What I learned about writing by not writing for a month.
The short answer is nothing. The long answer is more complicated. One month ago, prompted by the turning of the calendar, and a review of missed new years resolutions, I wrote my first article on Medium. I wasn’t expecting the world to change but I did think it might spark something.
Initially, I felt excited, even proud. Having put this off for 30+ years, I had actually taken some action. This was easier than I thought. I enjoyed it. My future as a writer was starting today. One month later I had not written another word. What happened?
Creative Procrastination
Almost immediately, I lost focus. It had seemed so easy (30 minutes work), I felt I could do it again, whenever I wanted, and like someone living and working in London, who has not been to Buckingham Palace, you never visit the sites, because you can do it any time.
I also discovered lots of things to do with writing, that were not writing. My brain was rewarding me for research, reading articles about writing, coming up with topic lists, having ideas for articles, even books. None of this helped me pick up a pen, or sit at a keyboard and write.
Learning by doing
So one month on, my writing is no better than it was a month ago, because I haven’t actually had any practice. There is a good reason that the self help industry is worth over $10bn and growing fast. People need help. It’s much easier to do nothing. It’s almost like we are programmed that way. Much like you can’t run a marathon just by reading about how to run a marathon, and you won’t set your best time by just going out to try and run 26 miles, you need to train, to practice, to build up every day. You get better at running by running. You get better at writing by writing.
Little and often
If you want to paint a masterpiece, you are unlikely to be able to just pick up a paint brush and a pot of paint and go. Even the most creative genius needs a mastery of technique, gained through practice. If you want to make a great wine, you can’t just buy some grapes add some yeast and hey presto, an award winning vintage the next day. It takes time, attention, and daily application.
Everyone needs a plan
So, fresh month, fresh start. Time to draw up a plan. Last month I made significant progress with my exercise, and I already feel fitter and healthier. The difference? I had a plan. A daily goal. I wrote down what I had done every day, and whether or not I hit my target. And I even exceeded my target. (Aiming for 12,000 steps a day I average just over13,000)
With no writing goals, no targets and no plan, it’s not surprising I made no progress. So maybe I did learn something. Maybe I learned I need a plan. Just like you don’t have to run 10k to get better at running, you don’t need to write a masterpiece to get better at writing. You just need to write something. So for this month, I am going to write one piece a week. Even writing that down makes me feel excited, and reminds me how I felt when I wrote my first article. And this time, I even have a plan. Let’s see where I am at the end of the month.
