All of us have a story to tell. At least one. Our life story.
Some of us have many stories to tell. So many that we can’t choose which one to start writing...
Many of us have different unfinished books. Books that we started years ago and never managed to complete.
Why some of us never manage to fulfill our dreams of having a book with our name on it? What gets on the way?
What is missing?
What do we think that we need for that?
1. We need permission
We are waiting for that wishful time, when an “authority” will tell us that we can write and we should become a writer.
We have been waiting for those words from our teachers, from different writing groups, friends…
We desperately need someone to tell us that we are good.
But you know what?
All those people might not be the readers who will be reading your future books. Their opinion might not have any significance. And if you put importance on what they think you may end up never starting that great book of yours.
No one has to permit you to write but yourself. So forget everyone. Recall your story and start writing!
2. We need perfection
Whatever we write does not seem to be good enough. After typing few lines we go back and read what we’ve written.
Then we make a tragic face and hit the delete button.
We strive for perfection, which is good but not at this stage.
Keep in mind that we are writing our first draft. The one, which most probably no one will see at the end.
Forget about everything, open up and write as if you’re writing just for yourself. No one’s drafts are perfect and will never be.
So relax and keep typing.
3. We need to imagine the whole story in our mind
Many of us think that we need to have the whole story from start to finish in our minds before starting writing.
Well, that’s the ideal situation, but is not always the case.
You might never imagine the whole story until you start writing it.
Enjoy the process of following your characters and letting the story lead you while you write. You never know where it will lead you.
And that’s the whole magic of it.
4. We need the muse
Many of us wait for the inspiration to come and make us write.
We are waiting for the muse, which will hold our hand and write the best story we could possibly write.
We wait and hope.
Sometimes it happens, but often it doesn’t. We may end up waiting for weeks, months and even years.
But you know what? The inspiration and the muse often join us during the process and not before. Give them a chance and start writing.
5. We need the right time
Often we are waiting for the perfect time to start something.
In our case; to start writing.
But you know what? There is no such prefect time. There will always be different duties and routine tasks that will come your way.
Life will always happen.
There will always be “more important” and “more serious” things to do instead of writing.
So don’t wait for the right time, because it will never come. You have to create that time yourself. And you have to make writing “the most important” if you want to become a writer.
After all writers write.
They don’t plan to write. They don’t spend time thinking about what to write. They don’t wait for the perfect moment. They don’t depend on the muse.
They simply put their butt on the chair, switch on their computer or take the pen and start writing.
They put one word after the other. They create a sentence. Then another one… Then a paragraph appears.
And at some point they end up with their first book and eventually their first reader!
So what are you waiting for?
There is nothing you need to have to write except the desire to do so.