com/?p=2116#comment-2532 Catherine, that's a good technique. If you sit down just for an hour, you can still get a lot done, and it might motivate you to work for even longer. An excellent way to keep from feeling guilty! Karen, I definitely do try to rush things sometimes. You're right that it's a journey and a process. I need to chant that to myself when I start getting impatient with how little progress I've made. Thanks for the words of wisdom! Catherine, that’s a good technique. If you sit down just for an hour, you can still get a lot done, and it might motivate you to work for even longer. An excellent way to keep from feeling guilty!

Karen, I definitely do try to rush things sometimes. You’re right that it’s a journey and a process. I need to chant that to myself when I start getting impatient with how little progress I’ve made. Thanks for the words of wisdom!

]]> By: Karen Strong http://www.annastan.com/2010/04/staying-motivated-and-cake/comment-page-1/#comment-2518 Karen Strong Thu, 15 Apr 2010 15:54:51 +0000 http://www.annastan.com/?p=2116#comment-2518 OMG that cake sounds so good. I'm definitely going to stop by your friend's blog to get the recipe. When I get burnt, I just give myself a break -- eat some chocolate and then read a passage from one of my favorite books. And realize that a book is not created in a day and it's a journey and a process. OMG that cake sounds so good. I’m definitely going to stop by your friend’s blog to get the recipe.

When I get burnt, I just give myself a break — eat some chocolate and then read a passage from one of my favorite books. And realize that a book is not created in a day and it’s a journey and a process.

]]> By: Catherine A. Winn http://www.annastan.com/2010/04/staying-motivated-and-cake/comment-page-1/#comment-2513 Catherine A. Winn Thu, 15 Apr 2010 03:08:21 +0000 http://www.annastan.com/?p=2116#comment-2513 A friend that made you a cake--excellent friend! I do the short intervals of writing when I can't seem to get motivated. Work on a short story, revise only one chapter of WIP. That ends the guilt trip and after a while I'm able to sit down and write for a longer period of time. A friend that made you a cake–excellent friend!

I do the short intervals of writing when I can’t seem to get motivated. Work on a short story, revise only one chapter of WIP. That ends the guilt trip and after a while I’m able to sit down and write for a longer period of time.

]]> By: annastan http://www.annastan.com/2010/04/staying-motivated-and-cake/comment-page-1/#comment-2508 annastan Wed, 14 Apr 2010 22:13:24 +0000 http://www.annastan.com/?p=2116#comment-2508 Sheri, I really like the idea of looking for motivating quotes. I can't really listen to music while I write, but I might try getting myself into the mood of my WIP - maybe that will help me get back into it. And yes, chocolate helps with everything. :-) Heather, I'm usually good at motivating myself, but maybe I need to have someone crack the whip this around. Now that the weather's nicer, I'm going to start going for nice long walks - I'm sure those will hep get my brain going. Haha, btw, I think you might have a teeny, tiny blogging addiction! Sheri, I really like the idea of looking for motivating quotes. I can’t really listen to music while I write, but I might try getting myself into the mood of my WIP – maybe that will help me get back into it. And yes, chocolate helps with everything. :-)

Heather, I’m usually good at motivating myself, but maybe I need to have someone crack the whip this around. Now that the weather’s nicer, I’m going to start going for nice long walks – I’m sure those will hep get my brain going. Haha, btw, I think you might have a teeny, tiny blogging addiction!

]]> By: Heather Kelly http://www.annastan.com/2010/04/staying-motivated-and-cake/comment-page-1/#comment-2505 Heather Kelly Wed, 14 Apr 2010 21:29:45 +0000 http://www.annastan.com/?p=2116#comment-2505 Anna--Without Tina cracking the whip and getting me to unplug an hour at a time, there are days when I don't think I would face the revision. It's how I get through the hard days. I find that if I just commit to it, I will work through. But--running motivates me to write, it gives me the breathing room to think, and by the time I get back, I'm in a better frame of mind. And, reading. Reading staves off the burn-out for me. I have to tell you, I just heard my son say in a quiet voice, "the water is a little high. maybe we should get mom." I had started my two youngest kids in the bath, and gotten sucked into reading a few blog posts. And boy was the water level high! Ha! I need to unplug now, and shampoo some heads! Anna–Without Tina cracking the whip and getting me to unplug an hour at a time, there are days when I don’t think I would face the revision. It’s how I get through the hard days. I find that if I just commit to it, I will work through.

But–running motivates me to write, it gives me the breathing room to think, and by the time I get back, I’m in a better frame of mind. And, reading. Reading staves off the burn-out for me.

I have to tell you, I just heard my son say in a quiet voice, “the water is a little high. maybe we should get mom.” I had started my two youngest kids in the bath, and gotten sucked into reading a few blog posts. And boy was the water level high! Ha! I need to unplug now, and shampoo some heads!

]]> By: Sheri Larsen http://www.annastan.com/2010/04/staying-motivated-and-cake/comment-page-1/#comment-2503 Sheri Larsen Wed, 14 Apr 2010 21:11:13 +0000 http://www.annastan.com/?p=2116#comment-2503 Chocolate cake always works...";-) Music sometimes gets me moving in the right direction. Sometimes it's just a line. I've also done a quote search online. The right quote can be very motivational. Hope that was helpful, and that you ate the whole cake!! Chocolate cake always works…”;-)

Music sometimes gets me moving in the right direction. Sometimes it’s just a line. I’ve also done a quote search online. The right quote can be very motivational. Hope that was helpful, and that you ate the whole cake!!

]]> By: annastan http://www.annastan.com/2010/04/staying-motivated-and-cake/comment-page-1/#comment-2499 annastan Wed, 14 Apr 2010 20:01:33 +0000 http://www.annastan.com/?p=2116#comment-2499 Thanks, Sherry! I think everyone should have a cake-making friend. :-) Ha, sorry Jon! I guess that was a little cruel. Hey, at least I didn't show pictures of me eating the cake. THAT would have been cruel (and a little gross). Joanna, picturing the end product is definitely motivating. But you're right - if all else fails, there's always the chocolate reward system. Thanks, Sherry! I think everyone should have a cake-making friend. :-)

Ha, sorry Jon! I guess that was a little cruel. Hey, at least I didn’t show pictures of me eating the cake. THAT would have been cruel (and a little gross).

Joanna, picturing the end product is definitely motivating. But you’re right – if all else fails, there’s always the chocolate reward system.

]]> By: Joanna http://www.annastan.com/2010/04/staying-motivated-and-cake/comment-page-1/#comment-2497 Joanna Wed, 14 Apr 2010 18:27:47 +0000 http://www.annastan.com/?p=2116#comment-2497 Mmmmm. Cake. Mmmmm. What was the question? :-) I'm in the throes of revision, too, and haven't gotten majorly stuck yet, which is motivating. I also keep picturing my novel in all its revised glory, and I can't wait for it to be in decent enough shape for a couple of friends to read it, which is ALSO motivating. But sometimes bribery-by-chocolate is the only way to go. :-) Mmmmm. Cake. Mmmmm.

What was the question? :-)

I’m in the throes of revision, too, and haven’t gotten majorly stuck yet, which is motivating. I also keep picturing my novel in all its revised glory, and I can’t wait for it to be in decent enough shape for a couple of friends to read it, which is ALSO motivating.

But sometimes bribery-by-chocolate is the only way to go. :-)

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