Here's the thing about writing an essay, or a novel or a memoir – each time you do it you learn how to do it all over again. At least I have to. I'm writing an essay now that's due in January for an anthology on faith. Ever since I signed the contract for this essay I've been alternating between, Why did I ever agree to do this and could I possibly get out of it? and How very lucky I am to have someone ask me to write an essay.
So what I've been doing for the past month is jotting down little disconnected paragraphs in a folder called "Faith Essay". And as I clutch my head over my inability to write a coherent first draft, I remember that this is how I always do it. I write down random bits for a few weeks or a month or however long I have, and eventually I read it over and realize what I'm trying to say. And then I struggle through a truly awful first draft trying to put everything together. Eventually I have an essay.
I know (or imagine) there are writers out there who can do this in a much more calm and elegant manner, fully confident as they turn out an essay. But I'm not one of them. And I keep coming back to the realization that this is simply the way I write, full of false starts, bits and pieces and doubts. This is my process.
Think about your own process in writing and try making friends with it. It never gets easier, folks.
Just hearing this from someone who has been there(and is there) helps! Thanks for the post, Barbara. I really don't know where you get your resolve to never give up! I love that about you.
Posted by: Debra | December 09, 2013 at 05:30 AM
Thanks Barbara! You've just validated my own process (the bits and pieces part), and encouraged me to accept it.
Posted by: Teri Campbell | December 09, 2013 at 08:06 AM
Thank you for the generous peek into your writing life! Good to know tough sledding isn't just a beginner's issue.
Posted by: Carol Casselman | December 09, 2013 at 09:56 AM
What a generous post, Barbara. Every story is a challenging journey. I just wrote to match a prompt. I know I've written to prompts with you a zillion times but this was a story and I got myself all twisted. Thanks!
Posted by: Laura B | December 09, 2013 at 12:56 PM
Debra, Teri, Carol and Laura -
Thanks for your comments. They made me very happy. xo
Posted by: Barbara Abercrombie | December 12, 2013 at 03:10 PM
That is so very true. I think I imagine that there are other who just seem to have it down, and I just putter around. Put some words down, take a break and putter some more. It's hard going.
Posted by: sanjaysabarwal | December 13, 2013 at 09:29 AM