Making the Writing “Bug” Stick

So we’re all sold on the idea of writing. If you’re like me, you’ve taken to heart the realization that we as Apostolics need to have a presence in the literary arena and that we really have a window of opportunity if we’re willing to work at it. Ah, there’s the rub.

Like anything else, what I’m realizing is that writing takes work. Big revelation, huh? You’d think after teaching composition, this premise would be a given, but sometimes I have to be reminded.

Binge Writing
It’s easy to read a few of these posts or sit in on a writing group and then go home and start the greatest short story ever known to man. It’s an entirely different thing to dedicate fifteen minutes every day to writing. It’s sort of like how it’s so easy to have explosive prayer time the first few days after a major revival. It’s another thing to maintain consistent personal devotion time on a daily basis.

To become an effective writer, it’s going to take discipline. But understanding that principle and making yourself write 1500 words a night are two different things.

When Revision Hurts
Let’s face it… writers are proud of their workmanship. No less than a painter or carpenter taking pride in his craft, a writer naturally has to be proud of his work. When you spend hours dreaming up (real—to you) people and places and then obsess about each word used to turn the dream into a reality on paper, those people are family to you. Being transparent enough to let someone else see your work is a tough step. Being honest enough to recognize the flaws in your dream world and disciplined enough to fix them is even tougher.

What to Do?
Writing is work. Consistently writing each day, being open enough to submit your work for review, and then disciplined enough to fix it is imperative.

What do we do, writers? How do we make the step from talking about this to doing it?

I propose we’ve got to network. Composition is a solitary act, but the entire process takes a community. Who will help you when you have questions or hit brick walls? Who will review your work? Who will hold you accountable for writing consistently? Join a writing group. Find a mentor. To make this happen, we’ve got to do it together.