The Truth About Writing

What I learned from writing today is…

WHAT WRITING IS…

…AND WHAT WRITING IS NOT

WRITING IS NOT…

Researching for your project ~ Hate to tell you this, but it isn’t

Reading back through your project ~ Reading won’t make it longer

Editing your project ~ To comma, or not to comma?

Daydreaming about your project ~ Or daydreaming about daydreaming about your project, Inception style

Telling people how cool your project is ~ They should read it.  Seriously.  Also, you should write it.  Seriously

Designing the soundtrack to your project ~ All music before 1990 and nothing else!

Music streaming ~ Oh look!  Lady Gaga!

Watching YouTube ~ Oh look!  Lady Gaga music videos—*SUDDEN SCREAM OF TERROR*

Watching television ~ And, no: watching television with a notebook sitting idly next to you is not considered writing

Reading ~ Though very important to a writer’s health

Checking your social media ~ Am I a celebrity yet?

Taking a walk ~ Exercise!

Running a marathon ~ Also exercise!

Climbing a mountain ~ Uh, we’re talking figuratively, right?  Like, spiritually?

Volunteering for the next space mission ~ Just kidding.  Space is the ultimate conspiracy

Solving world hunger ~ Though that would be awesome

Inventing those hover chairs from the Wall-E movie that we vocally disapprove of, but secretly want ~ Gimme gimme gimme!

Petting your dog ~ Good boy

Kicking your cat ~ Back, demon spawn!

Going to work ~ Ugh…

Eating ~ Yay!

Sleeping ~ Double yay!

Burping ~ Goddamn indigestion

Farting ~ Just kidding.  I’m not human

Writing posts for your blog ~ *Nervous laugh*

Reading posts from someone else’s blog ~ Hey, HEY!  Looking at you, dude!

Staring at the word document or notebook in front of you for the entire hour or two you set aside for writing, but not actually writing anything ~ Bonus points if the song “Hampsterdance” is playing in your head while you do it

Note:  Not an exhaustive list but blogger got bored, poured himself a drink, drank the drink, and decided that the list was, quote unquote: “Good ’nuff.”  Feel free to add to the list in the comments.

WRITING IS…

Taking your ass, sitting it down in a chair, and just…

…write.

For the love of all things moldy, write.

This isn’t a trick answer.  You’re not a writer unless you write and you can’t write unless you really truly write.  No excuses.  No distractions.  If you’re not adding words to that project currently collecting dust on your hard drive, then you’re not writing.  Plain and simple.

Writing isn’t writing unless you’re writing.  A great man once said that.  What great man?—I dunno.  Arisocrates Plato the Third, maybe.  Doesn’t matter ~ it’s an important lesson.  And it’s THE important lesson if you want any hope of making it as a writer.

Writing is writing is writing is writing is writing is writing is writing is writing is writing is writing is writing is writing is writing is writing is writing is writing is writing is writing is writing is writing is writing is

Note:  Not an exhaustive dabble into annoying repetitive bullshit but blogger got bored, poured himself another drink, drank the drink, and promptly passed out.  Feel free to criticize his lifestyle in the comments.

Also: passing out is not writing.

Just so you know.