Embracing the writing process
There are some days where I wake up and am in the mood to write. I pour myself a cup of coffee, stare contemplatively at the sunrise, and sit down at my desk, words flowing from my fingertips with ease.
Many of us (myself included) like to envision sitting down in front of a computer and writing something eloquent on the first try. Instead, we typically stare at our computer screens for a long time, because writing is not a process that can be done perfectly on the first try.
When we let go of perfection, we are better able to embrace the mess. First drafts are very rarely the draft that makes it into the book and it will take a lot of writing, re-writing, and angsty Taylor Swift songs before you reach the final product.
Next time you feel yourself staring at a blank screen, try the following:
Close the laptop. Step away from all of the distractions that computers contain (email, social media, hilarious gifs of cats) and try planning on paper. Spend time outlining ideas both big and small.
Word vomit. Take one of those ideas and write everything that comes to mind. No erasing. No crossing things out. No wrong answers.
Take a break. Once you have all ideas down, step away and take a break. When you return, you will be able to view your work with a fresh perspective and better streamline content that already exists.
My best advice is this: trust that writing is a process. Your project will not be concluded in one sitting and that's okay. Write, write, and write some more.
Never stop writing or sharing your stories, folks.
