OPINION: Me and my little thoughts

As I begin writing this Monday morning on a swathe of content for today’s paper (hopefully, I’ll have written two articles, a feature for our Creston Living Magazine and this column you’ve kindly decided was worth your time), I’m reminded of an unfortunate feature of this career.

Writer’s block is tough to deal with. Everyone goes through it, but the annoying fact of writing in a rushed fashion is how often it can happen. Worse, if you have an obsession with whether or not your writing is good or not, you can slip on knowing if your writing is even worth reading.

After most articles I write, I always ask whoever proofread my work if what I wrote was a good story or a good column. Sometimes it’s genuine; I have zero clue if what I found interesting also came across as interesting to a reader.

Other times, it’s just a check on whether I’ve lost my mind or not. For those who have been reading my columns on a regular basis, I’m sure you’ve recognized some weeks where I’ve tried harder than others.

Let me break down a few phases of writer’s block and my specific thoughts with each phase. These aren’t step-by-step phases either; some don’t come at all for some pieces.

Yet, I want to break down how I view writing as a process rather than some talent I was born with. I wasn’t born knowing what the word “dragooned” meant, after all.

Easily the most annoyed I get at myself is the beginning of the process. Getting in the right headspace is a challenge for me, especially since I’m so tied to the idea of physical spaces informing the mental state. Let me explain.

I write incredibly slowly at home. Half of it is because of the many distractions I could spend my time on instead, but the other is the fact that my work desk at home is also where I play games or watch sports.

I realized this tendency in college when I started writing essays in a specific corner of my journalism building at the University of Iowa. I didn’t know why for a long time, but I’ve determined I like feeling accountable to the people around me.

Anyone could catch me slacking, so I remained focused on my work. Not that I would expect anyone to care about what I was writing, but at least I had the appearance of working, so I actually worked.

It’s the same now. If I’m not at the office writing, I’m just not as good.

The other half to preparing to write is actually starting, which has miniature steps as well. Conceptualizing what you’re writing can be easy, but I am not an ideas person. Brainstorming has never come naturally to me, but as soon as I latch onto something I can work forever on it.

Actually starting is its own hurdle. What is the first word you would write? Do you start at the beginning of the article with a healthy lede, or start dumping information from interviews and recordings? There’s no right answer, which can sometimes feel like I’m writing constantly off-script.

The mid-phase of writing is the most relaxing. After swallowing the pill of a few hundred words, the breezy and natural flow of thoughts as new ideas start sprouting is fantastic. The closest explanation I can give is similar to how athletes enter a “flow state.”

My number one recommendation to those wanting to write is to go for quantity off the bat and save quality for later. I’m a writer that likes to go back and check what I’ve done so far, which means a lot of micro-adjustments even to specific words. Don’t do that.

There’s always time to go back, but the words need to meet the page first.

Eventually, I start eyeing the word count. Typically it’s when I’ve written about everything I wanted to talk about, but it can happen early if I’m experiencing an extreme amount of writer’s block. It can be worrying to think about how much you’ve felt you’ve done only to be disappointed at the word count.

When does writing actually end? To be honest, it could go on forever. Restraint is key; what is most important to what I’m trying to say?

And, after all, this is just the first draft. Things will change in the revision process from both yourself and anyone who proofreads the work. Never get too attached to a specific draft.

So, what’s the secret to writer’s block? How do you stop it? How do you keep going? How do you overcome your own brain shooting sparks and coughing up smoke in the writing machine?

Take a deep breath, and write. Clear your head, don’t worry and keep going.

My friends have called me an optimist with positive energy, but I don’t really think that’s true. I just don’t think it’s worth feeling so bad about everything around me. About the only positivity I have is the confidence that what I do impacts people.

I write for more than myself. I’ve seen how my work can affect people, both positively and the few times it’s been negative. So, I’ll keep writing. That disconnection can mean losing a personal edge, but it’s how things eventually end.

After I’m done writing, it’s out of my hands. It goes on to be interpreted by people like you. Hopefully you’ve understood what I’m trying to say. Maybe my grandkids or some historian looking at the Creston newspaper will find me and my little thoughts.

Alright, enough dreaming. Back to work.