Writing is like Sculpting

Sometimes you just have to start writing. It’s okay if you don’t know what you want to say. Think of it like pulling the choke on a lawn mower. Nothing gets into motion until you take action. It is the idea of “movement before motivation.” You can apply that idea in many areas of life, but it’s extra applicable in writing.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat down to write my books with no idea where to go. One of the best things that helps me get past writer’s block is allowing myself to write without expectations. Sometimes you just have to get your characters talking or start describing the scenery. Without fail, I always find a direction to go in. It may not always yield masterpieces, but it does give me the initial building blocks.

I have to remind myself that good stories are not built in a single setting. More often than not, my best writing shows itself during the revision process. Think of it like sculpting. If a sculptor obsesses over the fine details before cutting the loose shapes, they’re unlikely to produce anything impressive. More likely, they’ll get demotivated and give up before they create anything substantial.

This blog is a good example of the principles I brought up. When I sat down to write this, I had no idea what to type. Instead of staring at the screen, I allowed myself to type what came into my mind. Once I finished, I went through and read everything aloud. Some parts were added, others removed. I used to think that writing something I’d only delete later wasted my time. That’s not true. The parts I delete serve as valuable connectors during the writing process. You won’t ever read them, but they are the scaffolding that holds the text up.