Summary

The author discusses the challenges of writing consistently and the importance of pushing through creative blocks to maintain productivity and inspiration.

Abstract

The author reflects on their journey with writing on Medium, acknowledging periods of inconsistency and the struggle to maintain a steady flow of content. Despite the success of viral posts, the author experienced creative droughts and a loss of motivation. The creation of a personal publication has shifted focus from blogging to management, yet the author emphasizes the joy found in crafting newsletters. The article underscores the necessity of writing, even when the process feels uninspired or the output is subpar. The author likens the creative process to breaking through a dam, where persistence eventually leads to a burst of creativity and self-inspiration.

Opinions

The author values the personal growth and satisfaction derived from their Medium publication.
Writing is seen as a therapeutic and necessary act, regardless of the quality of the output.
Creative blocks are a normal part of the writing process, and the author advocates for perseverance.
The author believes that maintaining a consistent writing practice is crucial for overcoming periods of unproductivity.
There is an emphasis on the intrinsic value of writing for oneself, rather than for external validation or popularity.
The author expresses a dislike for boredom in writing and strives to create engaging content, particularly in newsletters.
The metaphor of a dam breaking is used to illustrate the eventual release of creativity that comes from persistent effort.

Sometimes The Writing Doesn’t Flow

Keep writing anyway

I’m sitting in my comfy recliner this morning, sipping on my coffee and going through my daily routine of online housekeeping: budget, bank account, Medium account, and my Medium publication.

My publication is one of the best things that’s happened to me on Medium since I started this writing journey two and a half years ago. I’m an inconsistent writer/blogger. When I first started, I’d post something every other day (it takes me a while to create a blog. Even now, it sometimes takes me days), then I’d go days, weeks, even a couple of months before I posted again.

I had a few viral blogs, but that led me down different paths I shouldn’t have ventured, trying to chase the popularity I created, only to fall short. I’d sink into a funk and not write until I found the internal will to put my fingers to the keyboard and start typing again.

Since I’ve started this baby of a publication, most of my sitting time is working on that and less time writing. Well, except for my newsletters every week. I work so hard on those newsletters, and I love those little weekly projects, but it’s different than blogging.

This past week, I only worked on my newsletter. The way I’d laid it out in the past was boring me. I hate being bored. I especially hate it when my writing is boring.

I had so much fun creating my newsletter this week. Not only writing it but formatting a template for it. I know, weird, right? But, I don’t want people to see the email and automatically delete it. I want people to look forward to my newsletters. I want to inspire people with my newsletters.

I want to inspire myself.

And although it was a fun project, it took up my entire week, managing my publication. I didn’t have the time — no, no, no…I mean, I didn’t MAKE the time to write.

Last night I’d completed my newsletter and set it to publish. Yay!

This morning, I was free to write something. Anything. I have a list as long as my arm of incomplete blogs. I picked one out and started to write.

Ugh. Not good enough. Dull. Boring. It’s sure to make someone’s mind go numb enough to move on to the next article.

I tried another and another — the same feeling of ugh-ness.

Some days are NOT good writing days.

Who knows WHY? Maybe I didn’t get the right amount of sleep, or my tummy is growling for food, or I’m in a blah emotional funk.

What I know is the words coming out of my brain are falling flat on the virtual page.

Over time, I’ve learned that this is NOT the moment to shut the laptop and not open it again for another couple of weeks.

Instead, I must keep writing. Even if it sucks. Even if I don’t publish it. Even if I never read it again.

Still, I must write. I have to push through the dreariness. I must break through the mental block.

It’s like a weak spot in a dam. The water will push its way through, little by little, wearing away at the concrete and the earth and clay until a trickle comes out the other side. The earth gives way slowly until there’s a little peek of a hole, and the water shoots out, freeing itself. Then from there, it’s a matter of minutes before the dam collapses, breaking the steel bars that reinforce it. And the water creates a new river.

Writing is like that. Sometimes you have to break through that wall. Your creativity is bound behind that wall. The only way to break free to forge a river of creativity is to keep pushing through that block. It doesn’t matter if it’s a piece of shit. Nobody has to read it. Not even you. You aren’t writing for anyone else. You write to create, play with words, and get your thoughts and feelings on paper or screen. Before you know it, you’re playing with your words, and your imagination is flowing free, forming a new river of creativity.

If the writing doesn’t flow, keep writing anyway.

Not every day is an incredible piece of perfection. You’ll have crappy writing days. You’ll churn out garbage. You may get so frustrated, you want to throw your computer against the wall, go eat a box of cookies, and believe you suck as a writer. Maybe you’ll vow never to write again.

This is normal. This is creativity. Keep pushing against the dam.

Keep writing anyway.