Motivation comes in different forms

What motivates a person to write? Well, of course, having an assignment due can most often light a fire under someone's ... under someone. But then what? I know people who can sit for hours next to pencil, paper, and a blank Word document and not write. The clock is ticking and it appears that nothing is going on in the noggin. However, this apparently idle behavior is not what it seems. Some people have to have days of writer's block before they purge on paper. Some must have no plan at all and write, when the mood strikes, every thing that could possibly be said on a topic and sort it all out later into essay form. Others must have a plan. These folk may spend days not writing a single sentence, but instead make multiple lists of ideas, organizing and reorganizing these in outline form, fretting over what order makes the most sense and feeling like they'll never actually write anything until something clicks (usually an imminent deadline) and they write for seven grueling hours everything they had so meticulously organized. I couldn't really say that either of these processes is healthy or allows a good night's sleep! But, these are the behaviors I've observed, and it might be reassuring for people to realize that others struggle with motivation too.