Found something else to help me stay motivated: split my writing time up into 30-minute tasks.  Even if I'm absolutely unmotivated and do not want to work on something, I can manage to do it for 30 minutes.  So, I spend 30 minutes on outlining the next scenes in my novel, then 30 minutes writing my rough draft.  Other tasks include writing in my Writing Practice Notebook and editing.  Even if I'm not in a writing mood, I can at least manage 30 minutes on my most important or pressing project.  And since I'm usually juggling several different projects, this works out well.  I've been doing much better on deadlines and I'm making more progress on my novel than I have for a long time. 

7 handwritten pages tonight.  Made some progress on next chapter of Project N.  Took some journaling time to hash out what keeps me motivated when it comes to writing, editing, and receiving critiques.  Decided I need to focus on three things:

 1) How it's an opportunity for self-growth
 2) How it's an opportunity to learn
 3) How it's an opportunity to help other people

When I feel I'm doing one of the above three, then I can stay motivated.  When I feel like I'm doing something "because it needs to be done," my motivation shrivels up and dies.  Which is why all those highly-motivated, non-procrastinating, "just do it" types never have any good advice for me.  Saying "just do it" is so unmotivating to me, it's nearly a soporific. 

I'm going to try to keep this in mind.  Even though I started late, I wrote until 10pm with the awareness that I was building my writing habit by keeping at it until 10pm, regardless of the quality of what I wrote.  So I ended at 10 feeling good about myself, rather than feeling critical that I didn't write more/write better.  The point was self-growth, and by sticking to my writing habit, I grew as a writer. 

Productive week.  Sent my last chapter off to my reader for comments.  Started on my next chapter re-write instead of waiting around to get the old chapter back. 

Decided to write my next chapter by hand on clean paper rather than re-working what I already have.  Most of what I want is in my head, anyway.  And there's something intimidating about a word-processing document right now.  I need my trusty notebook. 

Edited 1 1/2 pages of Project N.  Just a few minutes of work, but I feel so much better now.

Goals for tomorrow:
Finish edit of chapter
Clarify the mechanics of the magic
Contact critique partner and beg for help




 

Spent the last hour trying to find an available blog name rather than writing.  Will try to do a bit of work before bed.

Triumph of the day: at least I wrote this.