Hello, Go Teen Writers! It’s Jill, coming at you from the road. I’m on my way to Reno, Nevada to attend the Realm Makers 5th Anniversary Writers’ Conference. I’m teaching the teen track there, and I’m so excited.
I hope you’re enjoying the summer panels. We’ve had a great time with this little project so far. In case you’re new to us, this summer we’re doing Q & A panels. Throughout the months of June, July, and August, we’re posting a question each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. We answer that question, then pass it on to you. Please share your answer in the comments so we can all learn from each other.
Today is another deep, life-pondering question that I hope will get you thinking about what drives you. This is an important question to ask your characters, too, so you might give some thought to how each of them might answer this one.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
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| Jill Williamson |
Sadly, it’s my To Do list. I’m a work-o-holic. I actually like working. I’ll wake up but still lie in bed, thinking about what I need to do that day. And once my brain gets going, it gets excited, and I’ll head out to my desk to get started.
Now, this does not work on weekdays during the school year. My alarm is what gets me out of bed each day, to wake my children so they can get ready to go. On those days, I sit in the living room with some breakfast and a book, and I read. This is actually a much better way to start my day, though it is always WAY too early for a person like me to be awake.
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| Shannon Dittemore |
The sunshine! Literally. I realize you’re probably asking about my life motivation, but lemme tell you about how I deal with mornings. If it’s gloomy outside when I wake up, I convince myself to climb out of bed by making myself all sorts of promises. I’ll say, “It’s okay. You’re a grown up. You can take the kids to school and then climb right back into bed. No one will stop you.” I’m ridiculous, I know, but it’s truly what gets me through that first hour. By the time I’ve had a cup of coffee and dropped the munchkins off, I’m good to go. I’m awake and ready to write and I laugh at my droopy morning self. If it’s sunny outside, my wake-up routine is much more pleasant and it’s easier to remember that I do, in fact, have important life goals.
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| Stephanie Morrill |
Habit? Coffee? A sense of responsibility? There have been seasons of life (like when I’m really pregnant, or when we were in overwhelming seasons with Connor’s epilepsy) where I’m not exactly eager to do the day, but I really love my life. I love my work and my family.