Saturday, April 11, 2020

#AtoZChallenge Jon Writing Motivation



A Month of Writing Motivation is the Operation Awesome theme for the 2020 A to Z Challenge. I'm giving examples of how five reference books offer writing motivation.

#AtoZChallenge 2020 Blogging from A to Z Challenge letter J


Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done by Jon Acuff

When I read this book, it motivated me to reevaluate my writing goals, which in turn motivated me to write more. It made it easier for me to be creative. That's why I wanted to include it this month. Here are some ways this book offers motivation:


  • Focus more on doing, less on perfection.
  • Day two is harder than people believe. Knowing that can help you get past it.
  • Goals are easier to reach when cut in half, which will keep you motivated to accomplish them.
  • Motivation dies when you try to be perfect at too many activities at once.
  • Include more fun in what you're doing.
  • Find out if fear or rewards motivate you more.
  • Understand why you've set the goals you've set.
  • Motivation is killed by doing other tasks instead of our goals.
  • Stop thinking "I can't (write a novel) until I (whatever isn't writing a novel)," because that's shoving motivation aside.
  • Easier and simpler goals are motivation's best friend.
  • Data can prove you're motivated and succeeding. 
  • Assess your previous success. 
  • Know that finishing something means you get the gift of starting something else.
  • Figure out what you get from not finishing, from wasting your time and motivation.

The chapters come with actions, so this isn't a passive read, it's a book to really put you in a motivated headspace. 


Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done by Jon Acuff

Have you ever read a reference book that wasn't aimed specifically at writing, yet it helped you on your writing journey?


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4 comments:

John Holton said...

Can't say as I've ever read a non-writing book whoise advice I transfered to the writing world, but then I'm not that kind of a writer...

Jacqui Murray--Writer-Teacher said...

Oh absolutely! When I started my current saga, I needed to be well-grounded in the time I was writing in so read dozens of books on the era, life at that time, everything I could find. Fascinating stuff!

Frédérique - Quilting Patchwork Appliqué said...

I agree with "Motivation is killed by doing other tasks instead of our goal", it's true not only for writting a book ;)

Joy said...

Thanks! This book sounds perfect for me.