Ten Reasons Why Writing Is Hard And I Do It Anyway

“The only thing that makes me crazier than writing is not writing.”  – Sara Gruen, Author WATER FOR ELEPHANTS

 

Because…

1. The words don’t form the way I want them to, they refuse to fall in line and express my fleeting thoughts

… at last, after massaging each word and phrase, the sentence stretches out in front of me like a wrinkle-free towel on a sandy beach.

2. I lose years of my life in front of the PC and have no recollection where they’ve gone.

…I read my finished work and know it is a reflection of my thoughts, of my being.

3. I get critiqued for every sentence, paragraph, page and chapter I’ve written–multiple times

…my critique group offers wonderfully constructive suggestions and makes me a better writer.

4. My skin is never quite thick enough for rejection from literary agents

…I get personal e-mails and a partial request and I know I’m getting closer.

5. After writing for hours I feel like a zombie, my brain is numb and I stare into space, unable to have a decent conversation with my husband

…I review my work the next day and know it’s been worth it.

6. I delete pages and entire chapters and kill my favorite darlings

… story or plot become fluent.

7. I’m distracted A LOT–my dog wants to go outside 27 times, the mail arrives, I’m hungry, bills are due, my stomach growls, I’m thirsty, Twitter, FB and e-mails keep pounding my inbox

…I concentrate, turn off and ignore until I reach my goal for the day, whether one page or ten, each day is unique.

8. There are days when my mind is filled with hot air and lazy brain cells

…I suck it up and a while later jumble becomes words, words turn into sentences and then much later they begin to make sense again.

9. It takes a long time to complete one story and it would be so much easier and faster to write short stories instead

…my protagonist demands attention and his adventures cannot be told in 5,000 words, it feels amazing when plots weave into the historical framework of the story and everything falls into place just right.

10. Pay is lousy and hours never-ending

…it doesn’t matter whether it will pay because when I don’t write I soon feel antsy and useless and the little voices in my head (sounds nutty but you writers understand) insist on being heard.

And that’s why I keep writing…