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Sep 20, 20232 min read

Writing Is Hard. So, Stop Complaining!

Writing is a challenge for even the most gifted. So, stop complaining about it.


Title Card with a message of stop complaining

My son isn't sitting on his laurels (his butt is made of shrubs) in his senior year of high school. He decided to tackle AP Physics. It’s an admirable accomplishment coming from parents who despise all forms of math that don't include actual numbers.


Lately, while driving him to and from school, my son kvetches about the class's difficulty. There's too much homework, the calculations are too hard, and his laurels are considerably leafy. One morning, after another tirade about AP Physics, I started a conversation.


Me: Who signed up for this class?

Son: I did.

Me: Did we force you to take AP Physics?

Son: No.

Me: So, why did you take it?

Son: Because I want to be challenged.

Me: Then stop complaining and grasp the challenge head-on. You're smart. You can handle it.

Son: As always, father, you're right. Plus, you're incredibly handsome and wise. Oh, and is that a whiff of apple cinnamon I smell?


Okay, I made the last part up. I smell like lavender.


Writing is a Challenge

Challenge Accepted Image

I brought up the above conversation because I see similar complaints by those who decide writing is a good idea. Social media boards are filled with people's whining:

  • It's too hard.

  • Writing a book is a pain in the laurels.

  • My grocery list doesn't look like what I saw in my mind.


To quote the philosopher Michelle Tanner, "Well, duh!"



You bet writing is challenging. Even those blessed with the ability suffer through times when their stories don’t make sense. Heck, professional authors whose books cover the shelves of your local bookstore have their moments of frustration.


Yet, that's what makes writing fulfilling.


I wanted a quote about overcoming challenges to emphasize my point. However, they basically say the same thing. Glory comes with prevailing over the trial. You know, build it so they will come, or, Luke, I am your father.


Author Hope Clark, creator of the weekly newsletter Funds for Writers, put it succinctly in a recent issue: If you don't like writing, quit. Use your energies for something that's fulfilling and engages your spirit. Don't give up and spend your days binge-watching 90-Day Fiancé.


Please, for the love of sane minds, don't watch a second of 90-Day Fiancé.


What Did We Learn Today, Rich?

Writing can be tough. Yet, so can pottery, painting, acting, or any other creative endeavor. Even the most prolific author runs into problems with their next story.


Having said this, don't give up if your soul cries out to create. If what you see, hear, smell, taste, or touch generates a story idea, write, type, or record your stories when you can. In the end, the rewards are tremendous.


All the best.

Rich Scott Keller

 

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