Staying Motivated...an Afterword

It's funny that I'm blogging about how to stay motivated when this has been such a tough week for me to stay on track! Between sick kids, other projects, and late nights, my entry for the Pikes Peak Writer's Contest hasn't been coming together. At least five times in the past three days, I've decided to give it up. I had lots of good reasons:

• Trying to make the postmark deadline (tomorrow!) is too stressful


• I can't rewrite three pages in two days!


• I need to spend time on other projects!


• I need to sleep


• I'm blocked....

And every time, after I'd decided to quit, I also decided to take one more look at the story...and, of course, that's when I'd make a little forward progress.

So...my thought for today is that maybe writing doesn't require us to stay motivated. It just requires us to keep trying a little more--and then the writing provides its own reward.

As for that entry? I have one! Actually, I have two versions of the same one. I gave them both to my kids and Zee Crazy Onion Gurl, but so far the vote is split. I don't think the entry is as good as last year's, but it's good enough to have a shot at placing. Even if it doesn't place, I'm really, really, really happy that I've made the deadline.

:) Cheryl