I was asked recently to write another article for our church publication. Woo hoo – they liked my previous two articles and wanted more! The editor asked me to talk about how I persevered through the process of writing a full-length novel. Was I tempted to quit? How did I conquer my fear? What obstacles stood in my way?
I sat down to write, and BAM. Writer’s block. I couldn’t get the article written. How ironic. Frustration mounted as the deadline for submission came and went. I asked for mercy from the editor, and received grace – another week to get it done.
My fear of disappointing everyone drove me to sit down last Saturday, and start writing whatever came into my mind. I poured out my angst. Finally, the article started to gel. The finished product was not what I considered my best work. I closed my eyes, held my breath, and hit SEND.
I had persevered through writing an article on perseverance. Is there something you’re putting off doing because it seems too hard? Is there a sheer rock wall facing you? Persevere, fellow climber. You will reach the top.
I definitely feel your pain. I average pushing out 10 and up to 25,000 words a week. And they can’t be “just any” words. I’ve hit the wall many, many times and used the technique you describe – I just start writing and don’t stop until it “gels” (and, eventually, it always does 🙂