There is writing and there is Writing

Shawn Blanc making an important writing distinction:

There is writing, and then there is Writing. And I am amazed at how often I will shy away from the former because it doesn’t feel like the latter. There are times when I put far too much emphasis on the fine-tuned components of writing, and not nearly enough emphasis on simply getting the words down.

I know what Shawn Blanc means when he says this about his writing, because I often feel the same.

I’m an editor, a perfectionist, economical with my words and always searching for the best possible way to say what I want to say. And sometimes, yes, that can be a long process. It can even feel like a chore.

But then there are people on the opposite side of Shawn’s equation. Some people write quickly and frequently but without the care and thought that goes into producing quality work. They write, but they don’t improve.

So given the choice, I think I’ll stick with the former. And I’ll try not to give myself a hard time about the over analysis and the staring at an empty screen. That’s just the way I’ve chosen to roll.

Writing is relatively easy. Writing well is extremely tough. Without that extra, uncompromising attention to detail, you’ll find yourself writing without Writing.

Originally posted on Broomeshtick (I’m having a clear out).