BY ROSA PRESTON

I’ve tried to write two other stories, each of which aren’t doing so great. Mostly because:

1. I didn’t really feel motivated to finish them
2. I didn’t like the general aspect/idea.

Both of which are issues writers at Truman High School commonly face (but having a cold while writing also doesn’t help). So, here’s some advice from an exhausted teenager with a cold on how to find motivation and inspiration.

One of the things I do is, absolutely nothing. Sometimes you just have to stop for a little while and take a break to just think. This can work for writers AND artists. Sometimes, just relaxing and enjoying some scenery can give you inspiration for art, or it can give you or bring back memories that would be good for a story. In my case, just sitting in a chair face planted on the table is all I need.

As for the motivation, frankly the fear of failing Garrett Gordon’s class is enough for me. But if you don’t have an adult around to force you to do something, set times and dates for when to start and when to finish. With times set on when you should be doing something gives you enough time to not only prepare, but also gives you a deadline that feels good to meet. Plus, maybe you’ll be motivated to start early so you don’t have to hear the annoying alarm again.

When all else fails, you can repeat the first bit of advice, and sleep on it. Clearing your head (and sinuses) should let the train of thought continue its path to the land of creativity. For example, I’m now considering writing another story based on the creation of tissues considering I have two shoved into my nose right now (okay, the first part of that sentence was a joke, but not the second).