On inspiration, follow through, and getting started | Writing Life

Sometimes you must create inspiration instead of waiting for it to show up on your doorstep. I find that I am most inspired after I start writing. If I wait until I’m feeling motivated or mused, I’ll sit in front of my computer for most of the day and not write a word. I still have bursts of creativity and moments of intense motivation at random, but for the most part inspiration finds me when I sit down and get started without it.

Being a writer sometimes means writing on demand. You have deadlines, and you have to meet them if you’re going to get paid and published. That doesn’t mean that creativity goes out the window or you have to write a perfect first draft, but you do need write something and keep working on it and if you want to publish, eventually send it out into the world. Any career or even a hobby requires follow through.

Being a writer and wanting to write are not one in the same. The difference between “wanting to be” and “being” is action. Write the thing you want to write even if you aren’t feeling creative. First drafts are supposed to be messy. Just get the words out.

I’ve always heard getting started is the hardest part. That observation is true of a lot of things, but I find that it’s still very true for my writing. The most difficult task is opening my laptop and clicking on the MS Word app. I don’t know why. Maybe I’m too used to passive entertainment and switching gears is difficult. Maybe I forget that the piece isn’t going to write itself. I’m not sure honestly. What I do know is the difference between a piece being written and a piece not being written is action.

I’m realizing that I need to focus a little more on my own follow through in the coming weeks. It’s been difficult between having multiple jobs and submitting my work to journals to also force myself to get started on all the creative projects bouncing around in my head. I’m determined to make it all happen, though, because I love my creative work. It energizes me and makes me happy, and what better way to spend my time than pursuing more of that?