Just got back from a trip to Portland for a wedding. Zero pages written. I had plenty of downtime to do it.
Did I? Nope.
Why is it so hard to just sit down and write?
I know the answer: I'm afraid it's going to suck. My fear is holding my creativity hostage. So I have no motivation to sit down and do it.
The reality is this: I just need to write, even if I'm not motivated. My mantra: action comes before motivation. Even if the writing is crap, I can revise it. Revising is easy. But I need to have something there to revise.
Once I start writing, I nearly always get motivated and amped. But I can't wait for that motivation to be there first. I just need to do it, like a trip to the dentist or exercising or whatever.
I tell my students that writing is discipline because it's easy to romanticize writing as inspiration/creativity. If you wait for inspired motivation, most days/weeks/months/years you won't write a thing. Instead, view it like brushing your teeth or as athletes view practice: a 100% necessary discipline.
I struggle all the time with it and you probably will too (as most writers do).
