Frustrations
Here's a question for you: If you say you want to be a writer and yet never seem to be able to make yourself write anything, are you more in love with the idea of being a writer than the actual work itself?
My brain says yes, but I don't want that to be the case for myself. I've always wanted to be a writer. I feel so happy when I'm actually writing and when I've actually written, but it's been really difficult to get myself there the last 6 months. I sit down and start something and then become overwhelmed with how hard it is, how I don't know where to go next, how there are flaws in my setup. I never get anywhere, even with the simplest plot. I can't even decide what I want to write. It's paralyzing. It's like my brain is numb.
I could make lots of excuses – I'm out of practice. I'm worried about making money, so I spend more time consulting than writing. Now that I'm supposed to be trying this for real, the pressure is crippling. Other people are depending on me for other things, so I just don't have time. When I'm ready, it'll just come to me. You have to be in the mood.
Bullshit. If you're a writer, you write. You just do it. You put the hard work in. I've read that over and over again in the advice of other writers, in books about writing. So why can't I seem to do it? I could make time – there's always time.
I'm going to be so frustrated and disappointed in myself for the rest of my life if I don't give this a serious go and if I don't do the hard work to get myself there. I know it's a matter of working hard enough – so there's no excuse.
My brain says yes, but I don't want that to be the case for myself. I've always wanted to be a writer. I feel so happy when I'm actually writing and when I've actually written, but it's been really difficult to get myself there the last 6 months. I sit down and start something and then become overwhelmed with how hard it is, how I don't know where to go next, how there are flaws in my setup. I never get anywhere, even with the simplest plot. I can't even decide what I want to write. It's paralyzing. It's like my brain is numb.
I could make lots of excuses – I'm out of practice. I'm worried about making money, so I spend more time consulting than writing. Now that I'm supposed to be trying this for real, the pressure is crippling. Other people are depending on me for other things, so I just don't have time. When I'm ready, it'll just come to me. You have to be in the mood.
Bullshit. If you're a writer, you write. You just do it. You put the hard work in. I've read that over and over again in the advice of other writers, in books about writing. So why can't I seem to do it? I could make time – there's always time.
I'm going to be so frustrated and disappointed in myself for the rest of my life if I don't give this a serious go and if I don't do the hard work to get myself there. I know it's a matter of working hard enough – so there's no excuse.