Do you worry that you’ll never finish writing your book? How does that make you feel?
Frustrated?
Alone?
Blocked?
Insecure?
Confused?
Overwhelmed?
If you’re like so many writers I know, these feelings keep you from writing. The pain of feeling like your words aren’t worthy overtakes you, and so you decide to do it later when you feel more in control.
But there’s an obvious problem with that thinking.
If you wait for the perfect time to write, when you’re in the zone, when you’re fully inspired, you won’t write your book. It’s as simple as that.
Why?
Writing a book is a process of giving in to not knowing.
You don’t know what your characters will do next.
You don’t know how long it will be.
You don’t know where to start. Sure, you can think of a million possibilities, but how do you choose?
You don’t have a structure for your book?
You don’t know how you’ll fix some obvious holes in the plot?
You don’t know how you’re going to take all those ideas swimming around your head and turn them into a book someone wants to read.
You don’t know how you’ll find time to write, what, with everything else you have going on in your life.
There’s so much that you don’t know, it’ll make you dizzy.
And if you’re like just about every writer I know, you want these questions answered immediately. And you want that to happen, like, right now!
And yes, when you write, you can also feel
Excited!
Happy!
Inspired!
In control!
Creative!
Invincible!
You can and you will.
BUT… and here’s the truth.
Writing is a roller coaster. It’s the painful, slow rise as you one-bump-at-a-time slowly, distractedly put words on a page. Then you roll over the top of the hill and the fun part begins. That’s when your words flow like water. You’re feeling solid. Your writing is clean. You raise your fist high and declare, “I AM A WRITER!” Then you find yourself at the bottom of the hill again creaking along and wondering if you should just chuck your book out the window and pretend it never happened.
That low slow part of writing? It’s normal. It’s simply part of the process of writing a book, and if you want to finish writing your book, you’ll have to find ways through the long slog up the hill.
Writing will never be fully joyful. Sorry. It’s true. But writing is also not always painful.
Let me repeat that.
Writing is not always painful. It is often joyful, exhilarating, ebullient and wonderful.
Accept this, accept that you don’t know everything, that writing will be painful sometimes, and trust yourself that you’ll get past that pain to the fun, slide down the hill screaming “Whooo hooooo” part of your writing.
I’ve helped many writers write books and publish articles.
I’ve had the pleasure of working with hundreds of writers as they work through blocks, find their confidence and finally write that book they’ve always wanted to write.
This is what just a few people had to say:
Come write with me in The Workshop!
Are you ready to share your writing? To write, share, refine, and finally publish? Then The Workshop is for you. It’s my online writing community where you find your community, learn skills and make your ideal writing life happen.
Learn all about it and join us here>>> Join the Workshop!
If you’re not ready? Don’t worry about it. This isn’t for you (yet). Keep writing.
