I go through such self doubt, procrastination, and total cluelessness before getting down to work on a writing assignment that the surprise of finishing an essay or article that actually makes some sense and getting it done on time always amazes me. That’s how I’m feeling today – amazed. This morning I emailed my long essay to Victoria Zackheim for her new anthology. (If you’re writing essays check out her two earlier anthologies: For Keeps and The Other Woman.) And my article for The Writer Magazine is set to go in the March issue.

I wrote an earlier post about the nightmare I had concerning both assignments, and it never ends I guess. It’s part of being a writer – anxiety and self doubt. But the difference between being a published writer and somebody who dreams about being a writer is sitting down in spite of the self doubt etc. and just doing it no matter how awful and embarrassing the first draft is. Over and over and it never gets any easier. 

But oh, the joy of getting something you know, or believe, or imagine, or lived through down on paper, crafted and ready to connect with readers!  There’s nothing on earth more satisfying. It’s why we’re writers.

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Give yourself a deadline.  What is it you want to write – an essay, book chapter, article, poem? What about one week for a rough draft? A really messy, sloppy draft that meanders and doesn’t make sense. If you don’t have that awful first draft you’ll never get to the crafted, finished draft. So figure out when you can squeeze in your writing time this week. Mark it on your calendar and get to work. And let us know how it goes.