I’m addicted
Having reached my target of a blog a day whilst I was on holiday I had a day off yesterday. But it didn’t feel like a day off. In fact if I hadn’t been busy with one thing or another right up until 11pm I would have blogged. I missed writing.
Now I’m writing more regularly I’m getting less scared about making mistakes, and accepting that not everything is perfect first time. I’m rubbish at carrying a pen and paper with me, but have discovered Evernote which lives on my Mac, iPhone and PC at work. As it’s on the web too I’m never far from having somewhere to jot notes down.
For a long time I have been a “writer” in my head. Virtually penning a wonderful masterpiece, only for it to be lost from memory when it’s been pushed out by something else such as an urgent phone call. But now I get more of it down. I’m not scared of it being right or wrong, or of it being irrelevant at a later date. I just write it and stick it in my Evernote archive. Here there are blogs that have never been published. Things I’ve written down to think through. Links and notes I’ve picked up that might be useful in future.
But the fear of writing hasn’t gone because of a handy computer application. It’s gone because I practiced. Because I made myself write and deal with whatever came out. It’s just handy to have somewhere to store it all without emailing myself or writing on scrap pieces of paper.
Now I can write a blog in 15 minutes. It seems when I’m less scared of the words they come out more quickly and need much less editing. I can even do it on my lunch break!
The moral of this tale is if you want to write just do it. There is no easy quick-fix to make writing easier and develop your talent. You just have to keep doing it, and like exercise (which I’m now “practicing” too) it does get easier the more you do. If you keep this up then one day you’ll be unable to write and find that you are craving it. It starts as a chore, becomes a habit and ends up as an addiction. And I’m proud to be addicted to writing.
p.s. If you don’t believe me get yourself a copy of ‘The Right to Write’ by Julia Cameron. I love it.
Leave your response!