Writing can be daunting, frustrating, and even frightening—yet then, somehow, magically fulfilling.
Still … even with that wonderful fulfillment fueling us, it can be hard to show up the next day. And the next.
That’s one reason I’m hosting a series of “accountability write-ins”—weekly gatherings to help people set goals, join a community of others who will support them, and … write—just write! (That’s the name of the class: “Write! Just Write!”).
Our sessions occur on Zoom, so you can join in no matter where you are.
Here’s how it works:
I’ll start each session with a 5-minute talk on writing—some thoughts on developing a creative mindset, overcoming creative obstacles, or writing craft topics.
I’ll provide an optional writing prompt and …
We’ll write! I’ll write alongside you.
At the end we’ll do a check-in on our goals, both short-term and long-term.
I’ll answer a writing-related question at the end of each session.
Designing your life to meet your goals
A question we all need to ask ourselves: Am I making my goals happen or is life happening to me?
Sometimes our commitment lags. Sometimes we don’t feel like going to the gym (or eating our vegetables). We find ways to evade the work we say is so important to us.
“The road to hell is paved with works-in-progress,” as Philip Roth said.
It’s all about designing your life to prioritize your priorities—to focus on the things you rationally want to achieve instead of sinking into the powerful claws of more impulsive needs.
We tend to be myopic creatures, preferring positive outcomes in the present at the expense of future outcomes.
But our present self is doing a disservice to our future self, who will scream back into the dark hallows of the past: “Why didn’t you work on our novel?”
That’s where the magic of setting a goal and a deadline come in. The words goal and deadline might not ring with any poetic allure, but these two words are perhaps the most important concepts in living the artistic life, ranking right up there with inspiration and imagination.
Goals give us direction, but a goal without a deadline is like a class of students without a teacher—full of potential, but lacking structure.
Another name for muse might be routine.
That’s why having a writing routine is so important—and I hope this class helps you set a routine. If there’s a single defining trait among most successful writers, it’s that they all show up to write regularly.
“A goal without a plan is just a wish,” said Antoine Saint Exupéry. And a routine is a plan. A plan of dedication. A routine helps obliterate any obstacle hindering you from writing, whether it’s a psychological block or a tantalizing party invitation.
Another name for muse might be routine. When you work regularly, inspiration strikes regularly. That’s because you’re carried forward by the reassuring momentum of your progress, absorbed in a type of mesmerism. Creativity arises from a constant churn of ideas. If you don’t have a routine, if you show up sporadically, it takes longer to warm up and remember your story.
Why write with others?
Meeting regularly to write with others helps keep you accountable. Think about it. Unless you come from a family of writers, it’s unlikely that your family will have any idea what you’re talking about when you mention that you fear your main character is a cliché or that you’re worried about the pace of your plot. They’ll mention things like going to business school, or helping with the evening dinner.
As Bill Patterson, a NaNoWriMo writer from New Jersey, likes to say, "Writing is a solitary activity best done in groups.” Completing such an arduous task of writing a novel is just plain easier with others rooting you on.
Your writing community can be a goad, a check, a sounding board, and a source of inspiration, support, and even love.
There’s a reason it’s difficult to beat the home team in sports: they have an extra teammate, the crowd.
Every novel is defined by the community of writers it belongs to. A novel isn’t written solely by its author; it’s also a work of the people surrounding and supporting the author.
Let’s help each other write!
Because a quote
“A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.”
— John Lennon
Because show up … just show up!
End Notes
What I’m Reading: One side benefit of hosting a podcast: I get to read books before they’re released. I loved reading Stacey D’Erasmo’s collection of essays, The Long Run, on how artists create … in the long run. Stacey is brilliant by the way. I bet you can pre-order this.
What I’m Watching: I just re-watched Tar, starring Cate Blanchett, and re-affirmed my belief that it’s a great movie that didn’t get the attention it deserved.
What I’m Listening to: I never tire of hearing stories from the early punk rock days in New York City, so Marc Maron’s conversation with Thurston Moore from Sonic Youth was a treat on WTF.
Substack recommendation: Have you read
’s Writerly Things? If not, it’s a writerly thing you should add to your list.
What a great idea! One good result of Covid seems to be that people learned new ways to find and sustain a writing community.
I have an online writing community I met through Story-a-Day-May. (We're called Superstars because HECK YEAH!) Anyway, we meet up online for writing sprints and it works wonders. Definitely recommend writing with others. I used to do the same in person for NaNoWriMo (and hope to again eventually). Folks should give it a try! I'm looking at you, introverts!