I've tackled why we write before. Having an answer to that question is crucial, but it's only the first question. The second is just as important: why should you keep writing?
Why This Question?
Around here, we encourage you to start writing. We remind you that writing well takes practice. We try to give you the tools to write well, from story ideas to basics like plot structure.
Sometimes, though, starting isn't enough. Tools aren't enough. Sometimes, the reasons we chose to write just seem flat and colorless. Sometimes stories don't work, and writer's block takes hold, and characters stop speaking to us.
On those days when we lose writing contests and can't finish our stories and forget why we were writing the darn things in the first place, we need more than the reason why we chose to write. We need straight-up cussed orneriness.
Be Ornery and Keep Writing
Do you know the power of stubbornness? Do you know why it matters? Because being stubborn does not require logic of any kind. Being stubborn sidesteps logic. It jukes around emotion. It ninja-hides from reason, power-lists, social proof, bad reviews, terrible critics, and common sense.
Here's the thing about writing: some days, you will feel like you're wasting your time. Your logic—normally so keen—will tell you this is a dumb idea and you should quit. The answer you had for “why I write” suddenly seems trite and useless.
I know. I've been there. I've been writing for over a decade and published since 2012, but I still feel this way sometimes.
On those days, I need you to cling to two truths: one, the mood will pass. You'll feel better soon and fall in love with writing again—but a lot of time can slip by if you just wait for that to happen. You can lose years. Trust me: you do not want to wait that long.
Two: the key to getting past is going to be pure bull-headed ornery stubbornness.
Yes, you need to refill your creative well. Yes, you need to take a walk, get some air, remind yourself of your reason for writing. But most of all, you just need to keep going even though at that moment it will make no sense.
Your Oath to Be Ornery
I don't know if you're in that place right now or not. I know I was all through last week, which is why I bring this up. We all get there sometimes; it doesn't mean you're a deficient writer or broken or anything else. It just means you're a human who happens to be a writer—and as anyone can tell you, being a writer is messy.
It's also really really worth it. But definitely messy.
This week, I had to vow again that I would not quit. I had to do that even though I didn't feel like writing, couldn't concentrate, couldn't even see my way to the next scene. I managed to squeak out a new short story, and I kind of hate it.
But you know what? I kept writing. I would not have if I hadn't reminded myself of that vow. If I had not, in fact, remained downright ornery.
Now, it's your turn. It's time to be ornery.
When you most need a reason to write, that reason won't make sense. That's the time to be stubborn.
I know you won't feel like you can do this. Maybe you don't feel like it right now. This is the time to be stubborn.
You can do this. When it seems insane to think of yourself as a writer, be stubborn. Vow that when you can't write, you will be ornery and keep writing anyway. Even if you write crap (and you will). Even if you feel like a failure. Even if you can't think of one logical reason.
Be stubborn. Be ornery. Keep writing.
How have you dealt with those times when you felt like you couldn't write? Let us know in the comments.
PRACTICE
It's time to make the vow and then act on it. Claim your orneriness—vow it, promise to be stubborn and write no matter what. Then write for fifteen minutes and share your current WIP (that stands for work in progress). When you’re done, share your practice in the comments, and be sure to leave feedback for your fellow writers!
1 being incapable because of lack of skills and know how
2 overwhelm: the picture is so powerful and dramatic, no way where to start and describe what
first The Mind scenes, if any good, are so compex and interwoven, even a movie can not depict
them properly The reason why almost ALL Books and Movies are BAD!
So I am no more afraid to add another BAD story to the Pacific ocean of BAD stuff…
Michael Crichton has this method, to scribble any idea on an index card and store it in
a box. Until the box is full enough to start sorting. What we write is a sort of describing a painting in words, which will be inadequate. With rapid change of scenery, we write faster, not better. The toughest Job is, to forget all that garbage. And start from scratch 33 times. And it still will be BAD. But everything is BAD! Read the God Shakespeare and after 3 words you are disgusted. The geniuses were so caught – they had to finish. Inner pressure of genius. Not funny. Creating BAD stuff for eternity. Writer´s hell…
3. Any Alcohol, no matter how BAD – is so much better than my BAD writing – wiriter´s heaven
If I stop writing, then the stories if not the characters will get me in my sleep. Well this is not quite true but I work as though it is. I have started novels and completed the first draft of one but because they have not been dealt with properly, they keep tapping at me. Lack of feed back and indifference to anything I write is all too familiar so this wont stop me. This makes me think I may actually be ill or cursed by a writing demon that thinks it is funny to see me scribbling away at a notepad at all hours and missing out on social events because I just have to finish another story.
Goethe remarked, when he does not write instantly – and dreams of it, the story is lost forever
Keith Richard and how he came to Can´t get no Satisfaction..
I am currently working on a story in its 3rd draft. It’s a story I wrote for a course I just finished. So the drafts are from different points of view, so all those drafts are kept, but I don’t know whether to continue to write it from his point of view, hers or the shrinks, or in 1st person or 3rd. I never understood the 2nd point of view, so I don’t try. The story is good and I want to tell it, its just finding the right way to tell it… But I’m still pluggin away at it. Besides its a love story and I have never given up on love. Especially when its of my own creation… ( did you know its Nat. Womans day??)
I know that I would be interested in the story from the shrinks perspective. I am assuming the people in love have encountered some problems in their relationship and it would be fun to look at romantic love from a medical point of view.
I like the medical point of view as well.. she starts out sitting in a cafe ( as most of my finished stories start) writing her year long review of her clients and their progress. she saves these two for last .. and tells their story… she also asks them to tell their own stories as to how they feel the sessions with her had gone and what brought them to her and how they got better or grew over this past year….
That draft seems the most fun to write…. and from his point of view I actually dreamed part of his story and am using it. that was a good writing day that took me well into the evening.
Also there is still a chance to write from the perspective of the lovers as they put their side of the story to the psychiatrist ?
I did not know it was National Woman’s Day. I am inspired by the fact that you are on the third draft of your story. The fact that you can see the story told by more than one character makes me think you could tell it from the omniscient point of view. It will probably extend the story, but so much the better if the main characters are as interesting as they first appear. I am already making up little stories in my mind wondering if maybe Rob Hunt’s idea won’t work because maybe the psychiatrist and one of the lovers are having a liaison of the their own. You’ve got to get a final draft done because inquiring minds want to know.
I think this is good advice and very timely for me. I began a novel in June last year and wrote half of it. Then I took a break and never went back to it until a few days ago. What I wrote seems to be fairly good but there is a minor fear that if I start writing the rest of the book it won’t be as good as what has gone before. I think I need to take it day at a time and just write the thing. Then I’ll have a manuscript I can work with rather than an empty space. I can be ornery about many things. Why not apply it to writing?
Yes, why not apply it to your writing !!!! I like your final conclusion about having a manuscript rather than empty space. Do you mind if I borrow it as a mantra of my own for a season?
Sure. It’s yours!
Just the article I needed to read today. Loved reading everyone’s post here as well. Good to see I am not in the minority. The weather effects my writing days as well. It’s easier to sit and work on projects when it’s raining than when it’s sunny. Thanks for the encouragement Ruthanne. 🙂
Ar this time I do not have a work in progress so I will use my 15 minutes of practice to write about where I am in my efforts to become a published writer. I am distinguishing between being a writer and being a published writer because I have been doing journaling of a kind for a few years now. My writing demons have included severe blocks to deciding which genre I should chose to be the vehicle of a published writing. I like your tribute to being ornery. For that is one thing I have been regarding the journaling. I was getting discouraged that I had not gotten any further than I have, but I have kept writing. In this season of my life I have finally decided that my genre of choice will be the memoir and I have narrowed that to three themes. I will keep journaling and part of my journaling will be to choose one of my three options. I thank you for this post. The confidence and direction I sense after considering it’s implications is as forceful as the New England March wind roaring outside. My fifteen minutes of practice is complete which is another objective met for today.
Loved this. Am sharing it and am taking the oath to be ornery!
Blink. Blink.
Blink you misappropriated passel of pixels. Blink you pusillanimous pathetic ordering of pixels. Blink at me, I don’t care, just fucking blink, and keep on blinking. At least I know you’re working . At least I know I can control something because I can always turn your silly ass off!
See? You’ve been off for what … minutes? Hours? Days? You don’t know do ya? Maybe it was months? How about years?
Blink.
Oh no you don’t! You don’t sneak in a blink when I’m not looking. And ya did, didn’t ya? Snuck in a blink while I read Ruthanne’s article on doing battle with the ponderous pixelated cursor here in Scrivener. Well, up yours cursor, because I have been writing! Hear that? It’s the tappity tippity sound of a keyboard knocking out letters in a string to form words on a string to form sentences to form paragraphs.
Bwahhahaha … I’m writing!!!!
Ha very good Gary! I’m on an ‘off’ blink for the moment on my main WIP – just writing enough to post the weekly chapter – but writing madly in other areas. I won’t give up! -Sef
There have been moments where I wanted to quit. I went a whole year once questioning why I bothered to write. I wasn’t writing regularly. I didn’t have a manuscript. I didn’t have ideas for novels. I wasn’t submitting anything to contests for fear of rejection. I feared my ideas weren’t worth anything.
Recently, I struggled with quitting because I had stories and I got critiques, but wasn’t doing anything with them. No intention of publishing them because I felt they weren’t good enough. But thanks to my wife, I kept at it. I’m building the confidence and tough skin to write every day. I’m remembering that some things are inevitable, like the rejection letter or the bad critique. So I’m working on developing the stubbornness to keep writing.
To write or not to write? I feel that life seems more straight forward and organised if I write myself a list. I feel happier if I write my thought down and it helps me clear my head. I’m always writing something so why not a story? I’m not much good at spelling and my grammar is shocking but I cant let that stop me. Even if its just for myself and besides if I’m writing especially, something like this program, I am slowly learning. Everyday I learn something new. I’ve always put myself down, thinking I’m not good enough but no more.
Just a word of praise. For myself, I regard this Page as one the better found on the Web… for writing guidance, and helpful suggestions. Thank you.
I agree with this article….. Thank you…
Oh I needed this today, thank you Ruthanne! I’m working on my memoir revisions since finishing the first draft 18 months ago (started almost 4 years ago) but I’ve recently entered a short memoir competition (in the UK) and just found out I didn’t get longlisted from 700 into the selected 12. I know it was a long shot, but I’m gutted. I’ve felt a crush of lack of confidence in my writing for some time and family distractions take me away from my writing. To the point…I’ve felt like quitting a lot these past couple of weeks and then I read your post, found it via Twitter (which I’m trying to get the hang of, ha!). When I lived in the USA I discovered two words I’d never heard before: Ornery and Fiesty. Love ’em. And that’s what you’ve encouraged me to be…so I will. Bring on that sheer stubborness! You’ve put a huge smile back on my face, thank you so much!!
I like this and it’s exactly what I need. Thanks. Now I can right again.. write after I learn the correct usage of rite.