The Overwhelming Writing Hump

January 1, 2014. I thought it would be a good idea to start writing in this journal daily throughout the new year. It would give it more of a purpose instead of having it because of aesthetics. Over two years later, only 44 entries have been added to the Moleskine that is usually on my bedside table collecting dust.

I began journaling the summer after my freshman year of high school seven years ago, writing in a composition notebook initially only when I felt the need to express my built-up teen angst in a more levelheaded way than lashing out at every living soul. It was, and still is, a therapeutic exercise that gives me the opportunity to stop moving at 200mph, catch my breath, and reflect on what is going on. I do not believe I would be the person that I am, who has maintained good mental health throughout my years, if it was not for journaling.

Then why has my New Year’s resolution for the past few years still been to write more often? School, work, on-campus organizations, and life in general taking up most of my time has been my excuse; however, that is not the latent reason. The truth is I never felt the motivation to write for simply the act of it. Writing was a tool for me to tidy up the mess in my head. I wrote for me and exclusively when I felt like I needed to, whether an entry was followed by another entry the next day or in three months.

Publishing my writing for the digital world to see was a terrifying thought that generated a myriad of other frightening thoughts: What if people do not read what I publish? And I have nowhere near the writing capabilities and vocabulary of a novelist, but I want to come off as knowledgeable. And What could I write that others would find interesting? And How will what I write and my online presence affect people’s perceptions of me? I do not want to give off a false impression.

It was not until I read “Write in 2016” by Julie Zhuo that I felt inspired to write. In her blog, she says:

No matter who you are, I know this to be a fact: that you have interests. That there is something you go to bed thinking about. That there is some experience you’ve had that not everybody has had. That there are lessons you’ve learned in your road less taken. That there is some version of the world you’d like tomorrow to be.

She challenges the reader to write what they know and to not give in to all of the buts and hesitations that are keeping them from writing. Each individual has a unique story and one-of-a-kind perspectives; therefore, there is no excuse to not having anything to write about. It does not matter if you want to write about your opinions on the latest tech trend or your favorite chair in your living room; what matters is that you write.

If you are trying to get over that writing hump, here are a few tips for you, even though this is more of me giving myself advice:

1. Apply Newton’s First Law of Motion. The first law states that an object in motion stays in motion until acted upon by an external force. I do not literally mean Newton’s physics theory here. Instead, think of it this way: you have to be that external force that gets yourself out of the “I want to write but haven’t” state that you have been in.
2. Do not give a sh*t. Please pardon my French, but what I am trying to communicate is to not get caught up in making sure what you write is perfect in whatever way you define “perfect” as. My greatest hesitation in writing content to be published was thinking that my writing style was not at the advanced level that I wanted it to be, which is primarily due to the high standards that I set for myself. I realized that I was comparing myself to people who were 10 years my senior and had been professionally writing before I ever wrote my first journal entry. Everyone must start sometime somewhere. Practicing freely writing in the beginning can help to develop your unique writing style and sharpen your thinking. Until then, push the thoughts about perfection and what others will think out of your head because all it will do is create negative energy that will limit your potential.
3. Keep moving forward. There is a hiking trail called Mission Peak where, close to the top, it gets very steep and becomes a thigh-burner to hike up. You reach a point where you can either head back down — I have seen countless people do this — or continue your way up to a beautiful view of the Bay Area. A similar point exists for writing. The hardest stage of getting over the writing hump is when you start thinking “I do not think I have time to write today or for the next couple of days.” At this point, you can easily revert back to your old habit of not writing often. This is when you must keep yourself accountable of the schedule and goals you have set and keep moving forward. I’m not telling you it is going to be easy; I’m telling you it is going to be worth it.

I have made a vow to publish content here every Friday. Follow my writing journey — and help keep me accountable — as I attempt to get over my writing hump.