Though it won’t be explosive every single time, it should never be forced. You should never do it because you fear the consequence of not doing it. You should do it because you have a deep itch that need be scratched. Because at that second, nothing else resides in your mind. Because your aura has made a declaration of “right now.”
I’m talking about writing.
It sounds a lot like sex because it is. The more you do it, the better you become at doing so. You don’t always need multiple sessions to get the job done; sometimes a quickie is all it takes. And though it feels really good, you may not always “arrive.” But that’s okay.
It’s exactly what I tell my writers when checking in on them. If you don’t want to write, then don’t. Otherwise, you’ll fuck up the groove. You’ll end up sitting in front of the computer, beating your forehead. Once that happens, particularly for new writers, it’s difficult to get out that space. The thought of writing will equate to forehead abuse. And it shouldn’t.
Unless you have a publisher riding you about meeting your deadline lest they snatch their advance back, then chill. Trust that when you want to do it, you will. Now there’s a huge difference in not being ready and being sidetracked by fear. The fearful writer is mentally present. They want to do it, conduct beaucoup research, and ask tons of questions. They write, reread, backspace, write, reread, backspace, and then again. They have great ideas, and then trash them as stupid.
To this writer, I ask what’s greater: respecting the “what-if” scenario(s) or publishing the book. We then go on to unmask the fear, identify the source, prioritize the dream, and work through it. But to the writer who knows what she wants to say, isn’t afraid of what others will think, and knows that the resources are out there to get the job done, then I say…wait until the passion returns. Wait for inspiration? No. Wait for passion? Yes! Or, invest in a ghostwriter.
Build the tempo with some journaling, notetaking, outlining, and reading, but hold off on going all the way until you’re ready. 🙂
