3 things that are easy about writing – and 3 that aren’t
It can often be tempting to focus on the things that are difficult about writing, because those are usually the things we need to work and, often, spend the most time on. However, in the interests of balance, it’s also worth remembering the things that are easy (or at least not so difficult) about writing. So here are 3 things that are easy about writing – and three things that aren’t.
Easy – writing any old words on a page
With the possible exception of the very start of a novel, it isn’t usually all that hard to get some words on a page. That’s the good news. Even when you’re not feeling inspired, there is always something – anything – that you can write. It might not be ideal, but as has been said many times before, it is much easier to edit rubbish than it is to edit a blank page.
Hard – writing good words on a page
While writing might not be that hard, good writing definitely is hard. Making your initial draft better is well-known as one of the most challenging aspects of writing. At least once you’ve got that first draft done, you’re already part of the way there.
Easy – having ideas
In many ways, having ideas is easy. They might not be the most developed or cohesive ideas in the world, but they’re not hard to come up with. Take thirty seconds right now. See how many different things you think of, however random or crazy or brief.
Hard – developing ideas and sticking with them
Now for the hard bit – developing those initial ideas and turning them into something useable. This is where much of the work comes in, and it can affect the outcome of an entire novel. The other hard bit is sticking with an idea right until the very end. It doesn’t matter how much you love the idea, it can still be tough to see a project right through to completion.
Easy – spotting errors
Ah, editing. That lovely time when we read through our work and spot all the mistakes and plot holes. For all the talk about how testing editing can be, this part of it is generally not that hard. Writers are usually critical of their own work, and so spotting errors is quite easy to do.
Hard – fixing errors
It is, however, harder to fix those errors than it is to spot them. This is why so much of good writing is about re-writing. Cutting and changing writing can be challenging and time-consuming, but hopefully the thought of how good it will be once it’s done will be just the boost you need to get through to the end.
