Motivation to write is something that ebbs and flows for me. I enjoy the first draft process, but my motivation wanes when I'm editing. I find it hard to keep chipping away at something, often not knowing whether I'm making it better or worse.
How do other writers keep themselves motivated when writing? I'd love some reassurance that I'm not alone!
Areas of interest
I'm with Victoria. After I have finished the first draft I usually leave it for a while and then come back to it. That way the story comes alive again and I get drawn back into it. I would also add that if I don't love reading my stuff who else will?
Great advice Victoria!
Of course you aren't alone. The endless edits are daunting, but I like to think you are carving out a gem from the stone that made it. Without that stone you are cutting away, the gem wouldn't be there. It's an essential part of the process and the effort makes you appreciate the sparkle at the end.
Knowing when you are making things worse? That's the hard part. Sometimes you have to put the work down for a while, do something else and then come back to it to see where the stone should be cut. Reading through a few months later with fresh eyes can really help you concentrate on a particular theme, tone or message. I've just picked up three connected short stories after two years. The first two weren't bad, but the third had wandered aimlessly, never reaching a point. I'd never even worked out what the story was trying to achieve, other than completing a trilogy of shorts. I finished the first draft and then gave it a title. The title showed me exactly what I needed to do next to tighten it up and make it a story in its own right. The first draft now looks really ropey, but I can see where the gem stops and the stone starts.