A few weeks ago, I tweeted, “I know everything that is supposed to happen in this scene. So why am I struggling to write it?”
I’ve encountered this situation several times. When I have a scene mapped out but can’t seem to execute it, usually I am being too critical of my ideas.
Overthinking
A first draft doesn’t have to be flawless. Sometimes I put unnecessary pressure on my writing. Though I know my work will undergo revisions, I trip about the simplest things. I have wasted time trying to find the right name for a fictional restaurant. I could easily add a comment to fix this in the next draft. I also get lost in wondering whether my work will be accepted.
The truth is unfinished work can’t receive critique. There have been days when I spent an excessive amount of time questioning my work. What if this isn’t the right scene? What if someone doesn’t get what I wrote? What if I will be over the word count?
I’ve learned to stop overthinking, breathe, and just write. Embrace the delete button.
If I write something and it doesn’t work, I can always delete those words. Eliminate that chapter, divorce those thoughts. It’s not easy, y’all. But I am learning to write the scene as I see it while remembering that I can always come back and make necessary changes.
Question
What challenges have you encountered while writing?
xo
Lamesha