Don’t Let Your Mojo Turn into Nojo
Should you write every day vs write when you’re inspired to do so? For years this has been an ongoing debate among writers. There are pros and cons to each side, but both carry the same intent, and that is writers need to write.
Neither method is right or wrong, it’s merely preference. It simply depends on the writer. Take a car for an example. A car can be a certain make, model, color, and can be new or used. For the very reasons you like this particular car, another driver does not. Yet, the car, whether you like it or not, does what it is intended to do—get you from point A to point B.
The important lesson of both writing every day vs write when inspired, is to keep your mojo alive. To make sure you do in fact write; if not every day, at least on some kind of schedule.
One way to do this is to join or organize a writing group. There are two kinds of writing groups—ones that have a guest speaker (novelist, publisher, or literary agent), and the other is sharing your work with the group for feedback. Each will have their own set of guidelines. Some groups are membership based with fees, while others are free and open to the public. They also vary from meeting monthly to every other week. Visit at least twice to get a feel for the group and decide if it’s a good fit for you.
Another way to keep your mojo alive and kicking is to read. Read in the genre you enjoy, but also break free from that and expand too. Read authors, topics, and subjects you normally wouldn’t read. Also, study as you read. Look for what works, what captures your attention, why are you enjoying this book; is it the characters, setting, plot twists, etc. While it’s not a good idea to copy another author, it’s perfectly fine to draw inspiration from them.
Set mini goals and give yourself a small reward for when you accomplish them. For example; if you hit a goal of 1,500 words for the week, you’re allowed to have some ice cream or play video games for 30 minutes. Looking forward to your reward will inspire you to write and keep your mojo going.
How do you keep your mojo from becoming a nojo?