The biggest misconception I see around writing – or any creative practice – is that we think we need a lot of time. We imagine that we’ll get to the writing when we have two hours, five days a week.
Who does anything for two hours, five days a week? Okay, maybe work. And Netflix bingeing.
But other than that, we rarely do anything continuously for two hours. So why would we set ourselves up to write with completely unreasonable expectations?
I’m writing this article in between things. My mind said I didn’t have much time to focus. But I just opened up the freaking document and started typing my thoughts. (Revision comes later.)
Using free-writing, I’ve trained myself to stop, drop and write when I need to. I don’t worry about what I am going to say. I don’t fret over it being good or even coherent! I know that, for me, getting something on the page that I can sculpt and revise later is much better than having it sit on my to-do list.
Try writing for 15 minutes every day. If you can’t do every day, NO SWEAT! Even 15 or 20 days is better than none. In this way, we learn that we can stop, drop and write. Even when we’re busy. Even when we have fears. Even when life seems to want to get in our way.
If you are waiting for a two-hour chunk of time to write, or a time when you have a more clear calendar, you will be waiting for a long time. I say stop waiting. Stop deferring your writing dream.
It will be messy, and some days will feel like a slog. But if writing is a dream of yours, I want so dearly for you to claim the joys awaiting you in your words.
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