During the pandemic, lots of writers used the extra time to write, to take writing classes, to read writing guides, and to engage with writing communities.
While on the whole this has been an excellent case of turning Covid lemons into novel lemonades, in my work with authors I am also seeing quite a few people who are now twisting themselves into pretzels trying to incorporate every writing koan they learned in the last few years and bowing endlessly to critique partner feedback.
And I’m quite guilty of being someone who dispenses writing advice! You can find dozens of posts just on my “best of” writing advice page. Heck, I even wrote a book about how to write a novel.
But I structured my guide to writing intentionally. It has a whole lot of advice about powering through psychological barriers, potholes to avoid before you start (such as: do you actually have a plot?), and tons of advice on how to approach the revision process.
What it doesn’t have: A whole lot of guidance on how to actually do the writing part. And that’s intentional.
Because at some point you just have to write.
Just write
Over the weekend, editor David Moldawer published an awesome newsletter about the ways the landmark book on tennis The Inner Game of Tennis applies to writing.
In short, there are two selves that shape how you play tennis. Self 1 is self-critical, tries to correct, judges. Self 2 is the one who actually swings the racket and plays the game.
In order to be a good tennis player, you have to block out Self 1 and just let Self 2 flow. You have to trust that Self 2 knows what it’s doing without your conscious input.
Anyone who has written multiple novels knows that the very best stretches you end up writing are the ones that just pour out of you like they were already fully-formed. Recent Nobel prize winner Jon Fosse himself has said that he knows he’s writing well when “I have this very clear and distinct feeling that what I’m writing on is already written. It’s somewhere out there. I just have to write it down before it disappears.”
You’re not going to have these moments if you’re analyzing every single sentence from five different angles. You’re not going to get into a flow if you’re trying to hold every writing rule you’ve ever learned in your head at the same time.
You just have to write.
Trust the process
That’s not to say that all those “rules” about writing that you’ve learned through the years are useless. I wouldn’t spend so much time writing this blog if I didn’t believe storytelling principles are important.
But they’re much more useful before and after you do the actual writing part.
Here’s the essential process you need to trust:
- Avoid obvious potholes, but just get going. There are some storytelling basics that will save you some hassle if you familiarize yourself with them in advance. A solid plot framework might help you organize the story. But at some point you just have to get going.
- When you start off writing, you will not be very good. Like a newborn foal, you’re going to stumble around chaotically when you’re a beginner. If you have a healthy ego, you’ll know you’re not good. You have to shut off that self-critical eye and trust you’ll get better with time.
- Just write. Get that novel out of your system. Shut off your critical eye as much as possible. Just get it out in a way that broadly makes sense.
- Trust your ability to revise your novel into shape. Don’t fear revisions! Even if you have to completely rewrite your novel, that’s way easier than a first draft. This is when writing advice becomes particularly useful.
- Get good feedback. No one on Earth can see their own writing completely clearly. Seek out quality feedback and mentally prepare to do the resulting work to improve.
- Your first novel will probably crash and burn. When you’re writing it, your first novel will feel like the be-all-end-all and you can’t imagine caring about anything more. Only… most first novels do not sell. Your next novel will be better and you’ll like it even more than the first one. Trust me. Focus on the long haul. Just keep going.
- Stay in tune with why you’re doing this. Your writing is probably not going to make you rich. But there are few more meaningful pursuits in life. Your writing matters.
Don’t fear the work
Perhaps more than any other life pursuit, writing is a long game. The people who tend to end up succeeding at their writing goals aren’t necessarily the most naturally talented in the world, but rather the most determined.
Keep chipping away. Keep moving forward. Just keep writing.
Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!
For my best advice, check out my online classes, my guide to writing a novel and my guide to publishing a book.
And if you like this post: subscribe to my newsletter!
Art: Soldat im Strohlager by Albert Anker
Regan Leigh says
This speaks to exactly where I am at this time! Spot on. I love the reminder to not question it when the writing wants to come out, even when you are still stuck on the plot holes. I have spent 2-3 years avoiding the story I love just because I have been overthinking and trying to hard to consider it all before putting it on paper. I need to trust the process and just write and hope I can make sense of it after. I started back at it this past month. Here’s to hoping! 😀
Nathan Bransford says
That’s awesome, hope you’re able to get into a flow!
Diana says
“Just write,” for me, is a reminder to silence that pesky inner critic and let your creative spirit run wild. It’s about embracing the imperfection, understanding that the first draft is meant to be a raw expression of your thoughts. It’s your canvas, and you’re the artist, so go ahead and splash some words on it! I often find that some of my best ideas come when I give myself the freedom to just write. It’s in those moments of unbridled creativity that the magic happens. Sure, you’ll have revisions, edits, and maybe a cringe or two along the way, but that’s all part of the process. So, fellow writers, let’s remember this mantra: “Just write.” Dive into the writing abyss with the vibrancy and the rebellious spirit of someone who knows that perfection can wait. Write now, edit later, and create something incredible along the way. Happy writing, my fellow wordsmiths!