I read a post on Medium from a guy, who said writing comes easy to him. He just sits down and writes. Boom. Done. It’s been like that since he was 10 years old. He just writes like he talks.
While writing like you talk can be good advice in some cases (like a blog), and that is super great, for him…to me, that was super annoying!
Do you remember that star athlete in high school who could do any sport and succeed at it, even if it was the first time they tried it? It was hard not to be jealous of them (unless that was you), but we all know jealousy gets you nowhere….
Or what about those kids who thought they were the greatest at something, but really weren’t self-aware enough to know where their skill level actually was at?
Writing, at least lately, has not been easy for me. Reading that guy say he excels at it, without even trying, or investing countless hours, or going to school is frustrating and UGH to read. We can’t all be superstars. It is also pretty arrogant.
Admittedly, I’m prone to being the tortured artist type. As it sometimes feels like torture to write, despite my desire to do it. Other times it doesn’t, sure, but those are rare days.
The hard work of writing is just that: hard work. And it requires me sitting and writing and sitting and writing no matter how I feel. It isn’t an easy I-put-words-on-a-page-and-they-are-amazing-without-error kind of task. That just doesn’t happen.
Inspiration does occasionally smack me in the face. It’s exciting, but then I hate it because inspiration leaves a red handprint. Why can’t you just lightly nudge me like a dog quietly trying to get my attention? No, you have to violently hit me, out of nowhere! I must start writing before the impression fades or it is gone forever.
Then there are the things that punch me, like hopelessness, despair and the classic you-are-a-terrible-writer-why-do-you-even-try melodrama. And those are the ones that debilitate me and I want to punch them back, but I’m doubled over.
No matter if it is hard work or easy, it’s worth it to me to write and it is still rewarding. Doing something challenging has it’s own benefit. I’m learning perseverance and patience. And how not to throw my computer across the room when I can’t think of a way to say something.
Here is what you can get out of this diatribe…
Just because something you do is easy to someone else, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it too. Their skill—whatever it is—does not mean it shouldn’t be YOU who is doing something. Easy doesn’t automatically mean it is the right fit. I will say though, if writing is easy for you, that is awesome, not everyone needs to suffer. Keep at it.
For the rest of us, remember the world needs you to be who you are. Don’t let the superstars in your field get you down. Look to those who are in the trenches with you. Those getting occasionally slapped in the face, but more so those who pushed through the punches, emerged on the other side, bruised, but winning the battle. You got this.
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