Getting In The Mood

I feel like writers, mostly amateur writers, are the most fickle workers around. They never seem to just write. They have to be in the mood to write. They have to be inspired to write. They have to be in the right setting to write.

Consider writing in terms of reading. Have you ever thought to yourself, I'm not in the mood for a horror story? You may not be in the mood for it, but if you pick up a good horror story and start reading it, you get pulled in. All of a sudden, you are very interested in a horror story.

Writing works the same way. You may not be in the mood to write, or maybe you simply aren't in the mood to write a horror story (or whatever genre), but just sit down and write a few sentences. The first ones may be like pulling teeth, but with every line, it gets a little easier. Eventually, you'll find yourself totally in the mood for writing.

I think that writing is a great way to get yourself in the mood to write. If that doesn't work, the next best method is to give yourself a deadline. Nothing gets you writing like lighting a fire under your butt.