Why Writing is like Sculpting 

“Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” - Michelangelo

Those who know me know that I have a wide assortment of interests, hobbies, passions, and areas of curiosity that constantly need to be fed in order for me to be sane.

Which is why when I was having coffee with a friend today, I couldn’t help but get caught up in trying to explain how all my creative interests have several parallels, especially when he asked me about my approach to writing and what advice I might give to those who want to be more proficient at it.

The words that came out of my mouth were that “writing to me was like getting that core idea or concept out and then working with it like a scupltor would, chipping away at it until the final form is realized”.

Obsessing over detail from the beginning is paralyzing and that inner critic is the “writer’s block” that keeps many from expressing what it is they want to communicate with the world or someone intimate in the form of the written word. Anything and everything can be refined, edited, revised, and reviewed until it becomes polished, however, you need something to work with.

Having a rough outline is great, in fact depending on the writing project, I highly recomend it for more journalistic, business, or non-fiction writing. But regardless of the task itself, you need something to work with, and unlike scuplting where the raw materials are mined externally, for writers the raw materials are their own thoughts made tangible and visible for them to see.

Once on paper, you’re free to take whatever time and effort is needed to bring out that final form that was hidden in that block of text all along. So next time you’re wondering where to start, just let go and write, and keep in mind that good writing is rewriting, not delayed writing.