For many writers — both aspiring and working professionals — it’s hard enough to write when things are going well. It’s even harder to do it when, despite your seemingly exhaustive efforts, you’re still not getting the results you’re writing for.
There are many reasons for writing. Realistically, though, most people write because they want to make money doing it. It’s not out of the ordinary for an artist to expect to one day be able to make even a partial living off of their creative skill set. It’s not easy, but it’s possible. That doesn’t mean achieving your goals — while putting in the work to get closer to them little by little — is a simple task.
Every writer Wants Something
There isn’t a single writer doing what they do without a goal in mind. While most people are in it for (some) money, and many seek fame or recognition, even writing in search of internal satisfaction counts as something to work toward. It doesn’t matter what you want to get out of writing; what matters is that writing puts you on some sort of defined path that will take you there.
and that makes sticking with it extremely difficult. Especially if and when you hit one milestone and begin striving toward the next one. When you break your goals into smaller milestones — getting your first paid gig, for example, then trying to increase your earnings over time — you might find yourself wondering how many milestones it might take to actually say you’ve “made it.”
Many of us forget to celebrate even our smallest wins. and that’s how we fall into the trap of never feeling like we’re getting anywhere.
Writing Wins Count At Every Size
Writing can be an exhausting profession no matter what level you’re at. That’s because “winning” as a writer becomes harder to define the more you advance in your career. An aspiring writer trying to land their first job or sign with their first agent might feel burned out because they’re putting in hours and hours of work essentially for free. A writer who has published thousands of articles online may feel that same burnout, not because of doing free work, but because they’re still not getting paid what they should be for their efforts.
We have to celebrate our wins, no matter how unremarkable they might seem. If we don’t, we will lose our sense of purpose. We will forget why we keep doing what we’re doing. When I published my first interview in Star Wars Insider, even though the invoice was small and it didn’t lead to any life-changing career opportunities (at least, it hasn’t yet), my husband still took me out to dinner. It was a small win, but it mattered. I’ve thought about that dinner every time I’ve sat down to write since then. I can’t wait for the next small celebration.
Sometimes, even acknowledging the smallest wins makes a huge difference.
Everything You Write Is a Step Forward
Every single piece of writing you produce is a step closer to where you want to be as a writer. Even when it doesn’t seem like it. Will this blog post get me a book deal? Absolutely not. But I’m writing something, and that’s better than not writing anything at all.
When you’ve been writing for a long time — whether other people have widely read your work or not — you start to forget that even professional writers need to practice and refine their craft. Taking breaks is good for the mind, body, and soul. But you can’t just stop writing because you haven’t achieved your dreams yet. You won’t forget how to write if you do stop, but you won’t get any better at it if you don’t keep practicing.
Even scribbling in a journal or writing your worst prose in a private document on your hard drive counts for something. The best thing you can do for your future career is to keep writing even when it’s hard. Even when you’re having a bad day and it doesn’t feel like anything you do matters. Just write something. Anything. It may not be a huge step, but it’s still a step. Over time, even the smallest steps forward will eventually get you closer to your end goal.
Not having what you really want as a writer makes writing seem impossible. But it isn’t. I wrote this entire post even though I don’t currently believe I’ll ever write anything that changes someone’s life. You have to train yourself to do it even when you don’t remember why you’re doing it. The only way out is through.
Meg Dowell is the creator of Brain Rush, dedicated to helping writers put their ideas into words, and Not a Book Hoarder, celebrating books of all kinds. She is an editor, writer, book reviewer, podcaster, and photographer passionate about stories and how they get made. Learn more
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