The main obstacles seem to be connected to the lack of time issue. Someone raised a good question: If we want to write, then why do we not take time to write? I haven't figured that one out myself.
So how do we find the time to write? A friend of mine has just been asked for a book proposal - which is due within a month. He has decided to get up at 4:30 a.m. several days a week - to get an extra hour of writing time. I'm probably not going to do that, but I realize that I could fairly easily carve out an extra hour by NOT doing some other things when I am awake anyway. (Facebook, watching the news, etc.)
Then there is the issue of discouragement or fear of failure that can hinder us from using the time we do have. Perhaps I'll ramble about that for a bit.
Could it be that perfectionism plays a role in hindering us? Or is it about momentum? I wonder if mentally breaking the writing task down into smaller "sections" might be helpful. If instead of thinking that I have a write a good piece start to finish, & probably don't have time right now, what if I were to just jot down a rough outline - or even a list of key words? That's valid - to do anything to capture the thought - and then find a time to come back later & develop it a bit more. Remember Anne Lamott's index cards?
Once in awhile, I have an inspiration when I have the luxury to get it all down on paper. I love it when that happens, but I'm afraid it isn't the norm for me. More often I have all these ideas, but just never get them down - in ANY form. Admittedly, I do also often jot down key words & then never come back to develop the idea further. But if I get anything at all written I think that's better than nothing.
When we're working against the clock (which we pretty much all are these days) we have to find ways to balance the many different facets of writing. For example, if we're writing anything to be seen by the "public" we want it to be readable but we know that we can't afford to take the time to make it perfect. So we have to ask ourselves how much proofreading, editing, polishing is enough.
So how do we find the time to write? A friend of mine has just been asked for a book proposal - which is due within a month. He has decided to get up at 4:30 a.m. several days a week - to get an extra hour of writing time. I'm probably not going to do that, but I realize that I could fairly easily carve out an extra hour by NOT doing some other things when I am awake anyway. (Facebook, watching the news, etc.)
Then there is the issue of discouragement or fear of failure that can hinder us from using the time we do have. Perhaps I'll ramble about that for a bit.
Could it be that perfectionism plays a role in hindering us? Or is it about momentum? I wonder if mentally breaking the writing task down into smaller "sections" might be helpful. If instead of thinking that I have a write a good piece start to finish, & probably don't have time right now, what if I were to just jot down a rough outline - or even a list of key words? That's valid - to do anything to capture the thought - and then find a time to come back later & develop it a bit more. Remember Anne Lamott's index cards?
Once in awhile, I have an inspiration when I have the luxury to get it all down on paper. I love it when that happens, but I'm afraid it isn't the norm for me. More often I have all these ideas, but just never get them down - in ANY form. Admittedly, I do also often jot down key words & then never come back to develop the idea further. But if I get anything at all written I think that's better than nothing.
When we're working against the clock (which we pretty much all are these days) we have to find ways to balance the many different facets of writing. For example, if we're writing anything to be seen by the "public" we want it to be readable but we know that we can't afford to take the time to make it perfect. So we have to ask ourselves how much proofreading, editing, polishing is enough.
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