Writing always comes with struggles, but the hard part is not always getting over them, but recognizing them. Once you recognize them, hopefully you can help yourself.
One of the struggles I’m dealing with is patience. I want to write a perfect first draft (doesn’t everyone). I hate sitting there writing knowing that what I’m writing isn’t that great and will likely have to be completely reworked. It seems like such a waste of time. I mean, why can’t I just write it right the FIRST time?
That’s when I have to channel my former English teacher. I always used to tell my students, you have to write drafts. Very few people are going to come up with the right thing to say and write it the right way on the first shot. Most of my students resisted the idea of drafts: more work, more time, HARD.
Yes, it is all of those things, but it makes your writing better. I have to work on knowing myself and my process. Accepting that yes, I might throw out these words, but I need to get them out first in order to write better ones.
It’s not a waste of time. It’s an important part of the process.
Nicole Helm 