I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.
–Anne Frank
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What does it really take to write your first draft? Courage and Perseverance. Courage, because it’s like starting any project. You see a steep mountain before you; one you’ve never climbed and all your doubts and procrastinating thoughts seem to stack up higher than the tallest peak. Perseverance, because you have to get beyond your limited thinking, take that first step and keep climbing until you cross your threshold. |
An avid hiker and author, I’ve learned to meet life’s challenges you simply take one step at a time. Occasionally you look up at the top of the mountain, but to keep your eyes and mind on that immediate step before you, is the best way I’ve found to get there.
What I like to tell first-time writers is, “It’s better to begin and find out you don’t have it in you than to create daily suffering by not starting at all.” After all, what could be worse than standing at the starting line for months or years, daily chastising yourself for not at least trying? It’s better to begin and find out it’s not for you, knowing you gave it your all.”
In the early 1990s I was kayaking down a river on Kauai with my fiancée, Michael. We paddled into an area where a number of people were lined up on the edge of a cliff. One by one we watched them swing out over the river holding on to a rope with their hands, knees to their chest, ready to swing out into the river and drop. I said to Michael, “That would scare me to death. We’ve got to try it.” He agreed. We pulled the kayak to the river’s edge and climbed the path to where others were waiting their turn.
Standing in line, knees shaking, I turned to Michael and said, “I don’t know if I can do it.”
He assured me I could. Easy for him to say, I thought. This wasn’t his greatest fear.
When we got to the front of the line, I told him to go before me. He said, “Let’s jump together. It’ll be fun.” I was still too frozen with fear to go and declined the invitation. Shivering and still hoping I’d find the courage, I stayed in line. I’m glad I did. The guy behind me offered just the advice I needed to hear. He said, “What’s worse, standing here paralyzed in fear or taking the rope, jumping and getting it over with?”
He was my guru of the day. Instead of passing the rope when it was again my turn, I held on tight, pushed off and jumped, screaming the whole way out and down, as I plunged into the freezing cold river. Relieved and exhilarated, I joined Michael, my cheerleader, grateful that it was over, and I could move on. To this day, whenever I find myself procrastinating, questioning whether or not I can do something, I think of that nameless young man and go for it full heartedly. Really, what’s the worst that can happen? Failure? You can only fail if you don’t try.
It’s really a choice. If you can’t do it alone, find somebody to help you take that first step. You owe it to yourself to at least try, instead of fantasizing about all the reasons you can’t do it.
Tips for Writing First Drafts
1 – Write yourself silly.
2 – Allow your imagination to go wild.
3 – Break all of the rules.
4 – Steal words, phrases, etc. from good writers.
5 – Keep your “bum” in your chair until you’re done.
6 – Let what you’ve written sit for a few days before reading it through.
7 – CELEBRATE!
Laugh, Love, Enjoy!
