Beginning At Writing

If you have an undeniable desire to write, but for some reason never seem to get started, or if your fear is keeping you back, the following may be of some use to you.

Many people struggle getting down to the actual task of writing. They spend lots of time thinking about it, daydreaming about it, some of them fretting over it and even feeling great anxiety and depression about the pent up stories, muses, emotions and struggles that they wish to put to paper, and more importantly, be read and understood by some nameless "reader." They will procrastinate heavily, citing tired excuses like not having enough time, or inspiration running dry, or simply being too tired. Maybe they are the next Melville or Dickens, but they will never be realized if they are listening to the slew of people in their lives who try and dissuade them from pursuing their craft. This can be subtle. Most people will not tell you outright. Not your friends and family anyway. They will more likely step in your way subconsciously. Maybe its your wife who just happens to need something every single time you settle down to write. Maybe its your husband, who just rolls his eyes and tuts when you say you want some quiet time to work on a poem or story, or just grunts, insinuating that its not time well spent. The kids normally want to sit on Nintendo or PlayStation, but when you want to write, they just happen to decide to play sandcastles with the catbox, or war with the kitchen knives.

A lot of the time the dreaded "writers block" and the anxiety that goes along with it can stop you in your tracks, or stop you from starting outright. The fear of not getting it done. The fear of the written word not being good enough, or useful enough. The innate fear of rejection, something that every human being naturally seeks to avoid. We all seek validation of ourselves in others. Our writing is a focused block of our ideas, imaginations, hopes, and dreams put out into the world for others to enjoy and be influenced by. How cruel for it all to be rejected. Maybe its past trauma from these rejections that stops us going further. A snarky professor in a poetry workshop who suffered from a Shakespeare complex. Maybe a love poem that did not have the desired effect. "Was it something I said?" Probably not Love is fickle and complicated. A short story that a publisher simply asked for some improvements on (not at all unreasonable, criticism and follow-up is the lifeblood of growth.) Maybe you are just someone who loves to read, has a great depth of emotion, and you fear you will pale in comparison to the greats. "How can I compete with them?"

Now then, there could be any number of reasons why you haven't started writing your first story, poem, article, biopic etc. None of them matter. Lets raise a few points that should help you crack the mystery and get your hot little fingers burning on the keyboard (or typewriter, tablet, notebook, smartphone etc. I've tried them all, and all are fun in their own way.)

1. Your Writing Has VALUE

Lets start off with one basic point. If you take anything away from reading this piece, please please please ingrain this into your psyche. Eat it for your cognitive breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Make it your mantra and trust every author you've ever read. Time spent writing is time WELL SPENT.

"Oh honey. I'm glad you found a hobby!" Heard that one before right? It can either be said with a hint of sarcasm or perfectly genuine, but even if the loved one you are dealing with is genuine, this is never helpful. Because writing isn't a hobby. It never will be. Writing is hands down a VOCATION. It may not pay well(or at all). It certainly may not be a career, and if it is, its likely to be a side hustle. But it is not a hobby. A hobby is like metal detecting or fishing, unless you do either of those for a living. Writing is many things: A vocation. An art. An aspiration. A career for some. A form of therapy for the suffering. Never a hobby. The funny thing I find is that a lot of these people are actually avid readers themselves. Why should the idea of you being a published author be so myriad?

Don't get me wrong, "don't quit your day job" is competent and sound advice, and its more honest. I would instead say "don't quit your day job unless writing pays all the bills." Many writers have two careers, and lets face it, working can be fulfilling and rewarding in its own right if you make it your own. I'll leave it to you to google your favorite authors if you want to know what work they did for a day job when they started out writing. There is no shame in working hard and paying your way in life. If you accept this as your most likely and prudent path, you may actually find that your creative spirit is unleashed fully. No more "is this going to be good enough?" No more comparing yourself to the JK Rowlings and Stephen Kings of the world. By releasing your mind from these anxieties, you will be free to write to your greatest potential, and enjoy it all the more.

But I digress. Writing is important. Where would we be without it? About 2.2 million books are published around the world each year according to Unesco. They are published because even more people want to read them, and unless people like you write them, the only thing they will be able to do is Netflix and chill, or go out metal detecting. So you should absolutely write, if you feel the urge to do so. Imagine this. You write a short story today with your take on an important moral or value that is common across society. Two hundred years from now a person your age comes across your story and reads it, and it changes their perspective and attitude. That then influences how they act around people. You could be stopping someone from being abused, or helping them get through the abuse. You could even be saving a life. You have no idea where your words will go. Your book could be the saving grace of a police officer who is overworked and needs something to get lost into during that rare bit of downtime between supporting traumatized victims and grueling through paperwork. Or it could be just the ticket for that woman going through a three day labour. The baby is ready to come, but wants to come really really slowly. Mum needs something to help distract her mind between endless paces around the room.Maybe its just something a grandparent will read to their grandchildren, creating fond memories for the child and helping provide a sense of purpose to the grandparent's in their silver years. Your writing is so important. Its a shame other people don't seem to see the value in it. In order to be able to write, you need to be able to make time for it. That time is precious, and it will have to be wrestled for and defended your entire writing life. More about that in a bit.

There is one big caveat to all this. Writing has value, but only to you until someone else reads and appreciates it. Don't assume it will have value for others without making it your best. There are some known standards of good writing that are generally agreed upon. Does the story, novel, poem etc. invoke strong and creative imagery? Does it speak to all of our senses? Does it provide conflict, suspense, resolution? Does it reflect upon real life issues and most importantly, is it relatable? Other aspects that make writing good are hard to characterize, but you can kind of "just tell." Its all opinions, but generally, good is recognized as good. Harry Potter is a good book series to many, as well as Paradise Lost is a known classic. They are markedly different, but are both considered good enough to be embedded into history and fly off the shelves. We all know a rubbish book when we start to read it because we struggle to finish it, finding ourselves constantly distracted, or it finishes up on sale for 20p at Oxfam.

The point is this: Don't take an attitude that it will just "make it." Do your studying. Refine your craft, edit and research, and be ready for some rejection and pain. Forge the value in the mind of the reader and you might create a piece of literature that stands the tests of time.

2. You have no choice. If you feel the need to write, then that's it. Its a compulsion. It doesn't matter how many times you need to edit, revise, re-word etc. You might get plenty of sleep and get your writing done first thing in the morning. You might be like Stephen King and stay up all night writing your best work until the bags under your eyes hit the desk (perhaps leave the hard drugs and alcohol out of the equation.) You have no choice. You have a burning itch to write the same way Jeff Bezos had a burning itch to create Amazon, or Elon Musk cant quell his passion for inventing (and playing with) his new technologies. That is at least how the writing will get done, if you don't let the writers block, criticisms, and excuses get in the way. If you don't, you are not scratching the itch and are probably stressing about how the writing doesn't get done, feeling like your calling is not being fulfilled. You might find yourself feeling frustrated and even lashing out at the people and things that "get in the way," or you might make excuses to yourself as to why "a bit later" has become the constant. If you are a writer, you will struggle not to write, not struggle to write.

3. It is your right. I used to struggle with this one a lot, but you actually owe nothing to anybody as a person. This is just my opinion, but your life is your own and what you do with it you are in control of. If other people think time at your computer writing is not time well spent, well that's fine. That's them. Remember that people will try and get in your way for all kinds of reasons, some deliberately, but most unconsciously (having people love you and want to be around you is a good thing). They are jealous for your attention, or maybe jealous that they don't have the acumen for the craft, or any craft for that matter. When I say "acumen" I don't mean they are talent-less or stupid, rather they think they are, or just plain don't believe in themselves. Rather than face this head on, they prefer to make themselves feel better by convincing themselves that their own futility is the norm. So people like you, and them, and the people they surround themselves with are "regular." Writing and acting and singing to them is for people that are already on TV, or have their books on the shelves. Maybe all they do is work a 9-5 and spend the evening watching said celebrities on TV, moaning about the fickle subtleties of daily life. Until your writing for the day is done, to hell with the household chores. The dishes can wait. Writing (and hopefully reading) is ingrained into your fabric. Its who you are and it is important to you. If your family and friends cannot respect or appreciate that, how much do they value you for who you are? Do they want you to succeed, or want you to keep them feeling good and validated? Please, don't read this and go out and have an argument with your partner or best friend about it and say they don't value you. The list of writers who ruin their relationships because of their craft and ambition is exhaustive. So many end up separating from their spouses or frustrating their children because of their vocation. It is just something to keep in mind when you are wrestling with the urge to write in your mind, to help you understand the reasons why other people make it difficult. You need to be assertive, you need to be unwavering in defending your role as a writer and the time you need to write, but try to do it in a way that will not wreck your relationships, if possible. Think about it. If your not spending any time with your kids so you can publish the "masterpiece," or your wife or husband are getting ignored so you can hammer out at the keyboard all evening every evening, don't be surprised if they are upset. So they should be. This is how affairs and divorces happen, and how children grow up with mummy or daddy issues (psychologists feel free to roast me, this is an opinion piece after all). The bottom line is that you shouldn't be letting your writing time interfere with all the stuff you have to do in your normal life. You have responsibilities, so exercise some discretion.

So How Do You Make Time? I do between 1500-2000 words most mornings. During that time, unless there is an emergency, or its Christmas or someones birthday, everyone needs to leave me alone, or it will just take longer and longer to finish. That is the decree absolute, and it means the writing gets done. Again, discretion. If your partner has just had some horrid news and needs support or the plumbing is going haywire, you've got to switch off the muse and take care of business (at least I think you should.) Hangovers are no excuse, but I have given in to them before I'm not gonna lie. So you need balance and agreements, and what you really need is a schedule you can at least try to adhere to most of the time. Don't beat yourself up if you deviate. It is inevitable. We all have stuff going on. Its easy to assume because someone is younger and still living with their parents or maybe just in university halls on half term they have nothing going on. This would be a lie. Life gets in the way for us all. If we don't make and defend our writing time, something will always get in the way. Find your balance. Make yourself make a bit of time everyday or most days. Unless you write you aren't a writer, you are a would be writer.

If you are like me you have raging ADHD, and scheduling just doesn't work. For the rest of you, google "how to schedule your day" and fit writing into it. For those who can't concentrate and stay on task (me), there has never been a better time than now to start learning skills to cope with your ADHD, if you think you may have it, or if not just to learn to manage your time better. Have a look at this:

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/add-adhd/managing-adult-adhd-attention-deficit-disorder.htm

4. Writers Block is A Form of Procrastination. Ouch! For some people this one is a real stinger. Again its just my opinion, but does this sound like you? Your all ready to go. You've got your hot drink of choice. Your favorite tunes are setting the ambiance. No distractions detected, or the right ones are in place for those who need them (I like to write with the fan on, same as when I sleep.) and...blank page. Forty minutes later...still blank. There are all kinds of opinions in the literary community about this, but I really like the idea that in order to write, you have to just do it. The story and everything else you need is unfolded in the process. Its the get it down on the page method. The first draft of anything you write is your launchpad. You have to get used to the idea that it wont be your best. It could be alright. It could be absolutely hideous, embarrassing and cringe worthy to read it. It could be amazing, but probably still needs at least one re-write. Write it you must, or you will have nothing to edit. Nothing to follow up on. Its your opportunity to go on autopilot and let your mind just dance with your fingertips. Relax and enjoy the process. Save the editing and technical stuff for your later drafts. This to me is the most important part of writing, because it is your Natural Writer. Your natural inner voice coming in to play.

Get it all on the page. The funnest thing for me about writing a rough draft is after a while, when I really get stuck in, some of the ideas that seem to fall naturally out of my mind onto paper really surprise me. The imagination is allowed to burn. I am running on autopilot! If you have trouble with this, I would recommend reading the Tao Te Ching a few times by Lao Tsu (free pdf below).

https://sourceoflightmonastery.tripod.com/webonmediacontents/1935012.pdf

It may take a few goes but its a quick read, and offers some fantastic insight on how to do things without really trying.Your basically writing and not worrying about the result YET. You are writing without editing or criticizing yourself. If you have writers block, it means you are largely trying to edit yourself in the process. This will be futile. You get to write the first draft for YOU and you alone. Its yours to then butcher, chop, and transform to your bleeding little heart's desire. You can do a lot of content changes, in depth development and creating the bulk of your final product in the second draft, and polish all the grammar, spelling, and technical "fluff" in the final polish (do a 2nd final, final polish if you feel the need, or better yet, splash some funds out on an editor who will notice once with fresh eyes what you missed 100 times.)

When it comes to doing research, brainstorming, coming up with mind maps, visiting places for inspiration etc. this is all done AFTER you have begun writing already. The story is already there, somewhere in the recesses of your psyche, but it cannot be found until you begin to write and discover it through your own processes. The writer occupies a mental grey area. That hazy place between imagination and reality. The story is uncovered in the process of writing it. You cant tell the story until you have written it, and yet you have to write it to tell the story. This is hard to pin down and will be frustrating at times, but you will see that just by beginning how easy it becomes. The first few days of this might seem really hard, but if you dedicate some time to just writing without editing or criticizing every day, wait and see how productive you are feeling a month down the road.

5. Your Writing Can Always Improve: This one is more for people who have no problem beginning, but begin with the wrong attitude. You would love to be the next Shakespeare or Milton. In fact, your certain you are. You don't need writers workshops, reviews of your work, copyeditors, critiques, feedback etc. Facebook groups and forums for writers? Distractions, right? You are so wrong grasshopper. You are always going to love something you created, because you created it. Of course you think you are amazing. Well, don't be surprised if when all your natural, fun writing that I've encouraged you to do is done, nobody else sees the value in it. The whole time you are writing you should be chatting to people online and in person about your writing. Not your friends or family who will either humour you, or as I've said, discourage you. Get open, honest, objective criticism from people who quite frankly don't care whether you succeed or not, but are happy to give honest opinions. You need this to improve. Some of what people say you can take on board. Some you can throw out the window. As a rule of thumb, I would say if you show a short story to ten people in a writing forum or workshop for critique, and six out of ten people say "the plots not interesting enough" then you need to come up with more interesting material. If most people say "this doesn't make sense." Take a clue. These are people that spend a lot of time writing themselves. Most of them will have at least a half decent command of english, and probably read a bit. They certainly aren't just too dim to get on your level. Suck it up. Take the feedback and improve. It goes both ways. You can also do the same for others and this is how the literary community grows and gets better.

At the same time. This doesn't mean you shouldn't be writing everyday, doing your best work all the time. It also doesn't mean you shouldn't be proud of EVERYTHING YOU PRODUCE.

I hope that this short piece has helped you feel the urge to get writing today, and has offered some insight into some things that may help you get more productive, quality work that has value onto the page. For some more resources, some paid, some free, please see below. These obviously aren't exhaustive. Just a few things I have found helpful over the years.

Books on Writing

King, Stephen (2010). On writing : a memoir of the craft (Scribner trade pbk. ed., 10th anniversary ed.). New York, NY: Scribner.

ISBN 9781439156810.

The Modern Library Writer's Workshop: A Guide to the Craft of Fiction (Modern Library Paperbacks)

ISBN0375755586 (ISBN13: 9780375755583)

Online Resources

Creative Writing Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wherecreativitylives

The Tao Te Ching: https://sourceoflightmonastery.tripod.com/webonmediacontents/1935012.pdf

Books on ADHD and Organisation

Own Your ADHD: Discover Your True Potential , Faigy Liebermann PO services Limited, 2019 1999333802, 9781999333805

Organizing For Dummies , Eileen Roth, Elizabeth Miles · 2011 ISBN:9781118053713, 1118053710