This is one of those posts, but it’s also not one of those posts.
For me, the most important part of writing is simply to write.
On any given day, there are about a thousand things that crop up that I’m not ready for. Whether it’s my daughter coming home from school with marker on her shirt from art class, or my husband calling to say he won’t be home for dinner, which also means I’m on homework duty. To having a non-fiction assignment come up. To having first round edits and final read-through documents come in from my editors on the same day.
And all of those things can seem, in the moment, to be more important that getting the two or three thousand words on paper that I’ve set for my goal.
What I’ve found, though, is that putting off the writing has a snowball effect. Because the next day not only do I still need to write those words, I also need to write the current day’s words. And there are more last minute emergencies to deal with: like learning my mother-in-law is coming over for dinner, and that I have to fill out an art fact sheet for my cover designer, and I have blog and promo posts to write for my upcoming book release, and I haven’t updated my social media sites in too many days. And. And. And and and and and.
That’s why, no matter what else I have going on, what other items are on my to-do list, what little emergencies have come up that day, at 1 PM every day, I’m at my computer. Writing the new words. The emergencies wait. The to-do list waits. The new words get written, and then I go back to the errands and emergencies and to-do list items. Because if the new words aren’t on the paper, I can’t edit them. If I can’t edit them, I can’t turn them in to my agent or editor. If I can’t turn them in, I can’t perfect them. If I can’t perfect them (at least as much as I can perfect them), I can’t publish them to share with readers.
What about you? What is the most important part of writing, for you?
This IS the most important part. Not only for the sake of the business we're in but for the sake of our own hearts and souls. It is no accident we are writers. Thanks for the reminder, Kristi!
ReplyDeletethanks for stopping by, Liz! Glad you liked the post!
DeleteYou're a better person than me, getting your writing in on such a consistent basis! Go get 'em!
ReplyDeletewell, there are instances that it doesn't work...but I do try, and most of the time I succeed. I'm not saying the words are always stellar, but they're on the page! lol
DeleteGreat reminder—I tend to let life get in the way which is why I haven’t finished a book in a while. I have to take this to heart and stop procrastinating and letting little things interfere with writing time.
ReplyDeleteyes! you have to guard your time and give yourself permission to let the laundry (or whatever) wait for just a little bit.
DeleteMaking writing a priority is so hard to do! Despite all my good intentions, I've been falling down a lot lately. You're an inspiration Kristi. I want to be like you when I grow up!
ReplyDelete