Writing requires talent and skill. It demands discipline and tenacity even in the face of crushing self-doubt and near endless rejection. It’s no wonder there are as many myths about writing as advice on how to do it better. It doesn’t help that movies and television shows depict writers as unrealistically as possible.
Writers in film often have writer’s block until that magical moment inspiration hits, keeping them up all night writing until their manuscript is finished in the wee hours of the night. When the sun rises, they type “The End” and fire off their finished manuscript to their agent. There’s no editing. No revision. No read-through to make sure it makes sense. The entire portrayal is unrealistic and perpetuates the many myths about writers and writing.
Most writing myths fall into four basic categories: writing, writers, obstacles to writing, and publishing. In this four-part series, I will share the popular myths from each category and debunk them.
First up: Writing
Myth: You need to be inspired to write.
Not so much. If you are a freelance writer, you write when you have a job. If you are writing fiction, you write as much as you can. There is no “perfect” time to write. If you wait for inspiration, you could be waiting a long time and never finish anything.
Myth: You have to write every day with no breaks.
Some writers do write daily. Stephen King wrote about doing just that in his book “On Writing.” Other writers take breaks. It depends on the person. Every writer has her own schedule and approach. You have to find what works for you. It is true that to succeed, you have to write. The more you write, the better chance you have to improve and finish.
Myth: You need huge chunks of time to write.
Again, not so much. You can write whenever and wherever you are. John Grisham used to write between court cases. Other writers squeeze writing time in between other commitments. The point is to write. No one said how. Sure, having huge chunks of time can help, but it is not necessary. If you write 500 words a day, you will finish your book in less than a year. Write when you can and as often as you can.
Myth: You can write a manuscript in no time at all if you are inspired.
This is misleading. Sure, inspiration helps, but it takes a lot of time and effort to write a book. It doesn’t happen overnight in a flurry of activity following a significant event. It doesn’t happen in one sitting. Most books take years to write. Some writers are quicker and can write in weeks or months. Not days. That it totally unrealistic. Also, first books usually take longer than later ones. There is a learning curve to writing books.
Myth: I have nothing to say.
If that were true, you wouldn’t be reading a blog about writing myths. The same impulse that made you click on this article is the one that urges you to write. Why deny it?
Myth: I can’t figure out where writers get their great ideas.
Great ideas are everywhere. The trick is identifying them and figuring out how to spin an idea into an entire story. The idea is just the spark that gets the plot started. Ideas are easy. Stories take work. We only see other writers ideas when they are fully realized in book form. There is a lot more to a story than the initial idea. And a lot more work.
Myth: I could never come up with an entire plot.
Most people can’t if the story is in their head. You have to put pen to paper or fingers to keys to find the plot. It takes time to work out the details and the twists and turns. You may find if you sit down and start sketching it out. You may find you have more of an idea than you think you do. Stop trying to hold it all in your head and put it on paper.
Myth: I’m afraid of getting writer’s block.
Don’t be. It doesn’t exist. Writer’s block is an excuse, a sign you need to do more work. Either you need more research or direction. Maybe you are feeling lazy or afraid of failure. Most of the time, “writer’s block” happens because the writer doesn’t feel like writing or has nothing to say. If it’s the former, write through it. If it’s the latter, go out into the world and find inspiration. Then write. If you’re depressed, get help.
Myth: My day job takes too much from me. There’s nothing left.
If there was nothing left, you wouldn’t be dreaming of more. Besides it’s a lie. No matter what you do, you still have time and the desire. You can find the time if it’s important enough. You could write on the weekend. You could write during lunch. If you were serious, you would make it happen. Many authors hold full-time positions and write bestselling novels. If they can, you can.
Myth: I won’t make it big so why bother.
If this is your attitude, you are right. Don’t bother. Writing is about the process. If you don’t love the act of writing, don’t do it. It should never be about the fame or fortune. You can’t control those. All you can control is the story and craft. If that’s not enough, give it up.
Myth: It’s all been done before. There are no new stories.
While there are mythic structures that come to play in many stories, there are infinite ways to apply them to new stories. There is nothing wrong with a story that begins with a murder and has an investigation to find the killer. It’s classic. The point is to write your mystery with new and exciting characters, settings, and dialogue. Within existing structures, you can create whole new worlds. That is where stories are born.
Myth: I don’t have the time.
Everyone has the same amount of time in their day. Some famous novelists are able to hold down full-time careers while they write bestselling novels, raise a family, and sometimes co-produce television shows based on their work. Kathy Reichs did all that and taught college classes and consult on international forensic cases. It’s doable. The question is are you willing to give up time to make it happen.
Myth: It’s too risky.
Why spend all that time if I can’t sell what I write? If the money is what matters, there are easier ways to make it. Writing offers no guarantees, even for published authors. See my upcoming blog on the reasons to write or not.
Myth: Writing is the greatest, most relaxing job ever.
This is the worst myth, I think. It minimizes the work needed to produce a book. Writing is glamorized. Media portrays writers as lounging in gorgeous locations, barely working, but enjoying great success. The reality is vastly different. Sure, some writers, like Neil Gaiman, travel to exotic places and appear to have a grand life beyond the writing. But Neil Gaiman has written about the doubts that comes when he faces the blank page. He’s like the rest of us. Sort of. He’s fantastic and talented, but he still has to deliver great writing and stories. He does the work in between being fabulous. Most writers don’t live like that. They write even though writing is work. It is not relaxing or exciting, except in those moments when a sentence or a scene comes together just right. There are moments of pure joy tempered by crippling self-doubt. Writers need to find a balance between the two even when facing the near constant rejection that comes with any creative endeavor. This is not a glamorous way to live. It’s maddening and wonderful too.
Next week we’ll look at myths about writers.