“Just write.”
But, BUT how can I write when I don’t know what to write about?
“Just write.”
BUT every time I sit down to write, nothing comes to me and I just stare at the screen.
“Just write.”
*Insert shaking fists and cursing*
Sometimes, I am the one shaking my fist and cursing at myself.
But, I am writer. And a writer…writes. I enjoy my craft, want to improve my skills, want to reach a larger audience, and ultimately be able to support our family with my writing career.
Writing is no different than any other craft. If you are a singer, you have to practice using your voice in order to achieve a more powerful instrument. If you are a runner, your feet must hit the pavement on a regular basis to improve your speed. If you are a painter, you must put brush to canvas in order to continue to produce works of art.
But as writers, we sometimes fall into the trap of only writing when we feel like it. Using your own thoughts, ideas and words to create is a very intimate and personal experience. How can we sit down and write a great piece when our heart isn’t in it?
The answer is that we don’t. The answer is, “You need to write…. and sometimes you need to write crap.”
What?
That’s is right, writer. If you are stuck with nothing good to write, write the bad. You will only improve your craft if you write and you are not always stuck on needing to write well. You just need to write.
Okay, Erin. I get it. Just write. But about WHAT?
Anything, and everything.
Write about the mess in your living room.
Write about the dream you had last night.
Write about the fact that you never dream.
Write your thoughts on the first news story you see on your Facebook feed.
Write about the picture you took of your children this morning.
Write about your love of coffee.
Write about your hatred of your thighs.
“Just write.”
Write it in your voice.
Write it in the voice of your worst enemy.
Write it in the voice of your best friend.
Write it as three different characters.
Write it as the dog.
“Just write.”
And a magical thing will start to happen. All of a sudden you will find that you really do have something to say about that mess in your living room. That the character you developed in desperation to write about the hatred of your thighs, is really quite interesting. All of a sudden… you won’t be able to stop. And then?
“Keep writing!”
Here at Many Kind Regards, we created a challenge to get all of us writing…even when we don’t feel like it, don’t have anything to say, or when we are just staring at the screen in our pajamas with a pint of ice cream. (Okay, maybe that is just me.)
The #MayWriteAway Challenge!
During the month of May we are challenging you to commit to writing, a lot. Write at least 200 words a day, or a total of 8000 words for the entire month.
As a part of this challenge, I have committed to writing each and every single day of the month and will publish no less than four pieces a week… good, bad, or…well, crap. I will publish my words. Hold on folks… my living room is quite the mess. And I plan to write about all of it.
Because I am a writer. And dang it, a writer writes, right?
Yes, yes we do.
We want to hear how you are doing with the #MayWriteAway challenge! Join our Facebook event, tweet us your updates (@manykindregards) or share the pieces you are writing on our Facebook Wall !
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