Celebrate Each One!
What’s the hardest part about writing? Coming up with an idea? Brainstorming? Outlining? Writing the first draft? Revisions? Sending your story out into the world?
Trick question.
The hardest part about writing is whatever part you’re on. If you have only a vague idea, it’s the hardest. If brainstorming gives you a headache, it’s the hardest. If you have nothin’ for your outline, it’s the hardest. If you can’t get words on the page, it’s the hardest. If you can’t improve your story, it’s the hardest. If you let other people read your book, it’s the hardest.
So, uh, is anything easy about writing? Yeah. When you’ve completed each step. 🙂
My favourite writing quote, attributed to literary icon Dorothy Parker: “I don’t like to write; I like to have written.” That implies you won’t enjoy the whole writing process until your book is a bestseller. But that’s a long way off (without any guarantees). Instead, accept the challenges of each writing stage and face them head on. Then, once you’ve won that round, you can pause before you move onto the next step. Wow, look at what I’ve done! I have an idea. I have research notes. I have an outline. I have a first draft. I have a completed manuscript. I have people reading my story.
Celebrating the completion of each stage is tremendous encouragement. That way you have to fortitude to dive into the next step.
That you already know will be hard. 🙂