Meg Dowell Writes

1. A little bit of writing is better than none.

2. Terrible first drafts are better than never being able to say you’ve finished something.

3. If you don’t take your writing seriously, no one else ever will.

4. Perfectionism is overrated.

5. You don’t need to watch every new show just because all your friends just binged it.

6. Haven’t seen the latest Oscar-worthy film because you’re on deadline? That’s OK.

7. Writing communities are great. In moderation.

8. You don’t have to respond to every email, notification, or comment.

9. Some people talk about writing more than they actually write. Don’t be one of those people.

10. You don’t need to know everything. It’s OK — even helpful — to learn as you go.

11. Curiosity can be a major distraction. It can also drive you to write better content.

12. “Writer’s Block” is an excuse, not a reason.

13. You have to decide the sacrifices you will make for your writing life — if any.

14. No one else can motivate you to write, only you can do that. It is up to you to do the work.

15. Do it for you first and foremost. No one will ever be prouder of your accomplishments than you.

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Meg is the creator of Novelty Revisions, dedicated to helping writers put their ideas into words. She is a staff writer with The Cheat Sheet, a freelance editor and writer, and a 10-time NaNoWriMo winner. Follow Meg on Twitter for tweets about writing, food and nerdy things.

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