On to the winning essay…
On to the winning essay…
Note: This post is by The Magic Violinist.
Writing is hard, plain and simple. There are days when it comes easy, when every word you type is gold and every page is poetry. But let’s be honest with ourselves here, most of the time you have to fight with every ounce of creative energy you have to get your ideas onto paper. And there are three things in particular that make the process so difficult.
Note: This is a guest post by Tim Leffel. Tim is a veteran blogger, editor, and freelancer. He is the author of Travel Writing 2.0, now in its second edition. He interviews successful writers at the accompanying blog and runs the Travel Writing Overdrive course.
What’s a word that starts with a P and is essential to a writer’s success? While many colorful words may come to mind, the real P-word is rather mundane:
Thinking of writing your story? Many people are. In fact, of all the people for whom writing a book is on their bucket list, compiling their own life events into a memoir is the most idealized genre.
It has a lot to do with making our stamp on the earth, leaving something behind that can live on through the decades. Words remain when so much else falls away.
You’re a writer and you love writing. Right? It’s hard work, sure, but you know you love it.
What would you do if you could see into your future? To see your wins and your losses before they actually happen.
What would you learn from your mistakes and blunders, and your most pain-wrenching failures?
Have you ever met a person who will stare at a blank page for hours, days even, only to write one single, solitary sentence and then rewrite it a thousand times over and when finally “done,” still doubt that it’s good enough and yet they still express an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment?
