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In fact, you might even find that at times your work has become more of an obstacle, irritation or annoyance. You may view it as something that is almost standing in the way of your desired end result.
When you are so focused on the end that you can’t enjoy the process, it is time to step back. Learning to love and enjoy the process of growing as a writer is important, because growth takes time. So you might as well make the most of it.
I don’t know what it is that you are hoping to achieve. Maybe it’s having an article accepted by a small publication. It could be that you are hoping someone will be interested in your manuscript.
The process of getting there may require research, drafting, writing, editing, rewriting, scrapping what you wrote, or starting again…who knows. The process can take as little as a few days to several years.
What are you going to do with the process? Are you going to embrace it and learn from it? Or are you going to hate every step of it?
I find that I grow the most as a writer when I am in the process, or what you might call the trenches. It is the down-deep, dirty stuff of writing that may not be the most enjoyable but is necessary to get to the other side.
Ask yourself if you have become so focused on the goal, the prize or the end that you have forgotten to enjoy the process. If so, make a commitment to improve your attitude. Who knows…it just might improve your writing.
© 2012, Stephanie Romero
August 20th, 2012 at 2:24 am
As a writer I really appreciate this post. I think it’s easy to lose touch with the experience when you just want the outcome.
August 20th, 2012 at 1:37 pm
Thanks for your feedback. I also think we sometimes don’t even realize we are doing this as writers.
August 20th, 2012 at 7:57 pm
I literally live “deep” in the writing process. All the time! No matter what Im writing about. “Digging deep” has always been the way I do things. It’s an enjoyable experience for me. “Knowing” what you “truly believe” about something, is very gratifying! My personal “outcome” arrives, when I have done the 4 (T’s)… throughly thought things through. Otherwise I never come out of the trenches, and I just keep digging and digging.
August 20th, 2012 at 8:17 pm
I love your 4′T’s! But you point out the other side…getting stuck in the process…hmmm, maybe a good topic for my next blog.
August 20th, 2012 at 5:02 pm
[...] Enjoy the Process (stephanieromero.wordpress.com) [...]
August 21st, 2012 at 1:54 pm
I know exactly what you mean. I’ve been there and walked away from a project because I was stuck in the process with the end nowhere in sight. The thing about writing thought is you can step away from something, come back at a later date and hopefully have a new perspective or outlook. Sometimes this helps but I have also looked at something a second time and then hit the delete key.
August 21st, 2012 at 3:25 pm
Never go with your first try. You are right, sometimes you can come back and find things to fix but other times you just have to trash it.