A frick of a lot of things stop writers from writing.
Fear.
Distraction.
Waiting for motivation.
The choice to do things that aren’t writing.
These are the monsters whose eldritch genitals we need to kick.
A writer’s enemies are many, and the bigger threats are the internal monsters, not the external ones. Every time a writer, blogger, or comic artist puts her work out there, she’s winning one fight against those internal monsters. Just one. More are coming. The creating is never done.
But here’s the trick: You can control those internal monsters a butt-ton more than you can control the external ones.
Going along with whatever thingamashit that wants to eat up your time is exactly what won’t get your dream built. Your dream needs you. Those characters in the stories you write can’t do it without you. If you’ve got a villain or a world or a ship that’s clinging to your imagination like a craving for chocolate, then put everything else down for a time and indulge that craving. Write the bejeezus out of it.
Those real life monsters will still need defeating after you’ve written. Once you have though, you’ll have one more brick in that eighth wonder of the world you’re making. And those chore demons won’t bring anything new to the fight. Easily beaten. Like every henchman from every movie from your childhood.
For me, the toughest monster to beat always changes. Sometimes it’s bad choices. Other times, I’ve got butt in chair and hands on keyboard, but I’ve also got brain-in-bohunkus. Cranial anal insertion. Or whatever other name you have for it.
Recognizing that something needs to change is a jab to the writer’s enemy.
Putting effort into making that change is a reverse punch to that enemy.
Choosing to keep plugging away no matter what’s going on internally AND externally? That’s a three billion hit combo to the writer’s enemy.
Just what a creator needs to get in the zone. On fire. Into overdrive.
Stop reading this for a moment and remember the big days you’ve had as a creator. Those 3,000 word days. Every brilliant plot twist or sensuous naughty scene you’ve made (or plan to make). Those later than late nights when you finally finished something.
Is your mouth drooling yet?
Yep, it is. ‘Cause you’re craving another one of those moments.
Get up and make one. Make dozens. Hundreds. Soon, the readers’ll jones for your artwork or writing as much as you hunger to create them.
That’s the kind of vicious cycle that’ll help you defeat the things that hold you back. Joy in creating. Bliss in seeing others’ grins as they enjoy your creation.
That’s how you kick those internal monsters in their tentacle-y testicles.
Now go forth with confidence and write!
(Confession: I may have written this to inspire, but you also read the phrase, “eldritch genitals” and the phrase, “tentacle-y testicles.” Whether you laughed or not, know that I used these words publicly. So don’t be afraid to create more art and put it out there. Because it can’t be as bad as an Elder God leaving the barn door open.)