What to Do When the Writing Process Gets Hard

“I HATE writing!” Imagine the scene: a somber-faced nine-year-old girl sits at the family dining table in the early morning sunshine. Her face suddenly screws into a focused scowl as she hunches over the blank piece of paper lying on the table in front of her.

With the fury only a little-girl-scorned can muster, she scribbles a massive dark black cloud of pencil dust across the top half of the paper as tears erupt from the corners of her eyes. She bursts out her frustration as she wails, “I don’t know how to get what’s in my head on to my paper!”

Writing Is Hard

My daughter was expressing, so many years ago, her frustration with her inability to complete the assignment I had given her: to write just one sentence about anything she wanted.  She truly wanted to please me, and to be able to complete the assignment — but she came squarely up against the same challenge every human being faces at some point: how do I get what’s in my head on to paper so that others can interact with my thoughts?

Have you ever felt that way?  So many ideas flood your mind in any given moment, and in order to share them with whoever might listen, you struggle to give voice to the ideas and emotions which fuel your drive to communicate with others. 

Writing Is Thinking

Many years ago, Ruth Beechick said, “Writing is thinking.”  I didn’t fully comprehend her meaning then, but after teaching writing for 27 years to multiple students of every age, I now know what her sage comment means. The writing process requires so many steps that we don’t consciously think about.

Here’s how it typically goes (see if you can relate): We get an idea, and want to share it with someone. In order to get the words from our brains to our paper (or screen) our little synapses start firing to tell our neurons what to do next. Once we pick up the pen, we have to decide which parts of our idea are the best or most appropriate to share, and we get ready to write.

Then it happens.

That idea which seemed so clear and wonderful suddenly becomes mudddled and fuzzy. We begin to question the virtue of our thoughts and let self-doubt do its nasty work in our head, and we think, “Why did I even think I could write, anyway?!”

Where To Go From Here

Don’t give up. The self-incriminating vortex is common to practically everyone who either by choice or by requirement engages in the writing process. But don’t let it discourage you from going forward.

Start small.

Consider your purpose.

Find encouragement.

And believe in yourself.

From here, I encourage you to check out the “Dear Claire” Blog: in a series of letters, I share my perspective on embracing your unique life journey through embracing your passions and finding the purpose they can create for you.

I will be adding thoughts about the writing process and how to unleash your own potential through the written word in “Find Your Voice.”

When you are ready for some down-to-earth basic writing instruction to help you hone your craft, check out “Write Your Story.”

And if you’d like to see what I’m thinking about as we pursue our writing journey, “Writing Is Thinking” is my personal blog where I share my thoughts on all. the. things.

It is my hope that everything you find here will benefit you on your passionate, purposeful, writing journey.

Go Boldly Forward

If you struggle with connecting thoughts to paper, you have come to the right place.  Through guided exercises, encouraging suggestions, and a kindly red pen, I will help your thoughts come alive — expressing your unique perspective and offering what only you can to the world around you. Together, we will go boldly forward, exploring through the written word the ideas which have been patiently waiting inside you for their moment to bloom.

Let me help you make your writing SING!