In recent days, I’ve found difficulty in sitting down and opening my manuscript. Really and truly, that has been the hardest part of writing my story as of late. Once I’m in my chair and the document is on the screen, I have no need to worry. I start slow, taking furtive steps into the dark, prodding around, building an awareness of my surroundings. And soon, I’m hurtling forward, heedless of obstructions that threaten to trip me or bring me grinding to a halt.
I often compare this aspect of writing to personal fitness. The hardest part of working out is getting to the gym. Because once you’re there, you’ll at least do something. But convincing yourself to get off the couch, or get out of bed, and actually get to the gym–that’s where you’re most likely to fail.
Getting started is the hardest part. Whether you’re getting started for the first time ever, or just for the first time today.
If the actual writing is easy once I get going, that should bring me great comfort. But nonetheless, I do worry for consistent progress. Thus, I need to make it easier to get started every day. The question becomes: What keeps me from starting, and how can I circumnavigate those resistances?
Sometimes, my word count goals are to blame, for they can be intimidating in the short term. I find them helpful in the long term, for if I set daily goals, I can better anticipate how long each of my projects will take to complete. But if I tell myself on a given day that I have to write 1500 words, and I’m not feeling up to it, I’m likely not to write at all. The solution here is to allow myself to fall under the goal without feeling guilty. If I say to myself, “Just write 500 words and call it a day,” I’m much more likely to get something on the page. And 500 words is infinitely better than none. More often than not, I’ll have worked up some momentum after writing those 500 words, and I’ll write even more.
Having a routine can also increase the likelihood of working on my manuscript. For example, I currently work out upon waking up, then I write, then I read. Since I’ve made it a habit to sit down at the computer after my morning gym visit, I’m likely to do so even on days when I’m feeling off. The down side here comes when something throws off my routine. If I sleep in, or miss a gym visit, those may snowball into a further setbacks. If I’m used to writing at 10AM every day, but due to unforeseen circumstances, I don’t get back from the gym until 1PM, I may choose not to write at all that day. Thus, I cannot rely entirely on routine.
The biggest resistance that encroaches upon my writing is my social life. If friends make plans in the time that I’ve allocated to writing, I may end up choosing social time over writing time. When this becomes a consistent behavior, I find the best solution is to tell my friends ahead of time that I will be unavailable. If they know not to invite me out during my writing hours, then they’re working to keep my writing time sacred, too.
This is a hard balance to strike, though. Because letting myself relax, letting myself spend time with friends, and letting myself experience life positively influences my writing. So now and again, I need to let the pressure go.
These are the greatest resistances in my writing, and I imagine I won’t ever stop trying to adjust my schedule nor my mindset. The constant effort is what matters, though, and is what results in progress.
– AJG
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