Writing Is Hard Work… But It’s Worth It

“Writing feels hard. Like work.” An attendee at Time To Write shared that and asked if others agreed. There was nodding all around.

I was grateful she named it.

Writing takes a surprising amount of work. It takes time. It takes effort to think, process, revise. It can take hours, weeks, even years to finish a piece.

People don’t usually come to me because they love writing and it’s easy. People usually come to me for help because they’re struggling with writing in some way.

People tell me: “It’s taking so long to write a simple thing.”
“It should be more enjoyable. Others seem to be having fun, why does it not feel like that to me?”

I understand why they feel that way. There are so many challenges in writing. Feeling blocked, procrastinating, not feeling confident, etc.

I am not immune. Writing, unfortunately, isn’t fun all the time—especially when life is getting in the way. There’s no predicting or controlling the creative flow. I can be dry for weeks, months, even years at a time with no urge to write… and then the fire will ignite in the most unexpected way.

Here’s what I know:

• It helps to share both the good and the hard parts. To talk about it, and see others nodding. To know you’re not alone.
• It’s worth it. Even if no one else’s eyes ever fall on those drafts. You can look back through your folders and be transported to when you wrote it, and who you were then.
• Profound outcomes arise from overcoming struggle. Even struggling with your inner critic.
• Writing is just like life. The way you approach writing can be reflected in the way you approach life. My tendencies as a writer are reflected in my life: perfectionism and working on multiple things at the same time. I’m constantly learning.
• The more you do something, the easier it gets. Immersing in the work leads to progress over time.
• Writing doesn’t always have to be hard. As you overcome struggles and practice, it can continue to surprise you.

The flow state, the high, and the completed product of something you’ve created is thrilling. I’m here to help you get there.

P.S. Explore your writing experience with mindful presence while telling your story. Join me for Story Journeying (registration deadline May 15).
Practice getting out of the way of creativity. I’m looking forward to writing with you.