By Michelle Griep, @MichelleGriep
Here’s a newsflash for you: Writers don’t make a lot of money.
In light of that, the best piece of advice I heard when starting this gig was not to quit my day job. That was over fifteen years ago, but here I am, still pounding away on the keyboard, diligently writing word after word after word. What makes me do it? What is the motivation that keeps anyone working at any job for any length of time?
Contrary to popular belief, it’s not money. Oh, not that anyone in their right mind would turn down a cool million—or even a tepid one—but there are other motivating factors that cause you to stay with a profession even without huge monetary incentive. Here are the top 5 motivating factors other than money that keeps a writer writing.
1. Seeing tangible results of your work.
I’m not gonna lie…holding a published book in your hand with your name on it is as satisfying as a triple chocolate brownie fresh out of the oven with vanilla bean ice cream and caramel sauce. Yep. It’s that good. When you’ve worked hard at a project, the finished result is uber motivating to make you want to do it again.
2. The more difficult a project, the more pride you’ll feel when it’s finished.
Pride is like crack. It’s super addicting when all those endorphins and whatnot float through your bloodstream. And there’s no better way to pump up your ego than to finish a super challenging task.
3. Knowing that your work makes a difference in someone’s life.
We are wired to help others. Mostly. Except for maybe narcissists and random terrorist organizations. The point is that when your work actually betters someone else’s life in some way, you’re going to want to continue doing that same thing so that you can affect someone else’s life as well.
4. Positive reinforcement.
No one can take a continual brutal beating of criticism. It’s the small bits of praise that put wind in our sails. The letters from readers. The glowing reviews. Appreciation is a huge motivator.
5. Environment.
A study at Hiroshima University researched two control groups, each performing the same task, but one group was surrounded with photos of cute baby animals. The other had to look at adult animals. The group in the environment with the sweet little babies outperformed the other. Your surroundings matter. So let that be a nudge for you to clean off your desk and spruce up your workspace because it really does matter.
Next time you want to motivate someone, either a team member at work, your kid at home, or even yourself, use some of these motivators to get going.
There’s Often a Fine Line Between a Criminal and a Saint
Constable Jackson Forge intends to make the world safer, or at least the streets of Victorian London. But that’s Kit Turner’s domain, a swindler who runs a crew that acquires money the old-fashioned way—conning the rich to give to the poor. When a local cab driver goes missing, Jackson is tasked with finding the man, and the only way to do that is by enlisting Kit’s help. If Jackson doesn’t find the cabby, he’ll be fired. If Kit doesn’t help Jackson, he’ll arrest her for thievery. Yet neither of them realize those are the least of their problems.
Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the author of historical romances: The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, and A Heart Deceived, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan. If you’d like to keep up with her escapades, find her at www.michellegriep.com or stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.