How on earth do we continue? I ask myself that on a daily basis. Sometimes, writing isn’t fun… other times, it’s all you can do (foregoing food on occasion). While not a writer’s block, exhaustion can set in. It takes a lot to keep the fingers/pencil/typewriter going.
Practice makes perfect better. Believe it, or not… this little adage is the one that’s going to keep you going, no matter how annoying it is. Writing every single day becomes habit. Reading a lot, makes you a better writer. Doing, and re-doing things over and over again only makes you better.
We are creatures of habit. Don’t believe me? Take a week and write down every time you go to the bathroom… you’ll find your next train schedule there with the regularity on that piece of paper. Set aside your very own writing time… and DO it. Don’t worry about staring at a blank piece of paper or screen… stay there and write. Even if it’s some random crap you get from a writing prompt. Your brain and body is going to get used to it, and before long… you’re writing… every day, because you HAVE to. Your body and mind will crave that time you’ve etched out for yourself.
Make it fun. When you’re first starting out on the adventure, you’re going to have some setbacks. Yup, that snake was poisonous! No, you can NOT wipe with those leaves. But, this is writing we’re talking about, not life or death (unless someone is forcing you to write at gunpoint). Reward yourself for those days where you didn’t throw your laptop out the window for staying blank the whole time. Set goals that are obtainable… not, ‘I will finish this book today.’… and you have yet to think of the main character’s name.
…and just like when you were a kid, learning how to swing… give it some time, it’ll come. It won’t be so scary to sit in that chair and start typing. It’ll get easier and easier until you wonder why in the hell you were scared in the first place.
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