I have this dilemma. I feel compelled to write and if I go too long without writing anything, I feel like words start to build up inside and could explode at any time. But I find writing extremely difficult and start avoiding it because it it such hard work. And writing on a blog has its own challenges. Am I the only one that deals with the struggle of writing?
The Struggle of Writing
Part of the struggle of writing for me is that the words are there in my mind, as I’m often mentally writing blog posts or parts of books. But because I’ve thought it through in my mind, maybe even more than once, I find the thought of actually trying to write out the words exhausting. It feels like I already wrote the words and why would I want to do it all over again? Or I find that I had the subject and the thoughts in my mind, but I cannot get it all to come out the way I want it or in a way that makes sense when I try to write it all out.
The temptation is to walk away and stop trying to write. But whenever I do that, it’s not long before I get the nagging feeling that I am supposed to be a writer. But it turns out that to be a writer, you have to actually, um…write. So back to it I go. And I struggle again and hop over to my Facebook tab or to Google to look up that thing I was wondering about earlier today. Anything but the struggle of writing!
Find a Way to Write
I know a lot of you are writers – even the ones that think they aren’t. You don’t need to have written a book to be a writer. I think we’re all writers in one way or another because we use our words to tell the stories of our lives. Even our Facebook statuses tell a story. As I said in another post about writing:
Aren’t we all writers, really? We write the story of our lives each day through our thoughts, words and actions.
Since you are indeed a writer, you need to find a way to write that works for you. If that means Facebook statuses and emails and letters to friends, then work on creating your best communications. If that means journaling about your life, then try to do it on a regular basis and in a way that could be read by your child someday when you’re gone. If your writing is on a blog, plan out your posts and write and rewrite them – quality is more important than quantity. If you are writing a book, keep plugging away every day until it’s a habit and keeps moving your creation a little closer to complete.
There are many resources online to help with the struggle of writing. There are writing prompts to get your creative juices flowing. There are Writers groups to join on Facebook and LinkedIn. There are bloggers offering encouragement and tips. One of my favorite writers who offers inspiration is Jeff Goins. Jeff says that writing has become much easier for him now and explains how it happened because of a little thing called “practice”:
Because I’ve started approaching writing like I do running. I get up every day, no matter what, and I do it. I try not to think about it too much or listen to my own doubts.
Obviously this is what I need to do – practice often – and it will get better. But of course when you struggle with writing, it’s that much harder to get yourself to do it. But I do plan to work on it! Join me and work on your own writing – no matter what kind of writing you do.
Do you struggle with writing? What helps encourage or motivate you? If you don’t struggle, what tips can you share with the rest of us? Thanks for sticking around while I work on writing here more often! {You can subscribe here so you get my posts emailed whenever I do publish!}