Flynn Jones asked Jake Burt:

Aloha Jake! I recently re-read Greetings from Witness Protection (probably one of my favorite novels btw) and was wondering how you stay motivated to write. I was thinking of writing about a middle school sorta book for nanowrimo (national novel writing month) next month and every year I try it I always lose motivation. Any tips? Sincerely, Flynn

Jake Burt Hey there, Flynn! Happy to help!

I have two tricks I use to stay motivated through the entire novel-writing process. The first is to completely outline the book prior to writing; that way, I always know where I'm going (plotwise) when I sit down to write. It can be daunting and deflating to stare at your computer screen for five minutes trying to figure out where your story is going to go, so I try to avoid that delay as much as possible.

My second trick is to find people with whom I can talk about my book. Often, I can draw energy from other peoples' enthusiasm. If I describe the plot of a story, and their eyes light up? It makes me want to hurry home and write more. Or if they ask questions that get me thinking about how I've framed something, it can spur me to adjust the novel - another crucial part of the writing process.

Hope those tips help, and best of luck with NaNoWriMo!

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