Several years ago, I began writing a novel just for the fun of it. I am an ending away from completing the first draft. The only problem is the manuscript calls to me constantly; it’s a nagging itch in my brain. One that taunts me and tells me that I am a loser, completely without talent, too dumb to find a suitable ending.
There are times when I hear the whispers and nod my head in agreement. Other times, I push it away rejecting the very notion. And yet, here I am several years from my last touch and it remains….unfinished.
No, I am not expecting to produce the next great American novel. It isn’t anything that literary or serious (not to mention that I am not in that level of talent). But the lack of completion gnaws at me.
I suppose I can look at it in one of two ways:
I can forget about it and chalk it up to an interesting experience in writing the story to this point… or I can sit my sorry ass down and start writing.
The fact is, writing, like anything that is one’s passion, requires commitment. And just like other endeavors, a habit needs to be established. I ask myself why I am resistant to creating a sound writing habit, why I allow myself to get distracted and what will it take to make it happen.
So I looked back at when I had writing “success” authoring two books and countless articles.
- I wrote, for the most part, at Starbucks, plugged into Foo Fighters blasting in my headphones.
- I wrote in the morning as I felt most energetic
- I put it in my calendar for a set time.
COVID-19 has wiped out my favorite place to write, but barring everything else, I can see what it takes to reestablish good habits and get some writing done. Sometimes, you have to look back at what worked in the past to find success in the present. It’s worth a try.
After all, what’s the worst-case scenario?
