So, I'm having a terrible November.  I'm feeling very demotivated because I've been work-work-working and I've only made 1/7th of what I did in October. 

My question is, how do you keep motivated in an inconsistent and unpredictable business?  Stock photography is still new to me, and I know I have to keep pushing and develop a huge and wicked awesome portfolio before I can make steady money.   I'm interested in hearing stories about how you made it over the hurdle (working hard, hoping it would be worth it eventually).

So, I'm having a terrible November.  I'm feeling very demotivated because I've been work-work-working and I've only made 1/7th of what I did in October. 

My question is, how do you keep motivated in an inconsistent and unpredictable business?  Stock photography is still new to me, and I know I have to keep pushing and develop a huge and wicked awesome portfolio before I can make steady money.   I'm interested in hearing stories about how you made it over the hurdle (working hard, hoping it would be worth it eventually).

Good question, Jen, especially about consistency.  I had posted something similar on DT.  I finally reached 500 images there.  There are days that I have five downloads followed by days and days and days of nothing.  I was hoping that 500 was the magic number.  It's not.   

Very good question, Jen.  My answer is - I don't!   Having a really hard time getting motivated right now. 

I think Blufish and Cthoman have the right idea about putting the business aspect aside and shooting what you enjoy.  This year I have been focusing too much on sales and not enough on pleasure.

I had expected to be able to relax after I got my portfolio to a certain level, but with 6k pictures, the competition is fiercer than ever.  I feel compelled to keep producing. 

In the new year I might try shooting some editorial RM.  That would be a good change of pace and hopefully get my creative juices flowing again

So, I'm having a terrible November.  I'm feeling very demotivated because I've been work-work-working and I've only made 1/7th of what I did in October.  
My question is, how do you keep motivated in an inconsistent and unpredictable business?  Stock photography is still new to me, and I know I have to keep pushing and develop a huge and wicked awesome portfolio before I can make steady money.   I'm interested in hearing stories about how you made it over the hurdle (working hard, hoping it would be worth it eventually).

If you've been working a lot lately, don't despair: pictures take a few months to really start to sell on most sites (except Shutterstock where sales are almost immediate), so results will possibly come later.

That said, November is not as good as expected for me as well.

What keeps me motivated is travelling. I am shooting a lot less for microstock while at home, but I take a short break now and then and shoot a lot of pictures. Glasgow and Berlin (again) lately.

Motive through Photography.. not through Stock / Microstock. Learn more about Photography. Go step outside your comfort zone for fun.

I go walking around with my 18 - 55 lens and see what I end up with.. with no plans on selling them. I take those pics and learn some type of creative editing. All for the sake of just doing. If you spend all your time thinking about the next stock shot... then do like a regular job and take your weekends off.

Let�s be honest.  You're either doing microstock for enjoyment or profit. 

To anyone now yelling, �No, I do this because it�s personally rewarding��  Really?  You find joy hunched over the computer for hours... retouching, keywording and uploading photos that you fear won�t sell?  You would rather do that than spend time with loved ones or on a favorite pastime?  Let's not kid ourselves.  We all have dollar signs in your eyes, or we wouldn't be so obsessed with microstock.

Don�t get me wrong.  You can learn to enjoy putting profit first.  Aim to find subjects that buyers actually want and put your creativity to work in adding a fresh spin on those topics.  You�ll find this is rewarding both financially and creatively.

On the flipside, you will not succeed financially if you place top priority on what you enjoy creating and assume that people will eventually find your works of art and buy them on their artistic merits.  Not going to happen, unless some marketable concepts slipped in by accident.

Don�t trust anyone who suggests that following your heart will lead you to a pot of gold.  Check out their stats to see if it�s working for them, then come back to reality and focus on creating marketable images in a manner you find creatively fulfilling.

Without sugar coating anything, if you're new in this industry you're going to have to work very very hard ( a lot harder than when some of us started) and then after a while you'll reach a certain level where you'll still not be able to relax and will probably have to work even harder to maintain that level.

If you're struggling to find the motivation at this early stage I suggest you give up. Oh and don't worry about the huge, wicked, awesome portfolio - mundane, highly desirable, useable portfolio is what you want, this ain't art.

Told you I wouldn't sugar coat it

Let�s be honest.  You're either doing microstock for enjoyment or profit. 

I don't see it as an either or. I see it as both. One without the other, for me, wouldn't work.

I don't see it as an either or. I see it as both. One without the other, for me, wouldn't work.

I agree. I took a break from microstock for several months and realized I missed it. If it was all business, my portfolio would be filled with a much different type of image. I'd probably make a lot more, but be completely miserable. A good balance is tricky, but rewarding.

My motivation: bills that keep appearing in my mailbox.

I think many people didn't get my point.  I'll put it a different way...

There's three different images you can create and submit:

1. Those that you enjoy producing

2. Those you have reason to believe will sell

3. Those you believe will sell, and you just happen to enjoy producing

If you want a portfolio that generates good sales, aim to spend your time producing the third type.  But since those types of shots are the toughest to figure out, backfill with the second type.  Avoid the first type unless you're truly in this just for fun and don't care if you get a single sale.

Thanks for making your point clearer. Now I totally agree with you. 

My motivation: bills that keep appearing in my mailbox.

Yeah, what's up with that, they keep sending them, every month!!

Without sugar coating anything, if you're new in this industry you're going to have to work very very hard ( a lot harder than when some of us started) and then after a while you'll reach a certain level where you'll still not be able to relax and will probably have to work even harder to maintain that level.

If you're struggling to find the motivation at this early stage I suggest you give up. Oh and don't worry about the huge, wicked, awesome portfolio - mundane, highly desirable, useable portfolio is what you want, this ain't art.

Told you I wouldn't sugar coat it

Perhaps "motivation" was a poor choice of words.  I am extremely motivated, I've been working on my portfolio like crazy , and I'm generally enjoying this entire process.  But it's an interesting business, and I've always been an "instant gratification" type of person.  I'm never expecting to be able to sit around and eat bon bons while my account balance fills up, but it's interesting to see how other people have pushed themselves through the waiting period between tons of work ---> worthwhile reward, when you're just starting out.

PS I would describe "highly desirable and usable" as "wicked awesome" as far as microstock is concerned.