Getting Yourself to Write

Writing can be a struggle for writers of all levels, from beginning to professional. The struggle has a dreaded name: writer’s block. Writer’s block …

Getting Yourself to Write

I’ve never really experienced the so-called “writer’s block.” Not that I’m bragging…but I often just don’t find I have enough time to write.

By which I mean, writing seriously. It’s easy, however, to find time here and there just to jot down some random thoughts.

(Aside note: if you type really quickly on the WordPress smartphone app, it autocorrect “random” to “radon,” which would put you in an entirely different frame of mind.)

I carry tons of little papers with me — mostly receipts from the convenience store, or scraps from cut up old paper wall calendars meant for recycling. Social media has taken up too much of my time these days — making me feel obligated to retweet or respond to someone else’s post online when I could be writing something just for myself.

One of the earliest memories I have of myself thinking of myself as a writer is when my dad encouraged me to read his copy of Peter Elbow’s The Joy of Writing. I learned the writing process from that book; moreover, I learned not to fear mistakes.

In fact, I learned to embrace them. Learn from them. Keep them and treasure them as a record of my writing journey. It certainly has influenced my own teaching practices.

I don’t often post here about how I write

Maybe I should?