Writing Isn’t Meant to Be Easy
Writing is not easy!
There, I said it.
For any of you that have tried to write creatively in any form you will of course already know this. This is for us.
We Are Already Writers
Jeff Goins wrote a wonderful book for writers. The title alone is a call for action but also a recognition that we are already writers.
Not all of us can, or will be Stephen King. Not all of us will have our words read by millions. Many of us will never be able to support ourselves and our loved ones purely from our writing. But still, we are all writers.
The False Confidence of the First Draft
The first 70% or so of any post or book project seems to come relatively easy, with ideas flowing freely. Then the real work begins.
The first draft is the easiest part of the process. The editing and refining of the message from there is the tricky part but also where the magic can happen. Knowing what to leave on the page and what needs to be cut out. A mix of art and practice it separates the greats from the rest of us mere mortals playing with words.
The writer has to fight the urge to write posts and stories that they have already written. Repeating messages is a constant threat for any writer that sticks around long enough and writes within certain constraints, how do we stay fresh?
The Journey that Never Ends
Trying hard to improve the clarity of our writing and message continues to be our main goal for our writing. It sounds so fundamental and obvious and it is. However, it is also the goal that never stops being a goal for all writers for as long as we write.
How can I write more clearly?
How can I convey my message to the reader more simply?
Have I used too many words?
Have I used too few?
These, and other questions dance around everything we do.
Inspiration from the Greats
The nature of writing is that we’re never quite as good as we would like to be, there’s always room for improvement. Reading a passage from Hemingway, Ayn Rand, Charles Bukowski or another heavyweight always both inspires but also brings us back to earth as a writer. It reminds us how far we have to travel still.
The important thing is to enjoy the process and try to improve along the way. Either way, we can’t imagine life without this creative outlet. We’ve come to realise that we write for ourselves as much as the reader. We can’t not write!
Honing the Craft
We continue to hone our writing through practice. It’s the only way. A combination of our own blogs, through self publishing our own books, guesting for other blogs and here at Medium.
Medium provides a home for experiments in haiku/poetry and more as well as evergreen musings. The various forums allow us to wander a little with our writing. To explore new territory.
We are in this for the long haul wherever the journey takes us after all.
Writing is hard but our path is chosen, we write because we love it.
Carl is a writer. He is also the proud owner of Frictionless Living which is focused on helping readers live a simpler and more personally satisfying life. To read more and/or contact him go to his site.
