The Writing Life Too

Clouds smeared across the morning sky.
When I talk with writers about the reality of writing I explain that in the beginning the words and scenes that exist in our imaginations often don’t translate onto the page. In fact there can be a gigantic gap between what we dream and what we write. The only way to shrink that gap is to keep writing, keep practicing. But most of all, we cannot postpone writing for that elusive some day.

Our fantasies about writing will never equal reality. It’s more tedium than glamour, more diligence than inspiration. Avoidance is a natural response to hard work, like Tom Sawyer conning his pals into painting Aunt Polly’s fence. But avoidance only brings immediate relief, not lasting satisfaction. Procrastination keeps us standing on the outside looking in at our work, our dreams. This is a painful stance. It is just a delaying tactic; imagining yourself writing, dreaming elaborate visions of success, but not doing the work. Once you begin you enter a whole new world. A world that is less glamorous than your fantasies, but much more satisfying.