You may not have seen this, but if you are interested in the motivation, and the working methods of some fabulous authors, please have a read, and listen to Hilary Mantel, Howard Jacobson, Ian Rankin, Beryl Bainbridge, Penelope Lively, PD James, Michael Frayn and more.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/mar/26/authors-secrets-writing?INTCMP=SRCH 

From the Guardian newspaper, Sat 27th March 2011

Extract:

Hilary Mantel: The idea that kicks off a book is usually quite slight and circumstantial. So I see something, hear something, think "That would make a story", and then I find its vast hinterland. No story is ever simple. And when I'm in the middle of it I think: "Oh, but this is what I'm intensely interested in, more than I'm interested in anything else." But that's just for the while of the book; it's a way of being in it and dwelling in it. What you're going to do is put your intellect and your emotions and your personality in its service. But when you begin you don't know how all encompassing a narrative will become. It's like hearing a distant sound and thinking: "Well, is that actually thunder?" and then the storm comes closer and closer and you're caught in the middle of it before you know where you are.

Enjoy!