Blog
The Biggest Problem With Writing
by Writing Workshops Staff
3 years ago
The biggest problem with writing: making the time to do it.
That's it. It has nothing to do with talent. It has nothing to do with having a perfect idea. The trick is simply making the time so you can put your butt in the chair.
I went to an author talk when I was still hiding from my own work, when I was romanticizing publication and the idea of living a writing life, but I wasn't doing the one thing that would get me there: making time to face the blank page.
At that talk, the author said if you write two pages a day you'd have a 365 page book in six months. I did the math sitting there in my chair. A full draft in half a year! One double-spaced page is 250 words. Two pages is just 500 words each day. Can you do that? If you sit down and make the time, my guess is that you can. Watch as your words gather into a draft, into something meaningful.
If you're writing individual pieces, can you write one new piece each month? At the end of the year that is 12 new pieces, enough for a collection. A body of work to send out for publication. A book under your belt with momentum to write another one. Now you've created the essential rhythm that makes a writing life.
Start making time. Start holding yourself accountable for your dream. You can do this on your own or in community. You don't need a writing workshop, though it can help you move faster. Deadlines are a real magic trick that can get you in the chair. Feedback is essential and can help you revise quicker with more precision. Having a mentor to bounce ideas off of and get advice, well, that is like having a handrail down a narrow flight of stairs.
If you see a workshop you'd like to take, use discount code FIRSTCLASS at checkout for 10% Off. We'd love to get you in the chair so you can build a little momentum even during this global pandemic. As writers, we're in this together.
