How to Make the Writing Process More Enjoyable

Margaret Atwood said, “A ratio of failures is built into the process of writing. The wastebasket has evolved for a reason. If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.”

Welcome to the second edition of my advice column. Today, I have been asked to give advice on things to write about and how to get out of that notorious writer’s block.

I have to admit even as a seasoned writer, writing is hard to do. Sometimes it feels like I have nothing to write about… My advice to you all would be to just start writing — it’s the best way to get out of a block.

Write about your surroundings, maybe even the people around you. Writing about your environment can bring out a level of emotion that can make a dense topic interesting. In journalism, we call those details “color.” Once you start writing, I promise you will find something to write about — even if it’s about how your fingers sound on the keyboard or just how empty your mind feels.

Writing isn’t always hard, but sometimes all of the rules that come with writing make it tedious and annoying. When you write for yourself, write without rules and just express yourself. When you are done, edit it more meticulously and then have a friend edit it, as they’ll probably catch the mistakes your eyes have become used to skimming over. Doing this will enhance your writing abilities and editing at the same time.

Sometimes you write a piece while you are running on empty. Oftentimes, you’ll have nothing on the paper, and it feels like you have been writing for five hours when it’s truly been 30 minutes. For those pieces do not worry about writing the perfect paper and just get words on paper.

There are so many styles of writing, from fiction to nonfiction and creative to journalistic style. There could even be combinations like creative fiction. Writing takes place when we are sad, angry, happy, even when we have no emotion. These emotions are helpful when it comes to writing and can help to create a near-perfect paper. Getting out of this cycle of writing “perfectly” will allow us to enjoy writing. When thinking about art or a creative outlet, writing is highly overlooked and for those of us who cannot draw, writing allows us to express ourselves creatively.

Writing is a process, and it takes time to become confident in your writing — especially when you’re publishing it, let alone having it critically reviewed. Besides, a confident writer does not always equal the best writer. When you are a confident writer, it means you know you put all of your effort into a piece even if it does not sound like others’ writing. It has your voice to it.

Certain types of writing are not meant for everyone, and sometimes you will have a piece of writing that you love while others you’ll dislike. You know your writing the best. This is not to say others’ feedback is irrelevant, but when you are writing for enjoyment, try all different styles and see what works.