Are you learning to write on your own?
I have been there . Yes I haven’t figured it out but it would have been faster if not for these mistakes I made.
Over the last five years while learning to write I have made these mistakes that slowed me down and almost discouraged me from ever trying to write.
Mistake 1 Postponing writing until you are good.
While learning to write . Watching videos.
Taking courses I did not write because I felt I should become better before I write.
It is only looking back that I realize that I didn’t write because I have not figured it out and because I didn’t write I did not figure it out.
Everything makes sense when I write . All the tips and strategies.
Mistake 2 Pseudo writing
I am busy talking about writing.
Ask my friends what I am into and they will tell you I am a writer whereas I don’t write.
It is not that I decide not to write but instead of writing I do the things that look like writing, feel like writing instead of writing. An example is instead of writing a shitty first draft of whatever came to mind.
I spent the time reading about writers I admired. There’s nothing bad about knowing more about the people that inspire you but it shouldn’t take the time meant for writing.
The funny thing is that while doing all these things you know so much about writing but you don’t have the skill.
Maybe it was because all my life as a student you were measured to be good by how much knowledge you had, not necessarily what you could do.
Research builds knowledge.
Action builds skill.
Mistake 3 Not allocating time for writing.
Looking back I realize that I studied writing and talked about writing but never really had a cut out time for writing.
It didn’t have to be everyday but it had to exist . The time to practice .
Setting goals I did all that stuff. Every year in my new year’s resolution I write down the writing projects I wanted to work on . Every month I talked about the number of words I wanted to write.
Signed up for writing challenges but never really participated. There’s always something exciting to read about rather than writing.
Every goal and dream including writing projects is an illusion , an empty wish unless you give it life.
Your life is time.
Your time is life .
Give it to what you love (writing).
Thank you.
Feel free to reply to this email with any questions or comments.
Until next week keep writing.
