July 5 Question: What is one valuable lesson you've learned since you started writing?
The writing doesn't actually happen unless you sit down and write.
Just sit your ass down in the chair, the bed, a comfy couch - it doesn't even matter where. You just have to sit down and starting putting words to paper / blank screen.
You can think about writing. You can plan to write. You can make time to write.
But you have to actually do the writing.
I spend A LOT of time thinking about writing. I normally have posts written in my head while exercising, driving or even mowing the grass.
Yet lately I haven't taken the next step to actually write them down.
In fact, I've done more writing about not writing these past few months than I've actually done any real writing.
A few years ago I wrote an Elephant Journal post titled Being A Writer Is Easy. Re-reading it has inspired me to once again be a more disciplined writer.
This post is a part of the Insecure Writer's Support Group, a monthly meeting of writers who over think, under write and just want people to like them.
I need to go read your post. Like you, I'm often planning and thinking only in my head.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to this post a lot. Lately, I think about writing, but then never get around to it. Sometimes it's because I think of a scene before having to go to work and the day job isn't one where I can write during it, so by the time I get home I have forgotten.
ReplyDeleteThat could definitely be the first rule about writing! Sit down and do it. Like you, I write heaps in my head all the time. I think this must be a "writer thing". And, it sounds so much better there than when I actually try to reproduce the stories/blogs/emails/articles on the screen. I need an automatic voice recorder for every thought (about writing) I have!! :-)
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