Face the Page

“If you want to write . . . a novel, a short story, your memoir . . . if you want to write anything, the first step is to start writing. It’s the next step that’s the tricky one and the one where many writers trip up: keep writing.”—Judy Reeves

The key to writing anything is a daily writing practice. Sure, you can write now and then, only when you feel like it, but the writing muscle cannot develop any strength if it is exercised only once in awhile. If you want to finish a project , if you want to improve your craft, write every single day.

If you don’t, you’ll become like the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz – you’ll need lots of time and effort to oil those rusty joints before the words start to flow.

Write every day, even if it’s only for a little while. Don’t let your writing joints get stiff and awkward. The more you write, the more limber you get, and if you write every day, soon you’ll be cartwheeling through stories and sprinting through the pages.

“Write every day, the muse insists. Don’t skip a day no matter how you’re feeling, no matter how many wars your country is fighting, no matter how many tornados are heading your way. Crawl into your storm cellar and pick up a pen. If you can’t think of anything to say, write the word God again and again. If you don’t believe in God, write the word dog. Everyone believes in dogs.” – Sy Safransky