When I first started writing with a possible future career in mind, I spent plenty of time actually writing. But all these years later, I’m not ashamed to admit that I probably spent just as much time designing covers for my books before I’d even finished half of a draft. I wrote a lot of potential elevator pitches for stories I’d only just begun. I did a lot of daydreaming about what life as a professional writer would be like — while I was still in high school. Nowhere near ready to write professionally on any level.
Our brains like easy things. They like to push us toward focusing on the tasks that are fun rather than the to-do list items that are essential. When it comes to writing, a little distraction is normal — and sometimes even healthy. But if you’re really serious about writing, here’s the truth: You have to actually write first, daydream later.
The First Draft Is Your Key to Success
First drafts are always flawed and never ready to publish. But here’s a fun secret: Most people who want to be writers will never finish, or even start, a first draft of a writing project. So even if you write something that’s, well … not that great — finishing a first draft is actually the most important step in a writer’s journey.
You can’t let yourself get distracted when you’re chipping away at this draft. Not by shiny objects (like designing imaginary book covers for a book that does not yet exist). Not by worrying that your draft isn’t perfect — because it’s a draft; it’s not supposed to be. If you can get past the first draft? You’re already doing better than most people who share your exact aspirations.
If It’s Hard, You’re Doing It Right
Writing does not come easily to most people, especially in the beginning. A lot of aspiring writers dive into writing projects thinking that because they’ve taken English classes or write emails every day, surely they can write a whole book no problem. The funny thing about writing is that it’s not the actual writing that ends up being the most important … it’s the part where you have to block out everything else, put your butt in a chair, and actually do the writing.
It’s hard. Especially these days, when the world is burning and we’d all, let’s be honest, rather be on our phones doomscrolling. If it were easy, publishing anything wouldn’t be worth celebrating. It’s hard because it’s supposed to be hard. If you’re sitting down to write, and it’s not all coming easily to you? You’re on the right track.
Do the Hard Part First
“Having written” is a lot more fun than “sitting down to write.” Even I’ll admit that. It feels good to say you wrote an article, or a book — whatever it is you’re working on. But that’s the easy part. Even having a book to try to send out to potential agents — or an article to try to explain to your mom — is, believe it or not, easier in a lot of ways than not having it done.
You have to push through the hard parts in order for it to get easier. It kind of comes with the territory. If you’re really going to commit to making a career out of writing, you first have to accept that no matter how much you might love to write, it’s still going to be work. Work is difficult. But in the end, that really just makes it even more worth it.
Meg Dowell Writes 