What to do when your motivation tanks.

[Wendigo]

So, I've been a bad RPer. I have several open story arcs, and precisely no motivation to write. It's not so much "writer's block" as writer's laziness. Writer's apathy. Writer's ennui.

So, as one RPer to a community, what the crap do you do when you just dread logging on to Instant Messenger? Any thoughts?

[Momento]

So, as one RPer to a community, what the crap do you do when you just dread logging on to Instant Messenger? Any thoughts?

I don't >>
If I'm dreading it, why would I put myself through that? Seems like a perfect time to take a break.

[Alexandrea]

So, as one RPer to a community, what the crap do you do when you just dread logging on to Instant Messenger? Any thoughts?

I don't >>
If I'm dreading it, why would I put myself through that? Seems like a perfect time to take a break.

^ That. If you try to force it, you'll just get stressed out. Relax and when it's fun again, try again.

Reminds me of an old joke.

SMITH: Doctor, it hurts when I do this.
DALE: Don't do that.

[Madison]

I try to figure out why I'm feeling lazy/dissatisfied/apathetic or whatever other feeling may be attributing to it. Then I try to see if I can fix it from the source of the problem. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. If it doesn't, I usually take a break though I may try to work on a thread or do a chat rp from time to time to see if I can kick start it.

[Ishaq (DELETED 4744)]

Are you sure you're not just feeling overwhelmed, thus triggering your response to be lazy?

I noticed you said you have several open story arcs. I think there lies the problem. You have too many things going on at once.

Try to focus on just one story arc for the time being. Once you finish it, pick up another one and so forth.

I also echo the sentiments that your motivation shouldn't be something you have to force. What motivates you to write?

For myself, music. I have specific songs that speak to certain characters. So I tend to play said songs when I'm writing them. It gets me into the proper mood to channel them completely.

Also, taking a break is fine. When I take breaks, I generally try to keep up writing so when I come back, I'm not completely horrible at it. I also tend to write on different sites when I need a break from one. Different characters, different plots.

[Pi dArtois]

I'm here to have fun, and when writing is fun, I indulge but when I have a lot on my plate and other things going on, it takes a back seat because priority isn't writing. When it is, I know I'll be back.

I put it in the back seat and don't worry about it. It will come back when it's ready. *nods*

[Mordechai]

I am the last person to ask...i only write when coerced, or desperately need xp, once or twice for fun. but i agree about the ''overwhelm'' factor, when get too much going at one time.

[Thistle]

So, as one RPer to a community, what the crap do you do when you just dread logging on to Instant Messenger? Any thoughts?

I don't >>
If I'm dreading it, why would I put myself through that? Seems like a perfect time to take a break.

This is me.. totally. I WANT to write. I do! I want to write when work is calling me in 20 different directions.
When I finally gather the time (time as in 2-4 hours of clear uninterrupted concentration [cause that's what it takes for me to write a decent 500 words]) and I cannot even manage to get a decent sentence.. I feel bad. Like I'm letting the community down and others for not writing. So... that just throws me into a deeper slump. I have a few threads in desperate need of finishing, however no drive, motive, or inspiration once I finally get a moment to think and put my fingers to the keys. <.< Feel guilty even taking 5 minutes on my train ride home to write this, instead of replying to RPs.

The downside of one thread at a time, is everyone lives in those threads and something which you need to have happened at a certain time gets pushed off more and more until... 'is it worth even writing anymore?'

In lieu of your question, I do take a break and it helps me. The long holiday away from game and work has left my mind to wander and now I have thoughts on how I can reply to these threads. I just need more than 10 minutes to jot them down.

I've also been using google docs; this way in the middle of the night or random times during work, I can pull up the thread (on phone, PC or tablet) and add more to the reply. Even if it was a sentence. It will get done eventually.

[Doc]

When i get that.. and I do. I do one of two things. I either take a break or I have the character go out and meet someone new. Just introduce Doc to someone. If it takes.. great. If it doesn't that means its break time. Doc has met some cool characters that way. There was no role play point in mind, except to hang out and meet and greet.

Since Doc isn't a social character I have to be creative as to why he is meeting someone.. one time he lost his cat.. one time he lost internet due to construction breaking his cable line; realistic and nothing out of the ordinary, so if it doesn't flow.. its no sweat to just quit it.

[Jonah]

I force myself to produce. It may not be quality, but if I honestly don't have the desire to write but I want to write which is kind of where I think you're at based on your description, i just sit down and do it. I don't edit, I just write and click submit and by the time I've done that on one, I've got enough motivation to go to the next one and get it hammered out.

Take the creativity out of it and make it a mechanical process.