You possibly know this - but writing is not an easy thing to do. Putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard is only a tiny fraction of the story.
(Ha, 'of the story' - I just noticed the pun!)
You've got to try and string these weird little symbols into words, and then those words into sentences, sentences into paragraphs, chapters, a book!
And all of those little symbols comprising your paragraph, chapter, book, whatever, contain a plethora (woo! I have smart vocab dammit!) of worlds, characters, meanings, and cultural cues behind them. Sometimes the author writes subtext that even they don't know they've put in there.
And all of that takes time. It takes skill which you may or may not have (yet - skills are things you can build!)
I've been writing the 3rd part of my Cinderella posts (see part 1 here!) and it's going exceptionally slowly.
Because writing is a bit like whittling (not that I've ever whittled anything, so I have no idea where that metaphor came from.) A bit here, a bit there, and it can take forever.
But guess what? You have to learn to love that slow process.
You have to understand that it's ok for it to take a long time - as long as you keep working on it, it will be done when it's done, and not before.
You've got learn to revel in the thrill of chasing down the correct word. You've got to learn to enjoy weaving the words together, and letting your fingers dance almost rhythmically across the keyboard.
Because that's the way it works.
You can't create out of nothing - you have to love it, to care about it, to watch it sashay it's way into existence. If you don't love the process, you're not going to write anything worth while.
(It is however OK to also get p*ssed off at the process, and shout a string of swear-words and/or colourful insults at the screen. #TrueStory.)
You also have to understand that sometimes it doesn't work out - and that's ok too.
It's not going to work every time. But if you enjoyed the time you spent working on it, then it wasn't a waste - it just gave you something different to what you thought it would.
Maybe I made sense in this post, and then again, maybe I was talking cr*p.
What do you think? Is it necessary to enjoy the process of writing in order to be a writer?
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Every time I see a Cee post on Bloglovin, I think to myself 'Wellll, we might as well all go home now. The queen has spoken'. As usual, you're completely right—writing is hard, and slow and 99% of the time it makes me want to cry and put my head through a wall, but I still love it. As frustrating as it can be, there's no better feeling than when a chapter, or scene or just sentence goes right. That's why I'm still writing. Well that, and for my sanity.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I hope you'll start doing some more posts on writing because they are honestly my favourite things to read.
Why thank you :)
DeleteAlso, I sincerely doubt I am queen of anything ;) you're confusing me with Cait (you'll get us locked in her dungeons - careful!!!!!)
Ha, I'll try to write about writing more, but no promises! :)
Oh absolutely! I don't see how anyone could even stick with writing unless they loved it to death...because it's haaaaard. And like we get mad and procrastinate and complain, but still under all that, I think we writers do adore the whole stringing-these-random-words-together-and-creating-genius. :') IT'S SO SATISFYING WHEN IT WORKS.
ReplyDeletePLUS THE ALL CAPS ARE FUN TO TYPE!!!! XD
DeleteHa, and you always create genius Cait, obv ;)
I definitely do not always enjoy the writing process, but that just makes me work harder! Because in the end, it'll all be worth it.
ReplyDeleteHa, whatever works for you - but *try* to enjoy yourself!
DeleteSuch an inspirational post! I've never considered myself a writer and probably won't for a long time. It was only in 2016 that I started toying with the idea of writing stories. I never really attempted it seriously before, but following so many writers and bloggers who are also writers has kind of inspired me. And I learned that yes, it is freaking hard!!! I have so much to learn that it's all very daunting. :(
ReplyDeleteThe important part is the trying though Naz, enjoy it! :)
DeleteI would love to read some of your writing some time :) <3 <3
I write, and trust me, I know the struggle too. Writing is not easy, and even though some people think it is because of the multitude of novels published in the world, it really isn't. So yes, it's all about loving that slow process and staying dedicated and passionate through it all <3
ReplyDelete100% agree! :)
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