Today’s prompt:

How do you find the energy to write when you’re not in the mood?

Great question. It’s even more difficult to do when it’s something I DON’T want to do.

For instance, I’m really reluctant to start writing when I know it will (possibly) step on some toes. One of the hardest things I have to write are reviews of other people’s books. I have three book reviews I need to finish and post on-line. Two of them were… less than successful, shall we say. I’m attempting to find ways to offer encouragement and not gloss over things that are problematic.

There are other times that I don’t feel like writing and it’s because I don’t know how to respond to someone else’s blog post. Either I think they are clueless, or just… well, wrong. Political, social and philosophical differences happen in this life. Some I can brush off and say, (as one of my mentors used to say), “I couldn’t disagree with you more!” And others require a thoughtful, honest response. Those are hard to write!

The way that I have found to finally get some forward motion when I’m “not in the mood” is to write just ONE sentence. Just one. Then I leave it and do something else (like waste time on Facebook!) I leave that document open, though, and I find that when it surfaces I have a little more interest in writing. And I tackle it… one tiny letter at a time. 🙂