What motivates you to write? by imaginaryplanet22

Hmmm... There are quite alot of methods which I practise that helps me to write.

I frequently suffer from writer's block and during those times, what helps me more than anything is the power of music.

I usually just find a quiet place, free from any distractions and I'd plug my ear buds in and play some instrumental music. Personally, I prefer to play background  music because when I play lyrical music, the lyrics tend to distract me.

The music helps to manipulate my emotions and it sort of jump starts my imagination. I've been told that I have a pretty active imagination. Especially when it comes to creating scenarios. So, the music is like the soundtrack of a movie. I try to get my imagination to come up with a scene to match the music.

If I'm working on a story, I would try to make the scene fit into that story or if it's just a random scene, I might safely tuck it away in my memory and use it in one of my future stories.

When I'm struggling with a loss for words when it comes to writing such as when I'm not sure on how to properly structure my sentences or what's the best possible way to describe something, I'd take a break and would try reading some other writers stories to get some inspiration.

When I read other writers' stories, I tend to study their writing style as best as I can. I analyse their vocabulary, their descriptions and the tools they have used to convey emotions and what they are trying to say.

When I read, if I come across a certain part where it just makes me go 'Woah', or makes me feel a strong type of emotion or if the part becomes memorable to me, I immediately try to figure out just how did the author manage to make me feel that way through her writing. What literary devices had he/she used to achieve that?

If I find a method of theirs that's new for me, I'll learn from it and I'd make sure to remember it for further improvements in my writing.

Journaling is also a great exercise. For me, it helps to overcome any laziness which I may have to write. It helps to improve my narrative style as well when I'd describe how my day was like. Plus, it helps me to better remember my vocabulary.

When I learn new, aesthetic or stronger words, I tend to use it many times in my sentences when I journal. That way, the words become etched into my mind and I'd be less likely to forget it.

Moreover, I often try to include some of my real life experiences in writing. When it comes to forming characters, I'd try to base it off on a real life person I had encountered. It's more easier to study the character that way.

A really useful writing tip that I learned from one of my favorite writer, Mr. Roald Dahl is, he said that a story idea could hit you at any time.

When it does, you must immediately grab the nearest pen, pencil, lipstick or anything that would write and jot down a line or a sentence on a piece of paper that would later remind you of the story idea. Otherwise, you'd just forget it.

Then when you have time, you can properly seat yourself at a desk and try to unravel the little idea you got and turn it into a story.

So, I use that tip alot. If I get any sort of ideas or even a simple line that one of my characters could say in a dialogue that would sound really cool, I'd roughly write it down somewhere and work on it later when I have the energy.

I'm constantly learning and seeking new ways to improve my writing style as I'm extremely passionate about writing. I still have alot to learn.

Feel free to share your tips for writing as well. What motivates you to write?