“Gentlemen, start your engines!”
That exclamation has signaled the beginning of many a race over the years, but I am proposing a new phrase.
“Writers, start your computers!” Or maybe, “Writers, start your pens!”
Why is it so hard to start writing? I sit down to write, and numerous things run through my mind—none related to writing.
I need to check my email.
I haven’t checked my online class today.
I wonder what I can have for lunch tomorrow?
I need to check my other email.
I haven’t played any Spider Solitaire today.
What’s on tv?
I wonder what I can have for supper tomorrow?
And so it goes, on and on and on. Once I start, the words usually flow, but beginning is sometimes the hardest part. Putting “butt in chair” is one thing, but putting words to the page is another.
A few things can help:
- Giving myself a deadline. Even if I am doing a new project that isn’t contracted yet, I can set a date to keep me posted.
- Setting a regular writing time. With my work schedule, I struggle with this one, but it does help me focus.
- Free writing. I have numerous journals and guided writing prompt books, and, if I get stuck, I will often pull these out and write something unrelated to the piece I am working on. Free writing seems to “stretch the writing muscle” and opens the flow.
Most writers find what works for them, and these tips tend to help me–maybe they will help you. Starting is important, as is finishing. So here we go: “Writers, start your computers!”
Carlton Hughes, represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary, wears many hats. By day, he is a professor of communication. On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, he serves as a children’s pastor. In his “spare time,” he is a freelance writer. Carlton is an empty-nesting dad and devoted husband who likes long walks on the beach, old sitcoms, and chocolate—all the chocolate. His work has been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dating Game, The Wonders of Nature, Let the Earth Rejoice, Just Breathe, So God Made a Dog, and Everyday Grace for Men. His latest book is Adventures in Fatherhood, co-authored with Holland Webb.
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